Practical Hints to
Builders
AND THOSE CONTEMPLATING BUILDING.

Fourth Edition. (145,000)

Facts Worth Considering
RELATING TO
Foundation, Cellar, Kitchen, Chimney, Cistern, Brick-work, Mortar,
Heating, Ventilation, The Roof, and many items
of interest to Builders.

Copyrighted 1890, by The National Sheet Metal Roofing Co.

The National Sheet Metal Roofing Co.
SOLE MANUFACTURERS OF
Walter’s Patent Standard, and Cooper’s Patent Queen Anne
Metallic Shingles and Siding Plates,
510 to 520 East Twentieth Street, New York City.

Press of W. J. Pell, 92 John Street, New York.
1890.

INDEX.

Preface.

The object of this little book is to give to builders a few practical hints that can be used in their endeavors to erect a home that is proposed to be durable, comfortable and healthy. They are susceptible of being improved to an extent that will meet the wishes of the most extravagant builder, or simplified to suit purse and requirements of a builder with moderate means.

We have left out generalities, and offer the reader solid facts that are valuable to every one engaged in the ever pleasant task of constructing a home.

THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO.,
510 to 520 East Twentieth St.,
New York City.

Practical Hints to Builders.

THE ARCHITECT.

Shall we employ one? Yes, if the work is sufficiently important to justify it, and it is a very modest house indeed that is not.

As the professional architect is generally a graduate of one of the building trades, and has gravitated to that position because of his peculiar fitness for it, it stands to reason, some will think, that from among the many builders one can be selected who is capable of taking the contract and presiding as architect. To such persons we would say: You are not familiar with the functions of an architect, when considered separate from the builder. The architect can save you money. He discovers your wants, your likes, and your dislikes; he reduces them to a tangible form; he draws up the specifications so minutely that every variety of material and labor is distinctly set forth as to its quality and kind.

When completed, plans and specifications are presented to a builder for an estimate; he knows exactly what is expected of him. There is no chance for controversy or quibble; all has been settled by the owner through his architect. In consequence, if several contractors estimate upon the building, it is known that their figures are all upon the same basis.

We will say in general he can save you from five to twenty per cent. in cost; will give you better construction and proportions, and add a value to your house, apart from its first cost, that if it does not sell for more, it will sell more readily than if built without his service.

SELECTING A BUILDING SITE.

There are but few persons who are in a position to locate their proposed home just where they would most desire it. But, fortunately, most any building site is capable of being made to look well, it the style of architecture selected harmonizes with the surroundings.

It is of the first importance that the location be a healthy one. Better rent all your life than ignore that. Avoid the neighborhood of swamps and stagnant water, or where the cellar, (if you have one) to your house, from the nature of the location, will be damp. Large bodies of water, or running water is never unhealthy; but on the contrary, it is in many ways conducive to health. Some very uninviting, rugged and neglected spots, can, with but little expense and an appropriate building, be made exceedingly beautiful.

One of the prettiest school-houses I ever saw was built on a lot given by a farmer for a district school. It did look as if the piece of ground was worthless for any purpose; it was rocky, overgrown with briers and bushes, and a tiny stream ran across the lot, jumping from rock to rock, alongside of which, on a level spot but little larger than room for a building, a house with steep roof and turret was built, and the adjacent hillside made a splendid study and playground for the scholars. When completed the building and grounds was a model of what a country school-house should be.

While an elevation is at all times desirable, a hill is not. The exposure to the storms in winter, and the tiresome walk in summer, is to be avoided. A few native trees, if on the ground to furnish shade, are desirable. The water supply, too, is to be considered. Most architects say a Southern exposure is the best, but this depends on your location. For Southern homes the East is preferable.

FOUNDATION.

Just how deep to excavate to start the foundation of a house depends on the climate and soil. Always dig trenches below the frost line in any soil. This is sufficient if the subsoil is solid; if the subsoil is not solid, go deep enough to reach solid earth.

In saying this, we are supposing you are not building in a swamp, where it is often necessary to drive piles upon which to start a solid foundation. Stone is generally used for foundation walls where it is convenient, and it makes the best. Hard pressed brick, laid with mortar composed of one part of hydraulic lime and two parts sharp sand, makes a foundation not inferior to stone for all practical purposes. By using the above mortar, dampness will not ascend from the ground to injure the floor joists.

Mortar made from common lime or sand, though commonly used, is objectionable for foundations, because dampness will ascend even above the floor joists, if the floor is not several feet above the ground. It is often the case that hydraulic lime cannot be conveniently had. In that case a layer of slate or coarse paper, well saturated with pitch, laid between the brick seams below the line of joists, will answer the same purpose, and is less expensive.

See that the space between the joists is filled with brick, flush with the under-side of floor boards. This prevents Mr. Rat, or other members of his interesting family, from sitting in these little corners and gnawing into the room above, or climbing between the siding to the upper floors. If this little matter is attended to right, neither rats or mice can enter the house, except through the doors. To keep them from burrowing underneath the foundation walls, let the thickness of one brick project outward at the bottom of the foundation. On burrowing downward, a rat soon reaches this shelf, and following it around till he arrives at the place he started from, becomes disgusted, or is supposed to, as he is not seen about the house again. It is always better to have the foundation broader at the bottom than the thickness of wall intended to be used. This is necessary in all brick houses, unless on a rock bottom.

