-
Step 1
Select a proper location. The land should be level enough to hold the entire layout of your castle comfortably, and should also be on high ground with a good view of the surrounding territory. Flat hilltops or peninsulas make good locations as well, because the natural barriers serve as added protection.
-
Step 2
Plan out your castle based on the particulars of the land you have selected. The specifics vary depending upon the size of the castle and the amount of land you have set aside. If you are building in modern times, you may also wish to include modern amenities such as electricity and plumbing in your design. A qualified architect can design plans for you, as well as plumbers and electricians to handle the 21st century amenities). Some firms (such as CastleMagic in Idaho) specialize in building castles and can handle all of the design themselves.
-
Step 3
Dig a moat around the perimeter of the planned castle. Moats can be used for defense against angry peasants, filled with oil to disperse the Hun, or in more modern times, stocked with fish to serve as a pleasant aesthetic touch. A moat is simply a trench, three to four feet deep, directly against the castle walls. Once it has been dug, set concrete along the bottom and sides, or line it with plastic to keep the water from seeping out.
-
Step 4
Set the foundation, focusing on the walls of the castle and any towers or parapets. They should be made of stone or steel and run as deeply into the ground as resources and the landscape allow. Ideally, you will be able to anchor it to solid bedrock, which will help make it strong and sturdy.
-
Step 5
Lay down concrete for your courtyard if you have one. You can place cobblestones or other aesthetic touches once the rest of the castle is complete, but a concrete base helps to eliminate dust and dirt in the courtyard.
-
Step 6
Lay down the stones for your walls, binding them together using mortar or concrete. The bigger the stones, the more solid and impregnable your castle will be. Each subsequent row of stones alone the walls should overlap, with the edge of the higher stones placed over the center of the lower one. If you have plumbing or electricity planned, you should lay the pipes and wiring along the walls as you build.
-
Step 7
Set frames for doors, windows, crenellations, murder holes and secret passages as you build the walls. Glass or wooden doors should be set in place on their frames as you build.
-
Step 8
Build the roof out of strong timbers or stone. Wood is lighter and easier to move, but stone presents less of a fire hazard (should any dragons lay siege to your castle).
-
Step 9
Place banners along your walls and a flag atop your towers to announce that your castle is complete.
