Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-01

Several weeks ago an article appeared in'
these columns going into the details of
frame construction. Owing to the high
prices of lumber and other wood products
the last few years there. has been but little
difference between the cost of a wood
finish on the exterior of a home and
several kinds of masonry veneer. A few
points are therefore given here on brick
and cement veneer construction.
Yariegated bricks are often hard to Sc
lect the proper color Of mortar for. Here
is a pointer from personal experience.
Variegated bricks are usually of two pre-
dominating colors, Match your mortar 10
one Of them, preferably the lighter shade,
ard you will nave mortar joints which will
contrast with the general appearance of
the bricks and at the same time be In
harmony with them. L will cite an eX-
ample. In a recent commercial building
erected the writer selected a beautiful brick
with q spotted or varlegation running from
light yellow to light and dark tar or terra
Gotta shades, Mortar was mixed to match
the light yellow and a reddish tan sand
stone was selected for the stills and other
stone trimming. The combination proved
to be an entire success, The construction
of a brick veneered wall is too well known
10 DISCUSS IN utldll. we Will therefore pass
to the cement forms Of construction which
are becoming so popular but which have
met with so many failures in recent years.
The lveat forward march of cement prod
uc,s aud the many methods OF applying
them has called for a higher class of work
nanship and greater study or the part of
designers than any other building material
with the possible exception of steel con-
struction.
The three principal methods of applying
cement plaster with a ''slap-dash"> exterior
to frame work IS 70 use expanded metal
lath and wood lath, In choosing between
them two factors are paramount. The best
foundation for cement plaster is the one
which is flexible. that Is, the one which
will allow Of the least come and go with
The wood construction of the wall. The
other factor Is the permanency of the lath
used. More or less moisture gets through
cement. Tie metal lath must therefore
deterioraJe or rust in time. This is the
reason why many constructors prefer wire
lath. as Il can be more easily galvanized.
On the other hand. il is not so rigid a
foundation. II is regrettable that the
cheapest and best way Of applying cement
plaster IL not practicable except in south
ern communities. 1t is TO lath directly on
the studding (which should be placed
twelve inches ON centers); the first eX-
terror coat is then applied, after which the
inside Of the lath is given a good coat
between the studs. The two external coats
are then applied, making a st II solid We Ger
of cement, capable Of resisting the teEd-
ency TO crack with the shrinking or set
Ting of the studs. The great drawback
Of this method Is of course the omission
of the exterior wall sheathing, which, with
the paper and Turing upon II, not only
makes another air space 10 check the cold
or moisture, but Is an important factor in
the suffening OF the structure in severe
winds. one annoying fault seems TO be
common to all exterior plaster work and
as yet no method, not barred by expense,
seems adequate 70 overcome IL, and that
is the appearance in due time OF Tin hair
line cracks In the exterior surface follow
ing the line Of studs. This occurs usually