See that the space under the ground floor is left clear of rubbish before the floor is laid, and grating built in the wall for ventilation. This opening can be closed in winter to secure additional warmth. The cellar is closely related to the foundation; we give some hints on its construction on [page 22].

Fac-simile of Gold Medal awarded to Walter’s Patent Metallic Shingles. These shingles have received twenty-eight other awards for merit in the United States.

The plans and elevations of cottages presented in this book have each been specially prepared for some individual by an eminent architect, and the proportions and details can be relied upon.

Design I.—Front Elevation.

TEN-ROOM, TWO-STORY HOUSE.

Estimated Cost, with Bath and Furnace, $5,000 to $6,000.

Roof to be covered with 10 × 14 Galvanized Tin Shingles; porches with same; tower with 7 × 10, same quality; use attic vents on main roof, and No. 1 Six-foot Finial on apex of tower.

First Floor.

Second Floor.

Design I.—(Elevation, [page 8].)

COLORS.—For Exterior and Interior.

As your house nears completion, it is well to decide upon colors. That is a distinctive feature which is to give tone and beauty, and make your house in some respects different from all others. The question of painting is often a mere matter of preserving the structure, and not a question of beauty or harmony of colors, or what would be best suited to the surroundings; it is too often the case that but little regard is paid to those nice perceptions that make one man’s work many times more valuable than another. Strong contrasts of color should be avoided. Light tints are preferable to strong colors. Think of a house painted black, red, yellow, or green.

Let the surroundings suggest what the exterior colors should be. A house surrounded by trees and shrubbery will admit of white, with white tinted trimmings, such as cornices, corner-boards, window and door frames; but for half the year the green foliage of the trees is turned to brown, which but partially relieves the glaring white. This is why that color is not a favorite for exteriors. As a rule, select a light color for the body of the house, and darken that for the trimmings.

For interior wood-work select light wood colors; let none be darker than walnut. Oak, chestnut, ash, white walnut, maple and cherry make a beautiful finish by simply oiling, and varnishing if a gloss is preferred. Very light shades of ochre make beautiful ceilings which can be ornamented with suitable designs, using darker but delicate shades of other light colors. Here is where the taste and skill of the painter comes in, and unless you are an adept, don’t fail to consult an experienced decorator for your inside walls.

For houses of moderate cost we think nothing is equal to solid colors for inside walls. Let the colors be light and cheerful, and the rooms of different shades. ([See page 48]).

If you are interested in Roofing, send for our Price List and Discount Sheet, which is special to the trade. We are pioneers in the introduction of practical metal shingles, and no imitator has yet produced their equal. Our goods are largely used throughout the United States and Canadas; are used by the Government and Railroads; approved by the Fire Insurance Companies, and many leading Architects and Builders. They are lighter than slate, and will last longer without repairs; and the low rate of insurance on our roofing will, in a short time, more than balance the difference in price where wood shingles are cheaper.

As seen by the cut, our shingles are the same to-day as when first introduced. Remember, no cleats or springs are necessary in using our shingles. The lock is simple and perfect, with corrugations across the top, and bracing corrugations across the exposed end of the shingles, which stiffen and hold the shingles firmly to the underlying courses. They are easily applied, and any one who can lay a wood shingle can lay these. We furnish them in four sizes, made from charcoal roofing tin, painted both sides and unpainted, galvanized tin plate, which is superior to galvanized iron, cold rolled copper, and steel plates. We keep on hand a full line of roofing sundries.

Fac-simile of beginning of first two courses.

Our Shingles received the highest and only award for metal shingles at the American Institute, held in this city, October, 1886, and New Orleans Exposition, 1885.

WHOLESALE AGENTS.

RICHARD KNISELY & SON, 184 South Jefferson St., Chicago, Ills.

W. W. MONTAGUE & CO., San Francisco, Cal., Pacific Coast.

J. J. WALTERS, Denver, Col.

PHILLIPS & BUTTORFF MFG. Co., Nashville, Tenn.

CANADA GALVANIZING AND STEEL ROOFING CO., Montreal, Canada.

MACHWIRTH BROS., Buffalo, N.Y.

JEROME TWICHELL & CO., Kansas City, Mo.

F. H. LAWSON & CO., Cincinnati, Ohio.

The National Sheet Metal Roofing Company,
510, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520 East 20th St., New York, U. S. A.

Design C.—Front and Side Elevation.

SEVEN-ROOM, TWO-STORY HOUSE.

Estimated Cost, with Bath and Furnace, $1,800 to $2,000.

ROOF VALLEYS OR GUTTERS.

It is generally known to builders and roofers that the greatest amount of wear upon all kinds of roofs is in the valleys or gutters. Therefore, that part of the roof, whether covered with slate, tin or wood shingles, should be of the best material, and free from the annoying possibility of cracking.

