Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-12-31

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in favor Of hard floors. and there is now
hardly a viliago in the country where
this doctrine Of health and beauty hns
not penetrated. Yet every ono who has
discarded carpets and adopted hard wood
floors has found some drawbacks ip. the
way. In nine oasea out Of ten the floor
iE simply shollockod often without pre-.
yions filing, and every scratch Of the
h0othCel shows on its surfnce The wood
IS soon laid bare and permanently
stained. or perhaps the wood is oiled
with clear oil which has not been prop
elly rubbed in Tho residue gums on
tho surface and collects dust and debris.
and altogether the hard wood door,
which hes been we'll laid BY the carpen-
ter. ia q source Of discomfort and disap-
po'nlmcnt.
Eurcrcan houscieepers suffcr from
none Of these disadvantages because
they try none Of these experiments. The
European tioof Is floor Of parquetry
ft IL made BY gluing together thick.
nesses Of hard wood On a Pine backing,
method by which they obtain q
stronger and more durable hoor than
whom q thick fioor Of hard wood alone is
used. for 0vcry builder knows that the
best door is not ono Of solid hard wood.
but onS 6f two thiclgnesses Of hardwood
over a pine core. These doors are natu-
rally more expensive, because they arc
moro trouble TO make. So the veneorod
floor IS moro durable, though very OK
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seven -eighths thick over a rough floor
Of pine, providing the wood has been
properly seasoned. Or thinner floor
may bo laid over q perfectly levol floor
Of pine
Builders recommend qunrtered white
oak as tho very best material fog doors.
This is o western wood and costs ubOut
500 900 feet ia this state Maple
and birch, which are much cheaper
woods, also make excellent floors Ma
tive birch, which may he bought IN this
state as low os sac a 1000 feet. is q
very hard, smooth wood, and makes a
very durable kitchen floor which does
not silver up like Georgia pine Marrow
boards, measuring about two inches or
less laid, make most desirable floor
The slriilfui carpenter matches his joints
with faultless precision, planes and
scrapes his floor and polishes it down
with hard wood shavings after it is laid,
as well as finishing It before Whom this
is properly done, hardly a joint is visi-
bic, and it Is then ready to be filed.
It is this process that is so often neg
lected and upon which so much depends.
Il should be q thoroughly trustworthy
wood filler, purchased from q dealer
whose name is a guarantee for his goods
These fllers usually como by tho pound.
often in paste form, and may be thinned
to a proper consistency with turpentine.
It is applied to the wood with a brush,
and oil that remains ON the surface Is
polished or with hardwood shayinQs on
excelsior. This filler is allowed to dry
about 2 hours, when coat Of wax is
applied, or Of prepared oil If you prefer
it. Where oil is used it should be thinned
with certain amount Of "drier.
Tho best wax is a preparation of tur-
pentine and hoeswax. properly melted
together, and is kept by al dealers IN
parquetry floors. Thochief mistake that
amateurs make IS co epply this wex too
generously. An expert ia this matter
says that q poundof wax ought TO cover
500 feet Of surface. After the wax il
applied and rubbed ia with a weighted
brush 1t should be allowed TO stand foi
awhile and o second coat applied before
the floor Is used.
A great many American families at
tempt to take care Of q hardwood floor
without brush. This Is d wosto Of
much laborious energy. Tho work can
be accomplished by the use OF q brick
wrapped IN flannel and then IA cotton,
but It cannot bo properly accomplished
except by a strong man, while an ordi'
nary servant can readily WELD the ~
pound brush, which sells IN our shops AZ
from eS. 30 to 81 and with caro- win last
many years Il should be passed flrsl
across the grain Of the wood Thcn th'
foor should be vigorously polished viii
the grain Of tho wood.
Finally piece Of old carpet Is lait
down and tho floor Is polished undol
this. A properly cared for floor should
be polished with the brush once week
II should not be rownxed oftener thar
opoe . month OF once IN two OF threl
months, according 60 tho amount o
wear GA H. After q certain period O.
time it may be necessary to scrapo thI
lool aud apply some kind of restorer
though this should be hardly lequirol
unless tho floor has been improperl.
dressed.
OF course tho best way Of p0iishin'
snch a floor Is ia tho foreign fashion
with a brush attached C one foot Of
robust nan, who goes skating abOn
until tho surface CLEANS like marble
But this method "a not often possible Il
thls country except 80 those household
where there arc foreign monsarvants F.