Graham guardian., 1912-02-16
TO FINISH THE FLOOR
HOW ROUGH AND DIscoLoRED
SURFACE WAS RENEWED.
Careful sandpaperIng 10 Essential IN
Finishing Hardwood Floor--RoOm
Kept Clean without
Carpet.

Tno llvlng-room In q farmhouse
especially whore there are Q number
Of children. soon becomes q harbQe
for dust: and no matter how partichl
lar one 10 In sweeping. this dust II
simply shifted about, some settling on
the furniture. more sinking into the
depths Of the carpet, to be started mp
again at the next sweeping.
The waxed or vanished floors
which spot II drop Of water touches
them are not practicable on the farm:
but the room may still be made Pre-.
sentable without q carpet, clean, and
more easily kept In order.
In our own case, the problem was
to finish . hard-wood>noo that has
been used some years. and was rough
and discolored in places. Perhaps
some Of the prepared door WAKES
would have given more pleasing -
suits, II mere beauty was the motive.
But We wanted durability. and hoor
not too slippery.
It was first sandpapered until
smooth. And this part Of the work
must be thoroughly done; for on its
completeness depends much Of the
future beauty Of the work. a. wen
a. the ease Of keeping II In order.
II not perfectly smooth the dust -
bound to stick: while II the surfacs
IL properly reduced the dust wipes on
very easily.
rh.r> ~v~r. .~,,.. 49,. - ~ Nflnd
We had read Of paper pulp hiling eas-
lily prepared by tearing newspaper into
small bits and cooking It IN pasty
water until soft, then knesding Il into
q pulp. This may answer With vsry
large cracks.
Il Il dihcult to work smoothly Into
small ones, and ON the whole rather
an expensive makeshift n time II val
liable II ID better to invest In pce-
pared crack filler.
This spreads smoothly and evenly.
but is white when dry. II also cruu,-
bles when In contact with moisture.
To obviate this dificulty ordinary yel
low paint was darkened with burnt
sienna until It nearly matched The
color Of the door. and the cracks
given . coat Of It after the fllsr had
been in twenty-four hours and -
come hard.
Allowing another day for The paint
to dry, the floor was treated to . cost
Of boiled linseed oil. applied hot II
takes comparatively little oil to cover
= door. application being easily made
with flannel cloth.
Now comes the work-fun n there
are little folks In the family. Il must
be well rubbed into the wood: this, next
to sandpapering, being the secret OF
success. Pieces Of burlap serve nicely
for applying the friction. OF course
II one has floor brush the work II
still better accomplished. At the end
Of week . second application Of oil
should be given. Then once In .
month, or six weeks win bs found
sumo
Make several bags OF canton flannel.
with the nap side out or Of outing
flannel. One Of these can be slipped
over the broom and held In place By
q drawstring.
Sweeping done by this method mot
only leaves the door shining and free
from dust but saves much dust from
settling on furniture.
II there is need Of It, the door can
be easily cleaned BY wringing . mop
out Of cold water.
Soft wood floors win require . dif.
ferent treatment. But By nlling
cracks and treating the floors In some
manner that will be durable. and us-
Ing rugs instead Of carpets one Win
find the problem Of keeping clean
more easily solved.