This trouble is always caused by expansion and contraction of the metal. The usual method is to make the valley of the desired length, and, after shaping to the roof-boards, to nail each side firmly. The result is, with the summer heat, a buckle is often formed at some point between the two ends. In cold weather the buckle draws out, and in course of time, if the joints in the middle do not give way, a leak will appear, caused by the metal cracking. This will not occur with our roof valleys, because we amply provide for the expansion and contraction of the same. We particularly call the attention of dealers in building material to our Queen Anne Valley. It is salable, durable and cheap, always ready to apply; can be used by any workman capable of laying slate, tin or wood shingles. ([See page 23]).

THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO.

First Floor. Second Floor.

Design C.—(Elevations, [page 12].)

WHAT IS GOOD MORTAR?

To a casual observer mortar is mud, but to a builder who understands the chemistry of mortar it is a compound of water, lime and sand, and when properly prepared forms an indestructible cement. Fresh slacked lime, when brought in contact with clean, sharp sand, adheres strongly to the surface of each grain, and forms the silicate of lime.

At the same time the drying mortar absorbs carbonic acid from the atmosphere, forming with it lime-stone, which in time becomes a rock in solidity. Now, all mortar is good or bad in proportion to the purity of the ingredients and their relative affinity for each other. The adhesive properties of mortar are nullified by loam or clay in sand, or the stale condition of lime used.

Loam mortar adheres freely to the surface of walls or ceilings. So does mud if thrown against an upright surface; but water dissolves it. It dries quickly, but does not harden with age. The foundation of many frame, and the entire walls of many brick houses are built with poor mortar, when the materials for good could be had at the same price.

Water, lime, sand and hair are the ingredients for plasterers’ mortar in about the following proportions: One bushel unslacked lime and four bushels sharp sand; (to this add twenty-four pounds of dry hair for every one hundred yards, when used for “scratch” or first coat,) and water sufficient to make it of proper consistency. After being properly mixed, the mortar should stand from three to ten days before using. However, the time it should stand depends upon the susceptibility of the lime to slack. Some lime requires a month, while good lime slacks immediately. Age improves mortar, provided it is kept wet, and makes it work easier under the workman’s trowel. As it is the keys formed by pressing the mortar against the lathing on the ceiling that holds it to its place, there should be a relative width of lath and key space to insure strength sufficient to prevent its falling. Ignorance of this, and poor mortar, is the cause of falling ceilings. Lath one inch wide, 7/16 inches thick, placed 7/16 inches apart will insure good strong work.

The second coat needs but a very small quantity of hair. Fifty bushels sand, and twelve and one-half bushels unslacked lime, will make mortar enough to cover one hundred square yards. If mortar freezes before it is dry it loses its cementing properties and becomes in common phase rotten, but if the sand used is clean, and it remains frozen without thawing until it is dry, it is not injured. The best way to treat a house in which the plastering is not dry, and cannot be kept from freezing before it dries, is to throw the house open, and let it freeze for eight or ten days, or until the plastering freezes dry.

Cisterns should be plastered inside with mortar made of equal parts of hydraulic lime and clean sand. For brick work above foundations use one part unslacked lime to four parts sand.

“THE INDEPENDENT,” 251 Broadway, New York, October 28th, 1889.

Gentlemen:—The shingles from your respected concern used on my new house look splendidly, and give entire satisfaction. They are far better than any metal shingles I have previously used on other buildings, which I have had torn off and thrown away as worthless. At times we were flooded by the water under their (want of) protection, and we could not stop the leaks. Noah in the ark I am sure was, fortunately, not troubled with leaks such as we endured for years; if he had been all would have been drowned. Now, under your protection, we are all right and still alive.

Faithfully,

HENRY C. BOWEN,
Chandler.

TO ARCHITECTS AND BUILDERS.

There is no detail of house building more important than the roof. Upon it depends to a great degree the durability and preservation of the whole structure. The number of good houses with mottled ceilings and cracked plastering, to be seen all over the country, are reminders of the necessity of securing the best material and faultless construction for this important part of your dwelling.

The advantages we claim for our Tin Shingle, over the ordinary mode of applying sheet metal for roofing purposes, consists in its Superior Strength, Freedom from Wrinkles and Cracking, (which cannot at all times be prevented where sheet metal is put on in continuous sheets); and in being the Most Ornamental and Durable of all sheet metal roof coverings. Now, in answer to this last assertion you may say, How can this be? Is not the same quality of tin as durable when applied in one form as another? We answer, By no means. The writer—and we presume the reader—has seen tin roofs worked, and walked over in the necessary finishing up, to such an extent as to seriously damage the roof. The Tin Roofers’ mallets, seamers, tongs, and sliding over the roof, do more real damage to the surface of tin plate than several years’ wear. We entirely overcome this difficulty, as no part of the exposed surface of our Tin Shingles are struck with a mallet or hammer in applying them. Again, where metal plates are put together in continuous sheets, moisture, which condenses underneath for want of ventilation, settles in the cross-seams and causes decay, and the ordinary metal roof when removed invariably shows this to be the case, while the other part of the plate shows no perceptible wear. Our form of metal roofing has no cross-seams, and has sufficient ventilation to prevent the condensation of moisture underneath, making it by many years the most durable form of metal roofing ever offered to the American people.

