Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-02-11
Suggestions in Building Dwelling
Housps

house must be adapted 10 the comfort and
to the means of the family.
Cd. The climate is to he considered.
3D.. In connection with climate. the
material to be used 10 The construction.
Keeping these in view. | shall make q
few suggestions for the consideration Of
families Of moderate fortunes, who may be
planning country res iences.
LIST. That but two apartments beside
the kitchen and the Offices. are required
These two. dining room and parlor
should be large and adjoining. so as to
communicate. This for convenience and
economy of fuel in winter.
Having determined on the size and pro-
portion of these rooms, aud the chambers
over them. the next consideration will be
the kitchen snd domestic offices.
These should each he planned separate
", and then placed together in such con
,iguity as will best adapt them to the fam
ily requirements. The error mostly com
mitted by those planning dwellings Of
moderate size is in first laying down the
outline or outside of the house. and after
j wards dividing it into apartments the
consequence Of which is. that the rooms
are likely to be reduced in size TO make
place for the pantues. closets and other
ofhces,
IN ingenious architect will after hav-
ing determined on the number. size and
pr pcgtion Of the apartments. arrange
them Ni3h proper regards, both to the
convenienoc and architectural beauty Of
the house. Domestic comfort should not
be sacrificed for outside show.
We have here in this country to encoun-
ter a climate which differs from that Of
most other countries The thermometer
ranges over more than 100 degrees Farcn-
/ heit. from sumner TO winter. That is.
4 We have in winter to contend against a
temperature II more than 10 degrees below
I zero. and IN summer Of $40 degrees F., In
\ the sun.
/ The architect has to protect the occu-
pants of his dwellings, against the dangers
and discomfort arising from these ex-
tremes; 10 exclude heat in summer and
cold in winter. Whilst his walls. and
doors, and windows must exclude the rig
ors OF an almost Arctic winter. they must
equally provide against the Perncious
dampuess OF our spring weather. and the
suitrness of our summers.
Double windows and double doors-wi,h
every conceivable pattern Of weather
sirip-are used TO close out the penetrating
blasts OF winter. then 10 be removed on
the return OF summer 10 admit the breeze
The double windows aud double doors gen
orally used are unsighily and IncJnyen
lent. in place Of them ] would snggest
onel and bay windows. These when
properly constructed. 20 as 20 present
three o. open sides. each provided With
sash and shutters. which may be opened
and closed "A, will. afford protection from
the summer sun. and. when opened. en-
trance TO the breeze in our sultrv cason
in the winter time. when provided with
shutters and glass. 80 arranged as to shu,
them of from the apartments. they are
much more oiieciual protection against the
entrance Of cold than any other window.
Easement sash. when they can be used.
and when properly constructed. are the
cheapest and the most conducive 20 com
fort OF all others. At the same time.
while admitting free ventilation IN summer.
they exclude wind. rain aud snow IA win
ter.
Lastly: Asiegards tile material to he
used IN the construction u the building.
| recommend a wall 81 common cheap
brick. TO be prepared for weather board.
mot frame J. with which tic building Is TO
be cncased,
4 house thus built the weather board.
being nailed on hort-0niGiig. Will he found
TO be the cheapest the most comic tau.
and the mos; enduring of ali others In this
climate. Let any. one observe house
built OF brick or stone, either painted or
plastered, and ii will b. seen that after
drifting rain the walls become saturated
with moisture. And should the winter
immediately succeed. this moisture will
freeze into ice and the residents are. for
the season. encased in ice and dannpnc,-
Laihing house ON the inside Will Ger
tanlv exclude some al tins moisture. bat
nothing except weather boarding will pro
iect the rails from the ruIunus effects OF
moisture aud ice By weather boarding
a brick or stone house. We eiieciuai.y 81
clude cold. and heat and wind and mos
tlre.
As TO durability OF wood there can be
no question when It Is painted. and when
the boarS- are placed horizontally and 'cfii
iapPed
In New England, New York and the
Southern States. wooden houses may lie
seen still IN good repair which are more
than century old.
Every architect has seen the siuding
and loists and lamb easing on Tie eastern
sides of stone houses greatis De aged. but
after few years occupancy the result is
due TO the dampnes- Of the stone.
A brck house weather boarded will not
require lathing on the inside Of the walls.
| have seen the ceiling OF room reekIng
with moisture IN damp weather. whilst
-. -. isrt..t
were dry.
Before closing. viii draw attention 10
frequent cause OF dampnes- or sweating
walls. namely. that sand is in some in
stances used in the last coat Of plaster,
which has been procured from the salt wa
ter beaches of the lower Delaware. sand
from thence contains salt. which. ia dry
weather. may be dry. but in damp sweaty
weather, the sal. deliquescing. will forey-
er cause damp ceiling. After a time. not
( only will the plaster 80 composed become
/ rotten. but also whatever wood work 10 in
contact with it. Hence. care should be
/ taken to procure the sand from til. upper
/ Delaware.
/ In house of moderate size the ceilings
| should not be high than ten feet.
High ceilings IN winter are not cas- IL
| warmed and. besides this injunction. high
ceilings entail difficult stairs. Where the
ceilings are to be ornamentei every foot
above ten feat in height will require a very
large addition 10 the length Of the room.
For example. take into consideration a
room. the ceiling of which Is q be adorn
ed with paintings, would it not he absurd
to have those ceilings Of ~ great height.
in proportion to the length OF the room.
that the ornaments of the ceiling could
| only be seen by a painful elevatil N Of the