Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-11
MANY USES SUGGESTED
/. FOR 'CONCRETELUMBER'
May Be Utilized for Gardens, Walks
and Drains at Low
Cost.

BY combining a little ingenuity with
concrete the "suburbanite'' and farmer
can make many useful things from a
single unit or pattern. just as he can
cut up a board for sundry purposes. The
manufacture of concrete lumber of this
type is a simple matter. Consider, for
example. simple concrete board or slab,
states the Association of American Port
| land Cement Manufacturers in a report
| just issued Some of the uses to which
| this cement lumber could be put are as
| follows:
! II two of the boards were firmly plant
! ed in upright position and a third slab
placed across the top the farmer would
| have an everlasting stone bench Two
of the boards planted Iongitudinally with
third board placed upon the top would
make an excellent culvert or cover for
small drain. By providing proper sup
ports, whether of concrete or other con-
venient material. these slabs would serve
as steps. Laid upon the ground, one
after another, they would make an ex-
cellent walk. Planted at the sides of the
garden walk they would keep the vege-
table flower beds in position. The
walk between could be composed of a
series of slabs. If made sufficiently wide
they could be utilized for the sides of q
hot bed or cold frame. Made a little
thicker and stronger they would consti-
tute an excellent pavement for a cellar
carriage house or eround-level porch.
Concrete Beam Useful.
Another convenient type of concrete
lumber is the small beam. In a box of
required length could be cast 4N6-inch
sections of concrete corresponding to tim
Der of that dimension. or in larger size
if desired. These would be reinforced
with three-eighth-inch rods, one in each
corner. -Four of these firmly planted
! would carry large slab. thus making
an indestructible weatherproof table.
They could also be used for posts or
supports
For making boards or slabs the farmer
should have shallow box or form that
will hold concrete to the depth of two or
three inches. 1t may be of any desired
| length and width. A layer of Concrete
| placed in the box to one-half the depth
OF the latter would be the first step In
the manufacture of the board Upon this
| would be placed layer of woven wire
| and the box then filled to the top
| In brief, as stated, the farmer or sub
urban resident would have so much con-
| crete lumber on hand. and if he We're to
exercise his ingenuity he would find
| many uses for 1t other than those de-
| scrloed above. 1t would not be neces-
Sary IN every case to purchase lumber
| for making forms for some types of con-
| struction For example, there is the
case OF builder who utilized some old
kegs for making supports for a building,
and in another instance several kegs
were piled one upon the other to make
a strong concrete column. the concrete
| subsequently being wrapped with wire
and plastered to bring it into proper
shape.
Again. a man desiring flower screen
at a point where 1t was impossible to
dig. merely divided an old store box into
two compartments and placed therein
some five inches of concrete. In the
center of each block Gas imbedded. while