Our object is to furnish the building public with a better form of roofing material, attractive in appearance, without the objections of the heavy slate, the clumsy shingle, or the plain ribbed metal roof; and at a price that claims the attention of Architects and Builders of the whole country.

THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO.,
510 to 520 East Twentieth St.,
New York City.

CHIMNEYS.

We will not moralize on the evils of smoky chimneys, but just tell you in plain language how to construct them so they will not smoke. Make the throat of the fire-place not more than half the size of the flue; carefully smooth the inside of the flue, and have it of the same area all the way to near the top of the chimney, when it should be gradually tapered inward to about half the area of the flue. At the extreme top, the cap stone should slant from the opening in all directions downward at an angle of about twenty degrees. This will insure a good draught and prevent the smoke blowing downward. No two fire-places should enter the same flue; neither should a stove-pipe enter a flue unless the fire-place is closed. Each stove and fire-place should have its own flue. The size necessary for a flue depends on the fuel to be used.

Soft or Bituminous coal requires a flue nearly double the size of one where Anthracite is to be used; an open fire-place for wood, larger flues than either. For instance, an 8 × 8 inch flue answers for Anthracite, because it makes but little soot, while if Bituminous coal is used, 8 × 12 is none too large.

You will find in houses all over the country flues smaller than the above, and a corresponding number of smoky chimneys, which it is impossible to remedy without re-building from the bottom up.

The carelessness displayed in chimney construction is astonishing. As the work is hid from view on completion, be watchful during the process of construction from the ground up. All chimneys should, if possible, extend above the apex or comb of roof, and should be built of good hard burnt brick, and no woodwork should be allowed to enter within five inches of inside of flue, and not within twelve inches anywhere near the fire-place.

Design H.—Front Elevation.

EIGHT-ROOM, TWO-STORY HOUSE.

Estimated Cost, with Bath and Furnace, $3,500 to $4,000.

Roof covered with 10 × 14 No. 1 Standard Tin Shingles; gables with Queen Anne; second story, sides, with 7 × 10 Standard Tin Shingles; and porches with Broad Rib Tin Roofing; use No. 2 Five-foot Finial on tower.

First Floor. Second Floor.

Design H.—(Elevation, [page 18].)

A retired plumber thus gives a point for the gratuitous relief of householders: “Just before retiring at night pour into the clogged pipe enough liquid soda lye to fill the ‘trap’ or bent part of the pipe. Be sure that no water runs in it until the next morning. During the night the lye will convert all the offal into soft soap, and the first current of water in the morning will wash it away and clear the pipe clean as new.”

THE WALTER’S PATENT, AND WHAT IT IS.

Previous to the granting of a patent to John Walter, in 1882, there were no tin shingles manufactured for the trade in the United States, with the exception of those which covered more than two-thirds of their surface to get one-third exposed to the weather; the same is commonly done with wood shingles. This made them too expensive for general use. The Walter’s patent made it practical to expose five-sixths of the surface and only conceal one-sixth of the shingle. This great saving at once reduced the cost of metal shingles over one-half, and enabled the National Sheet Metal Roofing Co., which controls this patent, to put on the market the best metal roofing in the world, at prices that compete with ordinary wood shingles. (See “Comparative Cost,” [pages 26 and 27].)

How this was done is best expressed in the claim granted the patentee, copied from the United States Official Gazette:

“A metal roofing plate having a gutter formed by corrugations at one side, and a perforated flange at the side of the gutter, whereby it shall be nailed to the roof of a house; a broad corrugation at the other side adapted to form a seam with the adjoining edge of a corresponding plate, substantially as shown and described.”

The advantage of this lock is that it makes a water-tight seam without soldering or hammering down. The plates are joined as easy as crossing two sticks, with ample provision for expansion and contraction. This lock is the perfection of simplicity; there is no exposed seam where water is liable to lodge and cause rust; no cleats are used, and no tin springs are necessary to hold the side edges of connecting plates to prevent water seeping through.

PAINTING SHEET-METAL ROOFS.

