Graphical Construction Glossary >> masonry. >> stonework >> Stone Quoins

Quoins

Pronounced "coins" these are the end masonry units of a wall. The corner-stones. Also refers to one vertical end of a wall, or a section of the end that is raised up first in the building sequence.s

Stone Quoins

Quoins in stone. Often used as a decorative element and often larger than the surrounding stonework giving a sense of strength.

Header

A masonry unit that is seen end on.

Stretcher

A masonry unit that is seen side on.

Quoin Header

A quoin that is seen as header in the wall. From the other view it would be seen as a quoin stretcher.

The term Quoin is still used by brickies etc. (although I suspect a lot of young guys just call them corners), in it's original sense.

"Used to describe and outer corner of a wall" Glossary of Australian Building Term. H.Milton (ed). 1985.

"An exterior angle of a building" Chambers Science And Technology Dictionary. P.M.B.Walker (ed). 1988

In addition it is used for the the stepped sections of walls that masons of all types use to start the wall building process from the c corners. See the photo below.

Having said that it does seem that the most common usage of the word Quoin is in to describe the large structural or decorative stones shown above and to the right. These large stones are often used around the door and window openings in walls also.

There are quite a few examples scattered about in this glossary.

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"When we build, let us think that we build for ever."John Ruskin 1819-1900