Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-10-30
CEMENT FLOORS.
nov Long They Last and what They Cost.
How 10 Law Them.

NOW 70 AAN ANtms
A correspondent who has tested co.
mont floors writes about them rs FOL.
lows In a communication to Rural New
Yorker.
The FIRST cement floor / ever laid was
IN my dwelling house collar % years
ago last fall IL is rs solid and good to.
day rs ever Farmers generally wish 20
know the cost FIRST As nearly as can
figure the money outlay for material
does not exceed 2lS cents per square
foot
Fresh Akron cement and good coarse
gravel are mixed ia tho proportions of
one part cement to ga parts gravel
Thou should be- enough sand. say about
ouc.hith. IN tho gravel so that when
missed with the cement It will bind The
whole together solid. Gravel ns % 81
usually dug from the pits will con.
tain enough sand. Caro- must be- taken
that this sand Is such tina. n sificd from
the gravel 10 will make good plastoring
mcrtar and Is not auckland This is a
very Important point Tho gravel should
not contain stones more than ,, incho1
thick. Mix the gravel and comont thor.
oughly dry, seven fhovels gravel and
two Of cement This isfor coarse gravel
not moro than onc.f urth sand. Moro
cement will b. required for emo gravel
After getting q good pilo well mixed
dry, caro- mutt be- taken that all the mix.
turo 3 tho.oughiy wot mo dry lumpal
and anout tho consistency OF good plas.
tcfing mortar whom ready 90 put on tho
lnth. IL viii taEc two or three good
hands to prepare and bring tho cement
20 one man % lay It. according 20 the
distance u has TO BE- carried
For a common house collar or any
other place not exposed 10 frost, q Tho
soil DO firm. all that Is necessary Is 90
grade 70 level, sluplng u very littlo 20
one side 10 facilitate cleaning. taking
caro- TO an all derresiuns with clay
and trump down solid II the bottom h
springy, Il n better 60 lay some tile just
low enough 20 that tho tops viii DO Lowell
with the grading. taking care that thew
connect with drains. use good strong
ditohing shovel and brick trowol 20
lay the cement II there be my slope
20 the grading. begin nt tho upper side,
lay down a good straight 2 hy 4 scant.
ling fntwiso 20 inches from tho wall
and parallel with Il; on Ia this space
between tho wall and rcantling with
tho wet cement and pound down solid
with the back Of tho shovel, settling
all tho coarse gravel and stone we'll 20
tho bottom Of tho layer. This forces tho
flno sand and comont 20 tho top Lowell
with tho shovel 90 the top Of tho scnnt.
ling and then smooth Oh with tho trow-
el This makes tho floor two inches
thick Now move tho scantling another
20 inches and proceed ns before, and
40 till the whole is laid Thoro will 10 /
no trouble about tho cement staying In |
its place when moving the scantling II |
IL is mixed right
This cement sets quickly, but requires /
some time TO thoroughly harden and Ia |
better to be covered with damp straw /
for some time after being laid or In
case Of horse stable n cheap temporary |
board floor, Ono may then use ut once !
For wagon house or grain barn an In
with foot q oohhlostonos and thon lay
v'lnrTn.--odo il then safs irom frost,
and there is no hnrbor fof rats. skunks.
mice, etc II the farmers throughout
the country would adopt this one i'm.
provomont In farm buildings. the pc.
cuniary gain. directly and indirectly,
would DO almost beyond computation.