The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-28
Color OF Houses-AIilwauI<io Brick.
Correspondence of the Nev York Tribune.

correspondence Of Me NeU York Tribune.
| ADRIAN, MICH, Oct. 8, 1852
see II editoriaIly noticed in the Home Journal
| that the yellow Milwaukee bricks have been lately
| introduced into New York. The editor very
| properly remarks that the color of these bricks
renders them decided improvement upon the
common red brick. There is great difference in
the beauty of the two, but the Improvement is ex-
pensive. A clearer and quite az permanent color
may be got by painting. Your contemporary
brick is, that one may have hs house Of an sgreea.
BILE color without resorting to the use OF paint,
which is source of frequent expense, as well as
being, for many other reasons, objectionable"
Now, all paint is not oil paint Oil paint 10 ex-
pensive, and Is not, when on, just the thing for
| brick; but paint may be made for brick with.
out any oil much better than with. The brick
dwelling in which reside has coat of paint upon
1t which has been there several years, and is now
quite az fresh as when painted, and likely to re-.
main 80 great many years more. The basis Of
the paint is common lime mixed with water. Sui.
plate of zinc is the fixing ingredient. The requi-
site shade may be made by adding colors used by
house. painters have now in my mind buildings
that have been standing quite long time without
the renewal of paint. The composition costs but
little more than common whitewash; the same,
adding the cost of Venitian red or yellow ochre, or
burnt sienna, Gas the taste Of the owner may re-
quire,) and the sulPhate Of zin;. This paint was
highly recommended by the late A. j. Downing
good authority in such matters. II forms ce-
ment with brick which nothing but the severest
friction will remove. have seen quite number
noticed dull, rusty look about the edges of the
brick that materially destroys the good effect Of the
cream color. much clearer and richer cream
color may be attained by using the common red
brick with this competition with yellow ochre for
the coloring matter. For country houscs a some
what more lively and warmer color nay be got by
the addition Of Venitian to the ochre in small pro-
portions. 49,. s..sn .. ~ 1920
Iagree with Gen. Morris, that the monotony of
red brick and brown stone 10 DISTINCT 10 be broken
as il should have been long ago inour cities, but
not by the insertion of cream colored edidces dug
too expensive when there 10 one practicable and
economical to come in the way Of II.
1t ia considered necessary by many, in order to
present handsome front, to use pressed brick.
However smooth and substantial they may look,
there is, after all, something wanting to beauty.
The color ia neither soft nor cheerful, yet par
ticularly suited to hide dust and smoke. Money
will be saved by the use Of the cheaper impressed
brick and lime paint, and the appearance will be
better. -. - r.
have noticed in several of our western Villages
IN inclination to use stucco outside coat. In
nine cases out of ten, the design, or whit should
be the design, is not attained, TO wit: faithful
imitation of stone. You at once that it is plas-
ter after oil; the inference pops into your mind
that the building must have been in the start all ono
mass Of rock, and sawed up where II stands into
those great square blocks; for you cannot imagine
of the Pyramids of Egypt or Clcopatra's' Needle,
could you have been raised to the position they
occupy. ~ .....- -... ...a. y, ~ yEf'sE
Every intelligent house builder should know that
very large masses Of stone arc not 90 much in
keeping with small and unpretending as with
large structure--with q cottage as with capitol
or bank. Hence the incompleteness Of the decep-
ton. Large blocks of stone in small buildings are
-. . WIN. II. soorr.