Read Ebook: Practical hints to builders and those contemplating building Facts worth considering relating to foundation cellar kitchen chimney cistern brick-work mortar heating ventilation the roof and many items of interest to builders. by National Sheet Metal Roofing Co

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We have left out generalities, and offer the reader solid facts that are valuable to every one engaged in the ever pleasant task of constructing a home.

THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO., 510 TO 520 EAST TWENTIETH ST., New York City.

Practical Hints to Builders.

THE ARCHITECT.

Shall we employ one? Yes, if the work is sufficiently important to justify it, and it is a very modest house indeed that is not.

As the professional architect is generally a graduate of one of the building trades, and has gravitated to that position because of his peculiar fitness for it, it stands to reason, some will think, that from among the many builders one can be selected who is capable of taking the contract and presiding as architect. To such persons we would say: You are not familiar with the functions of an architect, when considered separate from the builder. The architect can save you money. He discovers your wants, your likes, and your dislikes; he reduces them to a tangible form; he draws up the specifications so minutely that every variety of material and labor is distinctly set forth as to its quality and kind.

When completed, plans and specifications are presented to a builder for an estimate; he knows exactly what is expected of him. There is no chance for controversy or quibble; all has been settled by the owner through his architect. In consequence, if several contractors estimate upon the building, it is known that their figures are all upon the same basis.

We will say in general he can save you from five to twenty per cent. in cost; will give you better construction and proportions, and add a value to your house, apart from its first cost, that if it does not sell for more, it will sell more readily than if built without his service.

SELECTING A BUILDING SITE.

There are but few persons who are in a position to locate their proposed home just where they would most desire it. But, fortunately, most any building site is capable of being made to look well, it the style of architecture selected harmonizes with the surroundings.

It is of the first importance that the location be a healthy one. Better rent all your life than ignore that. Avoid the neighborhood of swamps and stagnant water, or where the cellar, to your house, from the nature of the location, will be damp. Large bodies of water, or running water is never unhealthy; but on the contrary, it is in many ways conducive to health. Some very uninviting, rugged and neglected spots, can, with but little expense and an appropriate building, be made exceedingly beautiful.

One of the prettiest school-houses I ever saw was built on a lot given by a farmer for a district school. It did look as if the piece of ground was worthless for any purpose; it was rocky, overgrown with briers and bushes, and a tiny stream ran across the lot, jumping from rock to rock, alongside of which, on a level spot but little larger than room for a building, a house with steep roof and turret was built, and the adjacent hillside made a splendid study and playground for the scholars. When completed the building and grounds was a model of what a country school-house should be.

While an elevation is at all times desirable, a hill is not. The exposure to the storms in winter, and the tiresome walk in summer, is to be avoided. A few native trees, if on the ground to furnish shade, are desirable. The water supply, too, is to be considered. Most architects say a Southern exposure is the best, but this depends on your location. For Southern homes the East is preferable.

FOUNDATION.

Just how deep to excavate to start the foundation of a house depends on the climate and soil. Always dig trenches below the frost line in any soil. This is sufficient if the subsoil is solid; if the subsoil is not solid, go deep enough to reach solid earth.

Mortar made from common lime or sand, though commonly used, is objectionable for foundations, because dampness will ascend even above the floor joists, if the floor is not several feet above the ground. It is often the case that hydraulic lime cannot be conveniently had. In that case a layer of slate or coarse paper, well saturated with pitch, laid between the brick seams below the line of joists, will answer the same purpose, and is less expensive.

See that the space between the joists is filled with brick, flush with the under-side of floor boards. This prevents Mr. Rat, or other members of his interesting family, from sitting in these little corners and gnawing into the room above, or climbing between the siding to the upper floors. If this little matter is attended to right, neither rats or mice can enter the house, except through the doors. To keep them from burrowing underneath the foundation walls, let the thickness of one brick project outward at the bottom of the foundation. On burrowing downward, a rat soon reaches this shelf, and following it around till he arrives at the place he started from, becomes disgusted, or is supposed to, as he is not seen about the house again. It is always better to have the foundation broader at the bottom than the thickness of wall intended to be used. This is necessary in all brick houses, unless on a rock bottom.