The subject of painting sheet-metal roofs is one of great importance, says the Builder, Decorator and Wood-Worker, not only on account of the protection afforded, but because the material, when properly colored, can be made pleasant to the eye when placed in exposed positions. While many kinds of paint have been discovered and patented, composed of a great variety of materials, it is a question if there is a substance used that is an effective substitute for linseed oil, regarding the effectiveness of which an authority on the subject says: “By consulting experienced and unbiased painters you will learn the fact that there is no vehicle pigments at all approaching linseed oil in effectiveness and durability, especially for exposure to the weather. A good paint must be both hard and elastic. It requires hardness to prevent abrasion and wear, and elasticity to prevent cracking from expansion and contraction. Nothing but linseed oil will give these qualities, for, strange as it may seem to many in these days of novelties, the pigments really add but very little to the effectiveness of paints. Mark, we say the best of pigments, for many pigments are the reverse of protective, and are really destructive to both the vehicles and the material which they are supposed to protect. For example, coal tar and all its products, whether called dead oil, asphalt, rubber, etc., are of the class just described, and their use at any price, especially for covering sheet-metals, is a wanton waste of money. Extended experiments have demonstrated that there is no better pigment for metal than a good iron ore ground to an impalpable powder. To be most thoroughly effective the pigment must be intimately incorporated with the vehicle, which can best be done only by grinding them together in a stone mill by steam power.” It is of the greatest importance that sheet-metal roofs, especially those made of iron, should be protected from the action of the elements, as when so protected there is hardly any limit to the time they will last. In order that the paint should be effective, it should be applied before the iron has had an opportunity to rust, and the first coat should be of the best quality and applied in the best manner; or if it is defective it is plain that it will not only require repainting far sooner than it should, but no matter how good the subsequent coatings of paint are, they cannot be effective if founded on an original coating which has commenced to crack or peel, as it certainly will if not prepared with the best methods and materials. Another important point to be observed in the painting of sheet-metal is that the paint should not be too thick, as it is the linseed oil that is to be depended on to furnish protection, and as the action of the air on the surface of the exposed oil gives it a particularly hard surface, two thin coats of paint are much more durable than one thick one.

Remember, it is the rust-preventing qualities of linseed oil, combined with the oxide of iron, that makes steel or iron sheets resist the corrosive action of oxygen, which is ever present in the atmosphere. ([See page 101.])

THE CELLAR.

The cellar under a dwelling house has many advocates. It is a convenient, cool place, and nineteen times out of twenty is a damp, dark, musty, foul-smelling place. It cannot well be otherwise and be a cellar. It is a store-room for all sorts of vegetables; odds and ends of most everything are laid away in that dark retreat. It is the favorite resort of spiders, toads and other creeping things; it is the unrelenting enemy (?) of the family physician, the breeding-place of malaria, which unceasingly sends its poisonous vapors into every part of the dwelling above it. It would be suicide for one to make it their sleeping room.

But if you insist upon having a cellar under your house, and will not put it under the corn-crib or carriage-house, see that it is properly constructed. This is more important than most of the other parts of the house, for upon it in a great measure depends the health of your entire family.

The floor of the cellar should be hard and dry, with no woodwork in its construction. To obtain this result, cover the floor about three inches deep with coarse gravel, or broken stone, well pounded to a level surface. Fill this with a thin mortar, composed of one part hydraulic cement and two parts sharp sand, smoothing it off with a trowel or plasterer’s level. When we mention sharp sand, we mean coarse, clean sand.

Build a flue, say 8 × 12 inches (with an opening next to the floor of the cellar fully that size), from the bottom of cellar foundation alongside of and extending to top of kitchen chimney, the heat of which will create a constant, upward current of air from the cellar. On the opposite side of cellar from this ventilating flue make an air inlet near the ceiling for the purpose of supplying fresh air to the cellar. This will keep the cellar dry and the atmosphere healthy. Put a wire netting over the opening to prevent the entrance of rats and mice. If from the nature of the location, or other causes, a cellar is damp, dig a trench all around a little below and outside of the foundation wall; this trench should be covered with flat stones and earth filled in a little above the surface line, so that surface water will flow from, and not settle next to, the foundation walls. When the cellar is completed whitewash the walls and ceiling.

OUR “QUEEN ANNE” VALLEY,
FOR SLATE, TIN OR WOOD SHINGLES.

Patented October 30th, 1883.

This cut fairly illustrates our improvement. The corrugations at the side keep the edges rigid, and prevent the edges from dipping into any space that may be between the roof boards where they are not laid close. Besides this, they dispense with the necessity of chalk lines, and hold the shingle or slate from lying close upon the metal, preventing decay both of wood and metal. A convenience and benefit to every builder.

To be used where the pitch of the roof is equal to that necessary in using the ordinary shingle.

Design G.—Front Elevation.

EIGHT-ROOM, TWO-STORY HOUSE.

Estimated Cost, with Bath and Furnace, $3,000 to $3,500.

Roof to be covered with 10 × 14 No. 1 Standard Tin Shingles; gables with 7 × 10, same quality; and porches with Broad-Rib Tin Plate Roofing.

Smithtown Branch, L. I., November 27th, 1886.

Dear Sirs:—During the recent very heavy storms—wind and rain—the roof on my house, put on with Walter’s Patent Tin Shingles, stood the test; not a single leak has ever been discovered, not even around the chimneys, valleys, nor where the roof of the wing butts up against the main building. The work was done in April last, and never leaked, and I think never will, as long as the material lasts.

You will remember how reluctant I was to try the shingles, but I am now glad that I did so, for I not only have a good first-class roof—fire-proof—but I also have the handsomest roof in our town. I promised you I would come in and see you, and tell you how I liked the shingles, but not having done so, I write you this.

Yours very truly,

COE D. SMITH.

First Floor. Second Floor.

