The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-01-12
TO FINISH THE FLOOR
HOW ROUGH AND pIscoLoRED
SURFACE WAS RENEWED.
Careful Sandpaperina Is Essential In
Finishing Hardwood FIoor-Room
Kept Clean Without a
Carpet.

The Iiving-room in a farmhouse,
especially where there are a number
of children, soon becomes a harbor
for dust; and no matter how particu-
lar one Is In sweeping, this dust Is
simply shifted about, some settling on
the furniture, more sinking into the
depths of the carpet, to be started up
again at the next sweeping.
The waxed or vanished floors
which spot IL drop of water touches
them are not practicable on the farm;
but the room may still be made pre-
sentable without carpet, clean, and
more easily kept in order.
In our own case, the problem was
to finish a hardwood floor that has
been used some years, and was rough
and discolored in places. Perhaps
some of the prepared floor wakes
would have given more pleasing re-
suits, If mere beauty was the motive.
But we wanted durability, and floor
not too slippery.
1t 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, as well
as the ease of keeping it in order.
| If not perfectly smooth the dust is
bound to stick; while If the surface
is properly reduced the dust wipes off
very easily.
| There were some cracks to be filled.
We had read of paper pulp filling cas-
lily prepared by tearing newspaper into
small bits and cooking it in pasty
water until soft, then kneading it into
a pulp. This may answer with very
large cracks.
It is difficult to work smoothly into
small ones, and on the whole rather
an expensive makeshift if time is val
| liable. It is better to invest in a pre-
pared crack filler.
This spreads smoothly and evenly,
but is white when dry 1t also crum-
bIes when in contact with moisture.
To obviate this difficulty ordinary vel
low paint was darkened with burnt
sienna until it nearly matched the
color of the floor, and the cracks
given a coat of it after the filler had
been in twenty-four hours and be
come hard.
Allowing another day for the paint
= to dry, the floor was treated to coal
+ of boiled linseed oil, applied hot. Il
: takes comparatively little oil to cover
a floor, application being easily made
! with flannel cloth.
: Now comes the work-fun If there
e are little folks in the family. 1t must
be we'll rubbed into the wood; this, next
q to sandpapering, being the secret Of
Z, success. Pieces of burlap serve nicely
|. for applying the friction. OF course
d Il enc has a floor brush the work IL
/. still better accomplished. At the END
e of a week second application Of oil
5 should be given. Then once In
month CO six weeks will be fount
e sufficient.
J. Make several bags of canton flannel
8 with the nap side out, or of OUTING
d flannel. One of these can be Slipped
# over the broom and held in place b,
II drawstring.
a Sweeping done by this method no
only leaves the floor shining and fire.
= from dust but saves much dust iron
O settling on furniture.
a If there is need of 1t, the floor ca
.s be easily cleaned by wringing mo
:. out of cold water. .,
IL Soft wood floors will require di
h fereyt treatment. But by film
cracks and treating the floors in som
manner that will be durable, and III
- ing rugs instead of carpets one wi
- find the problem of keeping clea
: more easily solved.