Evening star., 1922-10-21
FRAME BUILDING
FIELD IS W|DENED
New Underwriters Ciassi'
fication involves Gypsum
Plaster on Metal Lath.

Widening OF the, Held FOR frame
| construction has been effected through
2 new classification placed by the
! underwriters' laboratories OF the
! national board of fire underwrttors
on q type Of wood construction In.
volving gypsum plaster Oh metal lath
| according to statement issued today
| by the local Offices Of the National
Lumber Manufacturers Association.
The engineers have found that such
construction will resist an unusually
severe fire for longer than an hour.
and accordingly have given the high
insurance rating of "one hour" to
floors and bearing walls SO con-
structed.
A step further in the same direc-
ton. which is not improbable. II Is
said. will have q beneficial effect on
lean cities. The new classification
applies only to interior work. gypsum
plaster not being adapted to weather
exposure. 1t Is hoped that eventually
a Ike ruling will be made for frame
construction with stucco exterior
surfaces OF some sort Of plaster on
metal lath.
The announcement continues:
Even limited to interior construc-
ton. the new rating Is of great i'm
portance. Though It does not result
in lower insurance rates on frame
construction. 1t contributes greatly to
safety and fre-resistance in both
ordinary and frame construction. and
will justify building codes In broaden
ing the zones within which frame
construction Is permissible. AS about
three -fourths of American buildings
are Of frame. any innovation which
increases their resistance to fre is Of
the utmost Importance. in all Amer
lean cities lumber is still the most
economical material for dwelling con-
strucuon. Consequently. the undue
extension of fire limits into residence
quarters often imposes heavier con-
struction costs than property and
rental values will bear. This has re-
suited In the twilight zone or no.
mans land Of stagnation and decay.
which Is apparent in SO many other
wise vigorous American cities. AS
property owners have found that be-
yond a certain point within the fire
limits 1t is Improbable to improve or
rebuild In accordance with building
code requirements. old structures have
not been replaced and have been al
lowed to deteriorate and become the
shelter Of shabby businesses and
Sldtternly nOneS.
Effects Being Recognized.
Many cities are coming to recog-
nize the untoward effects of this
somewhat obscure cause and are
seeking to get rid of them. The city
Of Denver and it's recent building
code revision provide a good illus
tration of the consequences of fire
limits that do not correspond to real
estate values. Following survey
made by the building code bureau of
the National Lumber Manufacturers
Association. whose fuAction is to
make building codes uniform accord
ing to conditions and promotive OF
safe. durable and economical con-
struction, 1t was demonstrated that
Denver had a well defined zone Of
dry rot" which was not only an eye
sore. but in parts something Of a
social and sanitary menace. Virtually
no improvements were being made in
this belt, and existing structures
were falling into unsightly disrepair
and disuse. Real estate values were
such that frame construction was the
most practicable for this area, in
view of the cost of lumber In Denver.
Moreover. that city Is not densely
populated. In point Of population
density it is as low as fifty-first
1mHns n total s'ss 'nSssh
Paterson. n. j.. is first in density.
with 1900 people to the square mile.
whereas Denver has only 1000. Mani
testify city of open spaces and de-
tached dwellings does not require the
same f1re-protection measures as one
continuous contiguous construction.
Taking these facts and the many i'm
proved methods Of frame construc-
ton deterrent of or resistant to. fire
into consideration, the Denver au-
thorities have just put into effect a
new building code which. meets the
city's requirements for Economical
construction. municipal progress and
fire protection. by authorizing the
use of frame construction throughout
very considerable areas where 1t
hitherto has been forbidden. There
are already indisputable evidences
that this stagnant section will now
be rebuilt and generally improved.
Many other cities are considering
the advisability OF revising their
building codes with a view to avail
ing themselves Of economical con-
struction and Of eliminating their
twilight zones"