mortarless
No binding paste
Mortarless describes masonry or construction that uses no mortar—the paste that typically binds bricks or stones together.
Mortarless walls rely instead on precise fitting, gravity, or interlocking shapes: The ancient Incan walls were mortarless, with stones cut so precisely they needed no binding.
The term appears in discussions of dry-stone construction and some modern modular building systems.
Masonry without binding agent
- drystoneStonework without mortar
- IncaAncient Peruvian civilization member
- cyclopeanMassive and primitively constructed
- megalithicOf giant stone construction
neolithic · henges · monoliths · ruins · archaeology · prehistory · monuments · stonemasonry
Engaging by overlap
- load-bearingSustaining structural mass
- gravityMutual mass attraction
- self-supportingAble to maintain oneself
- compressionForcing into smaller space
stability · foundation · support · strength · durability · engineering · construction · gabion
Engaging by overlap
- prefabricatedManufactured in advance
- tongue-and-grooveInterlocking plank connection method
- DIYAmateur home projects
- reconfigurableAble to be rearranged
collapsible · portable · expandable · connectable · customizable · demountable · flatpack
Fit for repeated service
- recyclableCapable of being remade
- low-impactMinimally stressful on body
- ecofriendlyNot harmful to nature
- naturalNot artificially produced
earthen · adobe · cob · salvageable · non-toxic · dismantlable · repurposable · biodegradable
dry-stone
Masonry without binding agent
- drystoneStonework without mortar
- IncaAncient Peruvian civilization member
- cyclopeanMassive and primitively constructed
megalithic · neolithic · henges · monoliths · ruins · archaeology · prehistory · monuments · stonemasonry · craftsmanship
interlocking
Engaging by overlap
- load-bearingSustaining structural mass
- gravityMutual mass attraction
- self-supportingAble to maintain oneself
compression · stability · foundation · support · strength · durability · engineering · construction · gabion · rubble
interlocking
Engaging by overlap
- prefabricatedManufactured in advance
- tongue-and-grooveInterlocking plank connection method
- DIYAmateur home projects
reconfigurable · collapsible · portable · expandable · connectable · customizable · demountable · flatpack
reusable
Fit for repeated service
- recyclableCapable of being remade
- low-impactMinimally stressful on body
- ecofriendlyNot harmful to nature
natural · earthen · adobe · cob · salvageable · non-toxic · dismantlable · repurposable · biodegradable · vernacular