Design G.—(Elevation, [page 24].)

New Bedford, Mass., June 24th, 1887.

Gentlemen:—The Metallic Shingles, which were put on by you on the roof of the New Bristol County Jail and House of Correction at this place, are entirely satisfactory in every respect, the manner in which the plates are rolled overcoming all objections to the expansion and contraction of the metal. Those that were put on here were of hard rolled copper, and have now turned a beautiful bronze color, and is very much admired by all who have seen it. The roof cannot but be an extremely desirable roof, and I do not see that it can need repairs of any kind for years to come.

Yours very truly,

ROBERT H. SLACK, Architect.

WOOD AND METAL SHINGLES.

COMPARATIVE COST.

We are often asked if our metal shingles are as cheap as wood shingles. While we cannot consistently say they are not; still, if we say they are, they refer to our price list, which necessitates an explanation something like this:

We will suppose a dwelling is to be built to cost, say $2,500. Such a house will usually require about 20 squares of roof covering, which, if done with wood shingles, fixes the cost of fire insurance about one-quarter of one per cent. higher than a metal roof during its existence. This extends not only to the house, but all contained in such roofed houses. And this is the case, no matter how good the wood shingles are.

In making this comparison, we will consider such shingles as are generally used in the older settled portions of the country. We are aware that shingles made from well-matured timber, straight-grained, free from sap and wind-shakes, full length, hand drawn to five-eighths of an inch at the butt, four inches wide, and carefully put on make a good, durable roof. But shingles of that kind are only to be had in the thinly settled portions of the country.

It is the broad, thin, split or sawed shingles, found in all markets, which we contend are more expensive than our metal shingles. These do not last, on an average, more than fifteen years, and after ten years the repairs are a continual expense until removed and replaced with new material, which is not often done until some of the woodwork is badly damaged, and ceiling cracked and stained from frequent leakages. On the other hand, tin shingles will last for any length of time, if painted once in every five or six years, and show no perceptible wear.

Cost of a TIN SHINGLE Roof for a period of Fifteen Years.

Cost of a WOOD SHINGLE Roof for a Period of Fifteen Years.

THE ROOF.

(For Finials, [see page 74].)

A roof for your house is indispensable, and because it is so, let it be a good one. No part of your house is subject to the same amount of exposure, and there is no part independent of its protection. If you have built for the personal comfort of yourself and family, do not slight the roof because cheap, plain material is the most convenient. There is really no economy in doing so. It is outside, to be sure, but, like the chimney, it is a necessity. As we cannot ignore it, we must try to make it, as a part of the house, attractive. No money spent on the house will add more to its selling value than that expended in taste and material for the roof.

The difference expended in favor of good material adds to every part of the structure. The roof is about the first thing the prospective purchaser sees. He cannot help it; it is right before his eyes. His first impressions are the hardest to overcome.

A good roof must be, first, rain-proof; second, fire-proof; third, light in weight; fourth, durable; fifth, ornamental; sixth, not liable to get out of order. You can have your house covered with such a roof, and not pass the limited boundaries of economy.

Read carefully the pages of this little book devoted to roofing materials and sundries.

THE KITCHEN.

Somehow, our architects and builders habitually neglect to study the requirements of the kitchen, but persist in constructing for this use a plainly constructed room, generally cramped in size, with no means of escaping the great heat generated by the range or stove, which in the hot months of summer is almost unbearable. If men were often obliged to remain in such a place, a large part of the day during the hot season, they would be quick to seize upon any plan which would mitigate the heat. But as their wives, daughters or “help” preside in that department, they offer no amendment to the long-established mode of kitchen construction.

Now, a kitchen can be so constructed that even with the largest size family-stove or range in use, it will be as comfortable as any other room in the house, and at an expense not to exceed the cost of the stove or range used. To do this, build of brick a large open fire-place, say from three to twelve inches broader than the length of the stove or range to be used, and from front to rear deep enough to receive the same. It is best to set an ordinary cook-stove with the side to the front, so that the oven door can be convenient. The oven door, of course, on the opposite side is permanently closed. The range being differently constructed can readily be set in the brick enclosure or open fire-place, the walls of which should be built perpendicular to the floor, and about five feet high. The back wall should be sufficiently thick to commence at this point a smoke-flue 8 × 12 inches, with an opening to receive the smoke-pipe from the range or stove, and continue it out through the roof of house (see “Chimneys”); resting on the walls of this open fire-place build, either with wood or brick, a tapering flue, so that after emerging from the roof it will expose an opening of not less than four square feet. A cap should be put over this to prevent an entrance of rain, but not to contract the draught space.

You will see by this arrangement you have a large chimney with a fire-place at the bottom large enough to receive the stove or range. Now construct a sliding sash with double strength glass, and balanced with weights, with the upper end of sash inside the draught flue, and the lower end to reach within a foot of the floor, and about four inches from the side of stove. You will readily perceive that the heat from the stove inside the flue will constantly cause a strong draught between the bottom of the sash and the floor, which will prevent heat from escaping into the kitchen, keeping it as cool as any room in the house. Even with the sash up, the draught will take nearly all the heat through the flue over the stove, carrying with it the steam and odor during the process of cooking. A coat of whitewash inside the brick-work will add to the appearance and give light, which is shadowed by the flue.

