Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1912-01-11
TO FINISH THE FLOOR
HOW ROUGH AND DlscoloRED
SURFACE WAS RENEWED.
Careful Ssndpaperns Is Essential In
Finishing Hardwood Floor-Room
Kept Clean Without a
Carpet

The living-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. 10 be started up
again al the next sweeping
The vaxed or vanished floors
which spot If drop Of water touches
them are not practicable on the farm;
but the room may still be made pre-
sentable without a carpet. clean. and
more easily kept in order.
In our own case. the problem was
10 finish q hardwood floor that has
been used some years. and was rough
and 6isoolored in places. Perhaps
some Of the prepared floor WAKES
would have given more pleasing re-
suits. II mere beauty was the motive.
But we wanted durability. and a floor
not TOO slippery.
II 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 il in order.
II not perfectly smooth the dust IS
bound 10 stick: while II the surface
IS properly reduced the dust wipes OF
very easily
There we're some cracks 10 be filed.
We had read OF a paper pulp filing cas-
lily prepared by tearing newspaper into
small bits and cooking IL in pas;y
water until soft. then kneading Il into
a pulp This may answer with very
large cracks.
Il is difficult 10 work smoothly into
small ones. and on the whole rather
a. expensive makeshift Il time Is val
liable. Il IS better 10 invest in q pre-
pared crack filler.
This spreads smoothly and evenly.
but IS white when dry. L also erum-
Z bles when in contact with moisture.
{ To obviate this difficulty ordinary yell
/ low paint was darkened with burnt
4 sienna until II nearly matched the
color Of the floor. and the cracks
given a coat OF It after the filler had
been in twerty-four hours and be
come hard.
Allowing another day for the paint
/ TO dry. the floor was treated TO a coat
OF boiled linseed oil. applied hot. II
takes comparatively little oil TO cover
q floor. application being easily made
with e flannel cloth
Now comes the work-.un II 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
Z. che has a floor brush the work is
sill better accomplished. At the end
Of week a second application o, oil
should be given. Then once in a
month CT six weeks will be found
sufficient
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
a drawstring
sweeping done ny this method not
only leaves the floor shining and free
from dust but saves much dust from
settling on furniture
II there is need Of Il. the floor can
be easily cleaned by wringing a mop
out OF cold water
Soft wood floors will require a DIFF
fere5t treatment. But by filing
cracks and treating the floors in some
manner that will be durable. and us
ting rugs instead Of carpets one will
find the problem Of keeping clean
more easily solved.