See that the space under the ground floor is left clear of rubbish before the floor is laid, and grating built in the wall for ventilation. This opening can be closed in winter to secure additional warmth. The cellar is closely related to the foundation; we give some hints on its construction on page 22.

The plans and elevations of cottages presented in this book have each been specially prepared for some individual by an eminent architect, and the proportions and details can be relied upon.

COLORS.--For Exterior and Interior.

As your house nears completion, it is well to decide upon colors. That is a distinctive feature which is to give tone and beauty, and make your house in some respects different from all others. The question of painting is often a mere matter of preserving the structure, and not a question of beauty or harmony of colors, or what would be best suited to the surroundings; it is too often the case that but little regard is paid to those nice perceptions that make one man's work many times more valuable than another. Strong contrasts of color should be avoided. Light tints are preferable to strong colors. Think of a house painted black, red, yellow, or green.

Let the surroundings suggest what the exterior colors should be. A house surrounded by trees and shrubbery will admit of white, with white tinted trimmings, such as cornices, corner-boards, window and door frames; but for half the year the green foliage of the trees is turned to brown, which but partially relieves the glaring white. This is why that color is not a favorite for exteriors. As a rule, select a light color for the body of the house, and darken that for the trimmings.

For interior wood-work select light wood colors; let none be darker than walnut. Oak, chestnut, ash, white walnut, maple and cherry make a beautiful finish by simply oiling, and varnishing if a gloss is preferred. Very light shades of ochre make beautiful ceilings which can be ornamented with suitable designs, using darker but delicate shades of other light colors. Here is where the taste and skill of the painter comes in, and unless you are an adept, don't fail to consult an experienced decorator for your inside walls.

For houses of moderate cost we think nothing is equal to solid colors for inside walls. Let the colors be light and cheerful, and the rooms of different shades. .

As seen by the cut, our shingles are the same to-day as when first introduced. Remember, no cleats or springs are necessary in using our shingles. The lock is simple and perfect, with corrugations across the top, and bracing corrugations across the exposed end of the shingles, which stiffen and hold the shingles firmly to the underlying courses. They are easily applied, and any one who can lay a wood shingle can lay these. We furnish them in four sizes, made from charcoal roofing tin, painted both sides and unpainted, galvanized tin plate, which is superior to galvanized iron, cold rolled copper, and steel plates. We keep on hand a full line of roofing sundries.

Our Shingles received the highest and only award for metal shingles at the American Institute, held in this city, October, 1886, and New Orleans Exposition, 1885.

WHOLESALE AGENTS.

ROOF VALLEYS OR GUTTERS.

It is generally known to builders and roofers that the greatest amount of wear upon all kinds of roofs is in the valleys or gutters. Therefore, that part of the roof, whether covered with slate, tin or wood shingles, should be of the best material, and free from the annoying possibility of cracking.

This trouble is always caused by expansion and contraction of the metal. The usual method is to make the valley of the desired length, and, after shaping to the roof-boards, to nail each side firmly. The result is, with the summer heat, a buckle is often formed at some point between the two ends. In cold weather the buckle draws out, and in course of time, if the joints in the middle do not give way, a leak will appear, caused by the metal cracking. This will not occur with our roof valleys, because we amply provide for the expansion and contraction of the same. We particularly call the attention of dealers in building material to our Queen Anne Valley. It is salable, durable and cheap, always ready to apply; can be used by any workman capable of laying slate, tin or wood shingles. .

THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO.

WHAT IS GOOD MORTAR?

To a casual observer mortar is mud, but to a builder who understands the chemistry of mortar it is a compound of water, lime and sand, and when properly prepared forms an indestructible cement. Fresh slacked lime, when brought in contact with clean, sharp sand, adheres strongly to the surface of each grain, and forms the silicate of lime.

At the same time the drying mortar absorbs carbonic acid from the atmosphere, forming with it lime-stone, which in time becomes a rock in solidity. Now, all mortar is good or bad in proportion to the purity of the ingredients and their relative affinity for each other. The adhesive properties of mortar are nullified by loam or clay in sand, or the stale condition of lime used.

