The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-07-13
CONCERNING FLOORS.
How They Can BE Covered TO the Best
Advantage-A Mixture
for Staining.

The shaped and fitted carpet has very
wisely been superseded to great eX-
tent. by the bordered square, which is
n much more economical means of COW
ering the floor, and decidedly advan-
tageous from hygienic point of vieW.
The square carpet is less expensive
to make, it is easily taken up and re-
laid, thus being kept free from dust,
it can be turned about in order to equal
ize the wear, and can always be adapted
to serve in another room.
Much OF the effect of the square car
pets depends upon the surround,
that is, the treatment of the margin Of
the floor, and it is very necessary that
in selecting we bear in mind the fact
that we really want a good background
for the carpet, something that will
show up the colors as well as the de-
sign.
For this reason plain materials are
the best, and the color should be as unob-
trusive as possible. The usual depth
of the margin IN a room of medium size
is from II to 25 inches, but in a small
room II inches will be sufficient depth,
otherwise it dwarfs the apparent size
of the apartment. One of the very
incest margins is of thin parquet, which
is exactly like the solid parquet in APP
pearance, but much less expensive, be-
ing from five cents per square foot. 1t
can be laid over the existing floor
without any preparation, and can be
easily relaid and removed when neces-
sary. For dining or morning room it
in specially appropriate and looks ex-
ceedingly well as surround TO
Turkey or any oriental carpet.
There are now many linoleums made
in the parquet designs, and there are
also excellent margins slightly less
expensive than the thin parquet or plain
cork carpet; very effective, and about
the same price. When this is used the
color chosen should be the same as the
predominating dark tone in the carpet,
never lighter, or it becomes too no
ticeable. Felt is very often used as d
surround, but its dust-collecting pro-
pensities make it very unsuitable feH'
feet can be got with Kalmuc, a material
made of lutte, which is quite inexpensive
and much more easily kept clean.
AS a very rich surround plain Wilton
carpet can be used, but this, of course,
Is de luxe. Mattings of various kinds,
such as string, Chinese and japanese,
are all very nice margins, and the last
named for preference, as it is the finest
and wears the best. For bedrooms
these are particularly appropriate, as
they look so fresh and clearly, and they
can be kept nice with such a small
amount of labor by simply wiping with
a damp cloth every morning.
Light linoleums in mating designs
are good for the purpose, and only
slightly more expensive, the extra wear
compensating for the difference in
price. The most economical margin is
stain and varnish which looks very
well indeed if the floor boards are in
good condition. The combined stain
and yarnish can be employed for the
purpose, or we may have something
more durable if we use a home made
mixture, such as the following:
One quart of cold drawn linseed oil,
half an ounce of rose pink and four
ounces of alkanet root. Let the mix
ture stand three or four days by the
fire, stirring well occasionally, and it
will then be fit for use.
After the floor has had a coating of
thin glue water, the stain should be APP
piled with large whitewash brush,
and, when the first application is thor
oughly dry, not before, second coat
may be given, and so on until the re-
quired color is obtained. The polishing
is then done with flannel and bees
wax. Sometimes fluid is used as stain,
but it does not give quite the effect of
oak or mahogany, or any of the various
woods which the prepared stain in;i-
tates so successfully. y parquet effect
can be obtained by staining the margin
in geometrical designs with transpar-
ent stain and afterward vanishing,
and this treatment is very durable and
decorative.
In bedrooms, where the woodwork is
painted white, the margin of the floor
may be treated in like manner, but
with dark paint it is entirely out of the
question: Philadelphia Times.