The Washington times., 1924-04-05
new BUILDING
MATERIAL IS
MADE HERE
Concrete Blocks Of New Type
viii Be Cheap and Have
Low Upkeep.

Prospects that the problem Of
low-coSt housing has been solved are
seen here by architects ana builders
I'm the development of a new con-
crete building material, the 1nven-
ton Of q Washington man.
1t has long been recognized that
concrete is the cheapest possible
building material, but the great
problem has been the erection of
presentable concrete houses without
the use OF temporary forming.
Numerous efforts have been made
by Edison, Simon Lake and other
inventors to eliminate the use or
) this temporary forming structure
into which to pour the soft con-
crete, but without great success.
The new process, the material
for which is soon to be placed on
the market here, marks a different
approach to the problem from that
attempted previously. Instead OF
pouring the concrete structure on
the building site, the desired re.
suits are obtained by erecting the
house Of hydraulic-presSed concrete
units made in factories and adapt
able to any type Of house construc-
ton.
These building units, which are
known as concrete forms, are the
invention Of William F.. Wagner,
local architect and builder, who has
spent the last year in developing the
system and has recently organized
the Concrete Form Equipment Cor.
poration, with headquarters here, to
exploit the process.
The builder planning the erection
Of housing structures will purchase
these building units from his local
concrete form plant, where they will
be made in quantities under sclen-
tific production methods similar to
those now in use for the production
Df hydraulic-pressed brick, concrete
Noor tile and similar products.
The units, which are two inches
thick, from six to twelve inches
high and from four to eighteen
inches long, are erected like ma
sonry, but without many Of the
technical problems involved in ma
uonry structures. The forms inter-
lock with tongues and grooves on
the vertical surfaces and are further
locked and held in place by metal
tie-bars and dowel clamps which
drop into notches in the prepared
products as each course is laid.
Where the structure under erec-
ton is of size requiring rein
forcing, the erected structure can
be filled with poured concrete, max
ing a solid monolithic building, but
for ordinary f.ouses, the hollow wall
construction can be, used, except for
foundations.
The forms, when used for such
purposes, come with dovetan chan
nels on their exterior surfaces, for
the application of stucco for outside
finish and plaster for interiors. Ac'
con6panying this material is also a
two-inch-thick partition produc
known as concrete partition forms,
made Of lightweight Stag or cinder
concrete! These partition forms,
when plastered on each surface,
make three-inch partition, bond
Ing with the exterior walls and max
ing a fire and vern1in-proof parti.
ton occupying half the space Of
the old style lath and plaster partl-
ton.
It Is the belief Of officers Of the
new corporation that housing can
be constructed Of these building
units at a cost lower than lumber,
and Of permanent, fireproof struc-
ture with small depreciation and
Ilpkeep costs. The forms are grad
uated in sizes to permit construc-
ton Of walls from six inches in
thickness up and for any linear
dimension which is a multiple OF
two. Because of their size, light
weight and simplicity of erection,
labor costs will be materially re.
duced, it Is claimed, while as a re-
suit Of the scientific quantity pro-
,duction methods the cost Of the
material also will be low.
The Lake Stone Company, which
has been engaged here many years
IN the manufacture of concrete
blocks and other concrete building
products, is now preparing to. in
stall the first manufacturing plant
and others will be installed rapidly
in other cities. The Lake Com
pany's plant is expected to be in
operation this summer.
Construction Of low-cost houses
IL only one of the fields in which
the new product viii be used. It's
main use is to eliminate the need
of temporary wooden forming for
poured concrete walls and columns
in large structures such as office
and Industrial buildings, apartment
houses, etc.