Loam mortar adheres freely to the surface of walls or ceilings. So does mud if thrown against an upright surface; but water dissolves it. It dries quickly, but does not harden with age. The foundation of many frame, and the entire walls of many brick houses are built with poor mortar, when the materials for good could be had at the same price.

Water, lime, sand and hair are the ingredients for plasterers' mortar in about the following proportions: One bushel unslacked lime and four bushels sharp sand; and water sufficient to make it of proper consistency. After being properly mixed, the mortar should stand from three to ten days before using. However, the time it should stand depends upon the susceptibility of the lime to slack. Some lime requires a month, while good lime slacks immediately. Age improves mortar, provided it is kept wet, and makes it work easier under the workman's trowel. As it is the keys formed by pressing the mortar against the lathing on the ceiling that holds it to its place, there should be a relative width of lath and key space to insure strength sufficient to prevent its falling. Ignorance of this, and poor mortar, is the cause of falling ceilings. Lath one inch wide, 7/16 inches thick, placed 7/16 inches apart will insure good strong work.

The second coat needs but a very small quantity of hair. Fifty bushels sand, and twelve and one-half bushels unslacked lime, will make mortar enough to cover one hundred square yards. If mortar freezes before it is dry it loses its cementing properties and becomes in common phase rotten, but if the sand used is clean, and it remains frozen without thawing until it is dry, it is not injured. The best way to treat a house in which the plastering is not dry, and cannot be kept from freezing before it dries, is to throw the house open, and let it freeze for eight or ten days, or until the plastering freezes dry.

Cisterns should be plastered inside with mortar made of equal parts of hydraulic lime and clean sand. For brick work above foundations use one part unslacked lime to four parts sand.

"THE INDEPENDENT," 251 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, October 28th, 1889.

Gentlemen:--The shingles from your respected concern used on my new house look splendidly, and give entire satisfaction. They are far better than any metal shingles I have previously used on other buildings, which I have had torn off and thrown away as worthless. At times we were flooded by the water under their protection, and we could not stop the leaks. Noah in the ark I am sure was, fortunately, not troubled with leaks such as we endured for years; if he had been all would have been drowned. Now, under your protection, we are all right and still alive.

Faithfully,

HENRY C. BOWEN, CHANDLER.

TO ARCHITECTS AND BUILDERS.

There is no detail of house building more important than the roof. Upon it depends to a great degree the durability and preservation of the whole structure. The number of good houses with mottled ceilings and cracked plastering, to be seen all over the country, are reminders of the necessity of securing the best material and faultless construction for this important part of your dwelling.

Our object is to furnish the building public with a better form of roofing material, attractive in appearance, without the objections of the heavy slate, the clumsy shingle, or the plain ribbed metal roof; and at a price that claims the attention of Architects and Builders of the whole country.

THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO., 510 TO 520 EAST TWENTIETH ST., New York City.

CHIMNEYS.

We will not moralize on the evils of smoky chimneys, but just tell you in plain language how to construct them so they will not smoke. Make the throat of the fire-place not more than half the size of the flue; carefully smooth the inside of the flue, and have it of the same area all the way to near the top of the chimney, when it should be gradually tapered inward to about half the area of the flue. At the extreme top, the cap stone should slant from the opening in all directions downward at an angle of about twenty degrees. This will insure a good draught and prevent the smoke blowing downward. No two fire-places should enter the same flue; neither should a stove-pipe enter a flue unless the fire-place is closed. Each stove and fire-place should have its own flue. The size necessary for a flue depends on the fuel to be used.

Soft or Bituminous coal requires a flue nearly double the size of one where Anthracite is to be used; an open fire-place for wood, larger flues than either. For instance, an 8 x 8 inch flue answers for Anthracite, because it makes but little soot, while if Bituminous coal is used, 8 x 12 is none too large.

You will find in houses all over the country flues smaller than the above, and a corresponding number of smoky chimneys, which it is impossible to remedy without re-building from the bottom up.

The carelessness displayed in chimney construction is astonishing. As the work is hid from view on completion, be watchful during the process of construction from the ground up. All chimneys should, if possible, extend above the apex or comb of roof, and should be built of good hard burnt brick, and no woodwork should be allowed to enter within five inches of inside of flue, and not within twelve inches anywhere near the fire-place.

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