Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17
Home Building Odds ane Ends
Arthur G. Ciaussn, Architect.

harder to keep in good condition than
maple. All flooring should be blind
nailed that is, the nails should be driven
into the tongue Of each strip as It is laid.
Flooring should be absolutely dry, kiln
dried, before laying, and then finished ms
soon as possible. The kitchen floor should
be finished I'm oil, so that II can be scrubbed
often. A felt deadening is advisable be-
tween the under and top flooring Of the
second floor. A wide porch costs a little
more than a narrow one, eight to twelve
feet wide is about right for the average
house. Sap lumber should never be all
lowed for the porch floor. Instead of
matched boards for porched floor a good
way is to use narrow strips and lay them
about IN eighth OF an incl apart. This
will prevent warping and an uneven floor.
The porch floor should have about a
two-inch slant from the house to the put
side edge. Porch steps should be one and
a quarter inch thick. Make all outside door
stills OF white oak. If there is no stairway
to attic, provide a scuttle to 1t. A closet
being a good place for II. Some cities re-
quire this p%recaution to make easy access
for firemen IL ever needed. II the rafters
of a roof are piastered with brown. rough
plastering, your attic will be warmer in
winter and cooler in summer. Provide a
dormer or window in gables for light and
ventilation to attic. Chimneys should be
built from the ground up (some cities re-
quire this). A terra Gotta or burnt clay
flue lining is the best. Floor joist should
not rest in chimney walls. but on headers
outside OF them. Metal lath is more ex-
pensive than wood, but serves admirably
as a guard against the passage OF fire: Il
also prevents the passage Of rats, mice,
etc. Have plenty OF windows and use
them. Sunlight and air (winter and sum
mer) is the best preventive, as well as
cure for consumption and pulmonary trou-
bles. Have a uniformity OF helgh for
your doors and windows.
Don't forget TO put storm sash. window
screens and screen doors In your building
contract. Patent sliding screens on the
lower half of windows are the best; they
can be easily placed and removed and the
windows can always be washed. Shutters
OF blinds always look well on colonial
houses and have several advantages.
Small windows in closets where they do
not interfere with the exterior design Of
the house are OF an advantage. A ven
tilating flue In the kitchen chimney Is a
splendid thing and costs little. 1t is al
most a necessity In a sanitary home. A
tile floor for bath room IS best. II a wood
floor is used have waterproof paper placed
under the top flooring. Porcelain or
enamel iron tubs are a necessity for a we'll
ordered bath room. All bath rooms should
have windows and also ventilation. Use
open plumbing only. A water closet sep
arate from the bath room is convenient.
but Il should be adjoining the latter, hav-
ing, however, a separate entrance and an
outside window. 1t is cheaper to have
you plumbing in a perpendicular line.
Laundry tubs in cellar. kitchen sink
directly over them and bath room over
that. Don't forget a good sixed linen
closet with an outside window.
A hot water heating plant is best steam
mex and then furnace. Hot water cost
the most and hot air the least. There
should be fresh air ventilation in several
parts OF the house. A good heating man
viii describe In detail 10 you the advan-
tages OF indirect radiation" The hard
ware Of q house is a small item Of cost
and should not be In the contractors con-