The kitchen should be large and light, and, if possible, be joined by a broad covered porch, upon which much of the kitchen work can be done in warm weather.

As this little book is merely hints to builders, we cannot go into the details of hot and cold water, stationary wash-tubs and such matters. But we will say, more important than all this is a well-constructed drain pipe, not less than three inches in diameter, leading from the kitchen sink to a point some distance (according to the nature of the ground) from the house. This pipe inside the kitchen, should have a trap to prevent offensive odors escaping into the room.

SAMPLE SHINGLES.

We will send free, and charges paid, samples of our Walter’s Patent Shingles (three pieces) to any address in the United States on receipt of five two-cent stamps; this does not pay us one-half the expense, but we propose to make the cost as light as possible to those interested in building.

THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO.,
510 to 520 East 20th Street,
New York City.

Design F.—Front Elevation.

SEVEN-ROOM, TWO-STORY HOUSE.

Estimated Cost, with Bath and Furnace, $2,300 to $2,600.

BRONZE METAL SHINGLES.—We believe we are the first to offer Bronze Metal Shingles to the World; certainly the first to manufacture them in the United States. No other metal known for house covering is their equal, not excepting copper, which in its pure state is rather soft and pliable, unless of a weight to practically exclude its use.

Bronze Metal is hard, rigid and sufficiently ductile to make the most serviceable roofing material for public and first-class private buildings in the world. Any house designed to exist as a memorial of man’s sagacity and thrift should be covered with these shingles. They are as enduring as marble; they will wear for any length of time.

We make them in three sizes—7 by 10, 10 by 14, and Queen Anne style. Prices furnished upon application.

The National Sheet Metal Roofing Co.,
Office, 510 to 520 East 20th Street, New York City.

Design F.—Side Elevation.

Roof to be covered with 10 × 14 No. 1 Standard Tin Shingles; gables with 7 × 10, same quality; and porches with Broad-Rib Tin Roofing. Use attic ventilators and lights ([see page 73]) on main roof.

Lititz, Pa., February 27th, 1885.

Dear Sirs:—I was the first man in this town to cover my new house, built last summer, with Walter’s Patent Charcoal Tin Shingles, and will say that they have given, thus far, entire satisfaction. They are not only ornamental but durable, and since my roof has introduced them in our town, a great many have been put on, all giving satisfaction. I am sure that this is the material for roofing houses in the future. They are better than any other roof now in use, and will take the place of wood shingles, which are getting scarce, and also of slate roofs, which are broken by storms. Mine has stood the test of the severest storms, during the summer and winter, known here for many years, and has proven itself what you claim it is—absolutely wind, rain and storm-proof.

JOHNSON MILLER, Secretary.

First Floor. Second Floor.

Design F.—(Elevations, [pages 31 and 32].)

Cedar Bluff, Ala., February 20th, 1888.

Gentlemen:—Enclosed find exchange for one hundred and forty and 50/100 dollars to cover bill roofing.

I am delighted with the Walter’s shingle, and the universal verdict of all who have seen my roof is that it is a perfect beauty. You will hear from me again, and you may expect other orders from this place.

Yours truly,

R. LAWRENCE.

BRICK-WORK.

“Brick from the run of the kiln” will answer for most houses; those of even color, well-burnt and regular shape, should be selected for the outside walls and chimneys. Those of irregular shape, too hard or too soft for outside walls, can be used for filling in, or partition walls. No soft burnt brick should be allowed where exposed to the weather. Supposing the foundation is finished, and first-floor joists are laid, commence by filling between joists, flush with the top of joists and even with the inside of foundation walls, so no shelves are left between the joists for the purpose shown in hints under the head of “Foundation,” [page 6].

If the inside of outside walls are to be furred, be prepared to insert strips about the thickness of common lath between brick joints at points where base boards are to be put, and to fasten long strips or grounds as called by plasterers. No mortar should be put between the lath strip and the brick, but let the lath be pressed by the surface of the upper and lower brick; the natural settling of the wall will hold the lath tight enough to bear any amount of nailing.

For doors and windows, insert pieces same thickness, but large enough to receive the casings. These thin pieces inserted in the mortar joints are better and cheaper than plugs or wooden brick, which are apt to shrink and become loose when the brick-work dries. It is very important that flues for ventilation and chimneys be properly started (see “Chimneys”) and carried through the roof to a height, if possible, above the apex of the roof. Ventilating flues should run alongside the chimney flues where the construction favors them. Too much care cannot be taken in building these flues. They should be carefully and smoothly plastered on the inside, and no wood-work be allowed nearer than five inches from the inside of flue. It is customary to use headers (cross bricks) every five courses, to bind the walls together. Many people object to headers, and prefer to expose only the edge surface of the brick. This can be done by clipping the inside courses of outside brick so as to allow the middle course to lay angular across the wall, with opposite courses resting half way between and on the outside courses, or by using square brick. The latter is a saving of labor if they can be had at a reasonable price. The thickness of walls depends entirely upon the size of structure to be built. For ordinary dwelling-houses, twelve inches is thick enough for outside walls and nine inches for partition walls. Mortar for brick-work above foundation should be made of one part of good lime, slacked at time of mixing the mortar, and four parts of screened sharp sand. The cementing qualities of sand and fresh lime depend on the purity of the sand. By pure sand we mean that which is free from loam or clay.

