New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-29
Larger Number of Dwell
ings Built with Unburn-
able Materials
MASONRY EXTERIORS
NOW IN WIDER USE
StuccO Houses Durable if
Erected with Best &C.
ment and Sand

As we enter more deeply into q COM
prehensive study Of the activities OF
the home builders of America we are
impressed by the fact that the inherent
use of wood so peculiar TO this nation
is rapidly being superseded by the
common sense use of unburnable ma
terials, particularly in the construction
of the roof, walls, floors and partitions
of the home, says a writer on Con
crete and Stucco Home Building" in
CONSTRUCTION" for October.
From a practical standpoint it is not
urged that wood be entirely excluded
from the home" he adds. Hollow
metal trim and doors, while equalllng
in beauty the natural finish OF fine
woods, are not within the reach of the
pocketbook of the average home build
err. Nor has the art of metal furniture
making produced practical metal fur
nishing for the home at moderate
prices. Therefore, accepting the use OF
wood in various forms in the interior
of the home, the practical man will
seek to make the exterior Of his house
proof against communicated fire; and
to so cut off the interior by the use Of
unburnable floors and principal parti-
tions that the rapid spread OF flames
will be impossible. In this manner the
lives Of the family will be safeguarded
and the possibilities of getting at and
extinguishing the flames before serious
damage is done are many times In
creased.
While it is true that the tendency Of
the home building public is toward the
use of masonry exteriors, it is also true
that the value of the fire resisting
qualities of these materials and the
dangers attending the use of wood are
not not clearly realized. Nor has the
man about to build a proper concep-
ton of costs.
To-day the average citizen builds Of
brick, or clay tile or stucco or concrete
because he likes its appearance. 1t is
more durable and expensive looking
and reflects the spirit of modern times.
All this is true and has distinct value
in encouraging the demand for these
materials for home building, but more
and more will added stress be laid on
the Importance of their fire resisting
qualities as our people realize more
fully the fallscy of building to burn.
The matter of increased cost for
masonry construction is very greatly
overrated in the mind of the average
citizen. The man with a few thousand
dollars TO spend in the construction
of a home is naturally anxious to buy
all that he can for his money in the
way of pretentiousness and practical
arrangement. The house of wood
throughout is undoubtedly the cheap
est in actual first cost, which is nat
urally popular opinion and has a great
effect in the selection of this material
for the construction Of the home; but
there are two exceedingly important
points that are rarely realized by the
average prospective homebuilder. These
are, first, that the ultimate cost of
frame house, due TO rapid deteriora-
tion and increased cost Of mainten-
ance, is far greater than that of
house of masonry, and, second, that
the greatly feared higher cost Of a
masonry exterior for the home only
varies from 2 per cent TO 10 per cent
above that of wood.
"Stucco houses, in order TO be dura-
BILE, must be built with great care and
must involve the use of the very best
materials obtainable. The permanency
OF stucco construction is dependent,
absolutely, upon the selection Of
proper materials and a strict adherence
TO certain essential principles OF de-
sign and construction. Unless the sup
porting framework is rigid and well
made, unless the materials entering
into the construction are of the very
best, unless these materials are pre-
pared and applied with unusual care,
stucco finish may be expected to crack,
fake off. become spotted or deteriorate
in one way or another in a compare
lively short time. If, on the other
hand, the construction is good, stucco
may be depended upon as an economi-
cal, artistic and permanent form Of
construction"