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Page 37
"Is it about floors?" Bessie asked. "Do please have waxed floors. I
dote on waxed floors, don't you, Mr. James?"
"Not especially; but I'm pretty apt to slip on them. _Is_ it about
floors, Jill?"
"Yes, but chiefly about the best way to build them--their
construction."
[Illustration: A PROMISE OF SOCIAL SUCCESS.]
"I thought the architect was to settle questions of construction to
suit himself."
"He is, and this topic he writes 'concerns construction, cost, use and
design, and is, therefore, one on which we may properly take counsel
together.'"
"How condescending!"
[Illustration: A REASONABLE HOPE.]
"I suppose you would object to iron girders with brick arches between
them on account of their cost, but I hope to see rolled iron beams for
brick dwelling-houses so cheaply made that they will be commonly used
instead of wood. Such iron ribs, with the brick arches or other masonry
between them, might well form the finish of the ceilings, and if we
were accustomed to see them, our frail lath and plaster would seem
stale, flat and combustible in comparison. The usual mode of making
floors of thin joists set edgewise, from one to two feet apart, with
one or two thicknesses of inch boards on the top to walk upon, and
lathing underneath to hold the plastering, is perhaps the most
economical use of materials. A more satisfactory construction would be
to use larger beams two or three times as far apart, laying thicker
planks upon them and dispensing with plastering altogether, or perhaps
applying it between the timbers directly to the under-side of the
planks, leaving the beams themselves in sight. If the floor is double
the planks or boards lying directly upon the joists may be of common,
coarse stock, hemlock or spruce, upon which must be laid another
thickness of finished boards. It is for you to say whether the finished
upper floor shall be of common, cheap stock, to be always covered by
carpets, or of some harder wood carefully polished and not concealed at
all, except by occasional rugs.'"
"Oh, I do _hope_ she will have rugs!" Bessie's remarks were semi-asides
addressed chiefly to Jim. "There's nothing so lovely as these oriental
rugs. Kitty Kane had an _exquisite_ one among her wedding presents, and
when her house was built the parlor was made to fit the rug. It makes
it rather long and narrow, but the rug is _too_ lovely."
"'It is also for you to say whether the finished floor, if you have no
carpets, shall consist simply of plain narrow boards or be more
expensively laid in parquetry designs. In the latter case I shall claim
the privilege of choosing the pattern.'"
"Why should he trouble himself about the pattern of the wood floors any
more than he would about the style of the carpets?"
"He would probably say, because the floors are a part of the house for
which he is making the plans and will last as long as the house itself,
while the carpets are subject to changing fashions and will soon return
to their original dust. But he may attempt to dictate in regard to
carpets if we give him a chance."
[Illustration: FLOORS AS THEY ARE.]
[Illustration: FLOORS AS THEY MIGHT BE.]
"Undoubtedly--to the extent of pitching them out of the window."
"In laying double floors one simple matter must not be neglected. The
under, or lining boards, which are usually wide and imperfectly
seasoned, should be laid _diagonally_ upon the joists; otherwise in
their shrinking and swelling they will move the narrow finished boards
resting upon them and cause ugly cracks to appear, even though the
upper floor is most carefully laid and thoroughly seasoned. The liberal
use of nails is another obvious but often neglected duty of
floor-makers, who seem, at times to act upon the supposition that as a
floor has nothing to do but lie still and be trodden upon, it only
needs to be laid in place and let alone. This may be true of stone
flagging; it is far from being true of inch boards, that have an
incurable tendency to warp, twist, spring and shake. Lining floors,
especially, whatever their thickness, should be nailed--spiked is a
more forcible term--to every possible bearing and with generous
frequency; to be specific, say every three inches. The finished hoards
must also be secured by nails driven squarely through them. If you
object to the appearance of nail heads the boards may be secured by
nails driven through the edges in such way that they will be out of
sight when the floor is finished; but this should never be done except
by skillful and conscientious workmen. There is no excuse for this
"blind" nailing in floors that are to be covered by carpets, and it is
seldom desirable under any circumstances. All thorough nailing adds
greatly to the strength, and will alone prevent the creaking of the
boards, so annoying in a sick room and so discouraging to burglars.'"
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