QUEBEC BUILDS ITS FIRST DRYSTONE CABANON!

QUEBEC BUILDS ITS FIRST DRYSTONE CABANON!

Alain Prince

Alain Prince (aprince[at]technipierreheritage.com), co-manager of the Montreal-based "Technipierre Héritage" company in Quebec, has kindly apprised CERAV of what is unquestionably a first in the "Belle Province", ie the building of a drystone cabanon.

We are pleased to publish below, the report and photos we received. This great achievement by our cousins across the Atlantic bodes well for the survival of a building craft that we hold dear.

CERAV wishes to congratulate Alain Prince and his team of builders on their successful venture.

Location : Site of the "Les pierres de Saint-Canut" company at Saint-Canut (three quarters of an hour's drive to the north of Montreal, close to the airport).

350 man-hours to sort out the stones and build the cabanon.

41 tons of stone (hard, beige-yellowish sandstone with a 1.4m3 density and an 85% silica content).

Height of vault = 3.30 m

Overall height = 3.63 m

Outside diameter of base part = 3.65 m

Inside diameter = 1.90 m

Entrance: height = 1.60 m, width = 0.70 m

Window: height = 0.60 m, width = 0.33 m

Depth of concrete foundation slab = 30 cm, height of drain of crushed stones and base part = 1.80 m

Estimated cost (material, labour and general terms): about CAN $30 000.

Duration: from 5th to 14th December 2003 (average outside temperature: - 8 Celsius degrees).

The building experiment will feature in a documentary dealing with traditional crafts in Quebec and due to be released in Spring. A study conducted by an engineer is also in the pipeline. With a bit of luck, there may be a rash of drystone cabanons in the near future.

The team of builders

The initial layers of the base part

Tackling the roof

Vault and roof go up at the same time

The corbelling becomes more and more pronounced

After completion

Quebec's first drystone cabanon

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This article is to be referenced as follows :
Alain Prince, Quebec builds its first drystone cabanon!
www.pierreseche.com/cabane_quebec_engl.htm, March 13th, 2004

March 13th, 2004

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