Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-03-11
STAINING FLOORS.
saIaAbde Points for Such as Want to DO
the Work Themselves,

SalaabSe Points for Such as Want to DO
the Work Themselves.
For the benefit of those who desire to
stain their own floors the following is
given: In the first place, as to brushes,
You can purchase at any paint shop
what is necessary. Do not get them too
heavy, as they will tire you; a medium
round brush, q fiat brush about six
inches wide, a small '.liner'' to mark
the edges and go into corners, and you
have enough. After you have bought
them soak them in water for half a day
to swell the wood and prevent the fall
ing out of the bristles and they are then
ready for use. Lard cans are the most
useful for mixing your stains, but if you
buy that article in a more economical
fashion tin vegetable cans will do if the
top is cut entirely out.
To begin with the hall, should rec
ommend, if you are undecided about the
color, raw sienna, rather than darker
stain, as it does not show dust or foot
marks, and it harmonizes with any rug.
The battle-ground can of prepared
paint mixed with gill of turpentine
Will give you all the color you require
for quite large room.
Now take your small brush and paint
a line around the edge of your floor to
prevent your large brush from smirching
the walls. Then with the round paint
brush paint the lengths of board with
the grain of the wood. when stopping
your work always complete the board
on which you are working; thus the
stain will look equal and even. Take a
low chair by all means, as you can then
paint your lengths of board with very
little fatigue, merely moving the chair
when desired. This is certainly not pro-
fessional, but it has been tested and
found most satisfactory.
The fiat brush is for the hard oil
finish, which you can apply as soon as
the stain is dry to the touch. Then
leave it for twenty-four hours at least,
before placing any furniture upon it.
Wax is recommended as the neatest,
cleanest and most attractive way to
keep floor after it has been vanished.
Now for the floors of the drawing and
dining-rooms. For the first, if you do
not mind little trouble, try a border;
it has very pretty effect and is not
much work. With a piece of chalk
draw a straight line about foot and a
half from the wall; then with the small
brush paint over it broad fiat line and
another line of equal width against the
wall. Now draw a geometrical figure
any figure will doom brown paper
nearly as large as the width of your
border. Cut it out, and with your
chalk draw lines around it at
equal distances from each other and
connect your figures with lines curved
Or straight as you lilke-the geometrical
figures to be filled in solidly with stain.
This border may be put on after the
entire floor has been stained. Of course
the border may be made as elaborate as
one wishes. One floor which was done
in this way was very successful. The
parquet itself was stained with raw
sienna, and the figure on the border
done in Prussian blue. If you like
browns, try raw lumber for your dining
room. 1t will be sure to please you,
but it must be well diluted-one gill of
turpentine to a third of a pound can of
the lumber. If you wish it darker, add
more of the color.-N. Y. Tribune.