Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-12-04

BUILDIH
-
Vastien f5r 7gSJJlne:

V1sfen ,rfaasI a7bune
The real object should be to spread a
continuous sheet of mortar from sill to
plate, and this can be much better accom-
plished by emitting the ~fllets, and mailing
two lines of lath vertically between each
pair of studs, then lathing on these, and
plastering with a thick coat of mortar,
well pressed on, so as to fill in between
the laths and the boarding. By this me-
thod room is left for the mason to insert
his trowe1 and hand the ledger-boards or
fiooring-strips and reach every inch of the
space between the studs, closing it against
the wind, if care is taken to bring the
mortar well up on the studs, with almost
the imperviousness of a solid brick wall.
The meaner contractors, not in conse-
quence of scientific deduction, but from
desire of gain, often caricature THE mode,
by lathing vertically directly on the board
ing, without the ~interposition of the first
laths, which are essential to give a key to
the mortar, and prevent it from cracking
off. Some even contentthemselyes, if no
observed, with simply spreading the NOR
tar on the boards, without any lathing
long enough for the contractor to get his
pay.
As soon as the back plastering is done,
it is usual in good houses to apply ONE
precautions against the spread Of fire and
the passage of rats and mice from room to
room. In the cellar, the whole space
between the beams, from the sill to the
inner surface oil the wall, should be filled
in solid with brickwork and mortar, up to
the inner side of the foor-boards. This
not only keeps out the cold wind which
would otherwise blow freely through the
chinks about the sill and the base-mould-
ings of the house, but renders it impossi-
BILE for rats and mice to climb on top Of
the wall and gnaw their way through the
floor above. If the cellar ceiling is not
plastered, the space above the girders
should be bricked up, for the same reason;
and in any case a brick partition, at least
-four inches thick, should be built in NOR
tar on top of every girder, between the
studs of the partition which rest upon it,
and on the heads of all partitions above
which cross the beams, to a hight OF two
or three inches above the floor. By these
means the hollow spaces between the
ceilings and floors are divided up into
compartments, effectually cutting off the
circulation of cold air through the floors
which is so much to be feared in country
houses, while fire is prevented from
spreading laterally between the beams.
1t is very desirable also to fill in with
brick-bats and mortar betW cen the studs
of all partitions, at about half the hight
of the room. This "hrestop'' belt may
be laid on top Of the bridging, and will
check the upward course of fire, forcing
it to burn out into the open room, where
it will be discovered and means applied
for extinguishing it. The principle
should never be lost sight Of, that the
chief danger from fire in dwelling houses
comes from allowing it to find its way in
to the wooden tubes, lined with bristling
splinters, nearly as ~inflammable as finder,
which are formed by the interior surfaces
Of the laths, studs, beams and flooring.
boards. In these the flames creep, undis-
covered and inaccessible, through and
through a house in which no device is
adopted for i~nterrupting the communica
ton between such air spaces, until they
gain strength enough to burst out %fiereelJ
in a dozen places at once, and the build
ing, already permeated in all directions
by the fire, is quickly destroyed.
To carry out the system of protection
with any ~thoroughness, the spaces be
tween the outside studs must also be di
vided into sections by i~ncombustible ma
terial. With braced frames this can very
we'll be done by means Of brickwork lait
upon the girts, but for balloon frames it i
necessary to nail short pieces of timbe,
between the studs at the level of the led
ger-boards. to build upon. A good bod,
Of masonry should then be formed upol
the plate, filling the whole space between
the rafters to the under side of the roof
boards. This is an invaluable defens
against cold air as well as fire, both 0
which usually find the cornice a very wi
nerable feature.
One ether point remains to be guarded
the hollow space around the chimneys
behind the tuning of the breasts. Til