Connecticut western news., 1908-07-23
PRACTICAL AIDS ID HOME BUILDERS
FORM OF CHEAP CEMENT HOUSE
Cement Stucco is Durable and Artis- tic-An Economical Method of Re- moving Old Paint-Inexpensive FiI- ter-How to Clean Wall Paper.
CHEAP CEMENT HOUSE

CHEAP CEMENT HOUSE
 Where the cost of solid concrete iu prohibitive. Portland cement stuoco can be used It is durable, artistic. imper- vious to weather and considerably cheaper than solid concrete. It is use- ful for both new buildings or for veneer ing or protecting old structures.
 For new buildings studding should be put up in the usual way and covered with straight-edged boards. Nail on turing strips l foot apart and cover with metal lath, or 1-4-inch mesh wire netting can be used. The netting or lath must be very strongly attached.
 It is better to use two coats of the ce- ment plaster. The first or scratch coat is composed of. five parts Portland ce- ment, l2 parts clean, coarse sand, three parts lime and a small quantity of hair. The lime should be slaked at least two weeks before 1t is to be used to insure thorough. even slaking. If any Jumps are left unslaked they will pit the walls. Before the first coat is dried it should be we'll scratched.
 The finishing coat is made of one part Portland cemert, three parts clean. coarse sand and one part slal1ed lime paste. The scratch coat, should be l-2 inch thick and pressed in partly through the openings in the lath. When we'll set put on the finishing coat from 1-2 to inch thick. This coat can be put on and smoothed with wooden trowel or it can be thrown on with trowel or large stiff -fibred brush, if spatterdasn finish is desired
 A pebble dash finish may be obtained with final coat of one part Portland cemept, three parts coarse sand. and pebbles not over IA inch in diameter thrown on with trowel If slightly rough finish is desired rub the surface with burlap. Very pleasing effects can be had by mixing ooloring matter with the cement. Such building never needs painting.
 INEXPENSIVE FILTER
 The most impure water may be eff fectively filtered by the means of char coal
 In large flower pot place piece of sponge or clean moss over the hole In the bottom, and then fill 1t three quarters full of clean sand and charcoal,
 Over this lay linen cloth large enough to hang over the sides of the pot Pour the impure water into the cloth and it will come through at the bottom of the pot absolutely pure.
 HOW TO REMOVE OLD PAINT
 A first-olass painter informed the writer that paint removers may come and go, but potash will always "hold it's own" as an etfectual paint remover.
 You can buy three cans for 90 cents. and these ought to be sufficient for ths work f@
 You have hard task before you, but it is the only way to secure first-class result.
 Take stone jar and dissolve small portion of the potash in cold water.
 Make aswab by winding several thick nesses of cloth upon piece of flat stick and dip this in the potash and rub it over the painted surface. #Ha
 It is well to spread papers all along the sides of the room, as the potash is sure to drip on the floor and cause un- slightly marks and unnecessary labor.
 After the paint loosens off freely wash it with several clean waters and give it final bath in strong vinegar water, which will at once arrest the destroying effect of the potash upon the wood.
 Be sure to have the first coat of paint very thin and then two additional ap- plications will not be too much to pro duce a fine effect.
 If you are obliged to use sandpaper t0 remove any rough spots use only fine quality, as the rough sandpapers scratch the woodwork.
 CLEANING OF WALL PAPERS
 Although there are many preparations on the market for the purpose of clean ing wall papers, they are not always readily obtained in every locality. 4 simple method is to make bag of coarse flannel and fill 1t with two quarts of wheat bran. ...
 After the walls or ceilings are care fully dusted, go over the entire surface with the bran bag, rubbing briskly, and the papers will be perfectly clean. This seems to make less work than the bread l l, ,nAb br,d