STANDARD CHARCOAL ROOFING TIN SHINGLES.

Our Standard Charcoal Roofing Tin Shingles are made of such brands as “Mansel,” “Dean,” “Worcester,” “P. T. L.” &c., and guaranteed to be first-class, well-coated plates, perfect in finish. Next comes our Galvanized (re-dipped) shingle; this is our Standard Tin Shingle, taken after it is made and dipped into melted zinc, adding a second coat of fully twenty pounds on each square, giving with the tin, a more durable coating than that used on galvanized iron, making it absolutely rust-proof and saving painting. Next is what we call “Old Process” or “M. F.” This is what is known as “Old Style,” “Double-Dipped,” “Old Method,” and other names, but what is really a very superior article of roofing plate, having a much heavier coating than “Standard,” but, like it, has to be painted. There are many brands of practically one quality in the market, and, having no choice ourselves, we supply the brand preferred; but if the best is asked for, we send “Old Process,” believing it to be equal to any.

THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO.

THINGS ARE ONLY GOOD OR BAD BY COMPARISON.

Walter’s Patent Metallic Shingles Compared with Slate.

Our shingles are not one-sixth the weight of slate, which greatly reduces the cost of the frame-work of roof. They readily conform to the shape of a roof, which slate will not do. Slate is not thoroughly fire-proof, as heat from an adjoining building on fire will cause the slate to crack, which would destroy the best roof in a few minutes, leaving the sheeting exposed. Especially is this the case if water is thrown on them while hot.

Our shingles are free from the many accidents to which slate roofs are liable, such as cracking from shrinkage of wood-work to which they are attached; breaking, caused by necessary repairs to the valleys or chimneys; and the effect of frost on defective slate. Such defects cannot always be avoided by ordinary observation. All builders of experience are aware of the expensive repairs necessary to keep a slate roof in good order, but perhaps the most inconsistent thing connected with the whole roofing business is the fact that nineteen-twentieths of all the houses covered with slate have gutters lined with the same material of which our shingles are made, while slate was used for covering because of its supposed durability.

Should anything fall on our shingles it would probably dent them without causing a break; but should it perforate them, the shingles can be replaced by another, or a leak can be soldered, and fire from an adjoining roof cannot more than injure the paint. They will cool off rapidly, retaining their shape.

Walter’s Patent Tin Shingles Compared with Ordinary Tin Roofing.

Of this we speak with the advantage of many years’ experience as practical roofers. The great difficulty metal roofers have to contend with is contraction and expansion of the metal under the changes of temperature. This cause alone calls for continued repairs in all flat lock or standing seam roofs, and the seams underneath are receptacles for any moisture which may condense on the underside of the metal. All such roofs first show decay in the cross seams, and this, while the body of the plates shows no sign of decay. Our shingles have no cross seam, and are sufficiently ventilated to prevent condensation of moisture; while a glance at their construction shows at once that the difficulty caused by contraction and expansion is successfully overcome. Our shingles do not require the skilled labor which is necessary to lay the flat lock or standing groove metal roofing, while the time required to lay a given surface is much less.

In estimating the difference of cost between the ordinary tin roofing and our shingle, a steep roof house alone must be taken in consideration, as our shingle is not proposed for a flat roof. (See “Comparative Cost,” [pages 26 and 27].)

ROOFING SUNDRIES.

We were the first to manufacture a full line of Valley, Hip and Ridge Coping, Gable, &c., to enable the builder or roofer to use them at a reasonable price, and are the only factory in America prepared to furnish such trimming in any quantity; and while they are not absolutely necessary, they greatly lessen the amount of labor and cost of laying, besides adding a finish to the roof not otherwise obtained, so that the saving in labor will pay the additional cost.

Design E.—Front and Side Elevation.

SIX-ROOM COTTAGE.

Estimated Cost, with Bath and Furnace, $2,000 to $2,300.

Use Broad-Rib Steel Plate with attic vents ([see page 73]) for roof, and 10 × 14 No. 2 Metal Shingles for gables.

First Floor. Second Floor.

Design E.—Elevations, [page 38].

ROOF PAINT.—We use the best Brown Mineral Oxide of Iron, roasted and double-ground, mixed with boiled linseed oil, grinding them together, and adding only enough turpentine to dry in the air in seventy-two hours. We first dip the shingles, and after they have stood a short time, and before the paint has set, they are carefully gone over with a brush, insuring an even, perfect coat, not obtainable in any ordinary way of painting.

All tin roofers, who have experience, know the importance of putting on a second coat. In spite of the best care in laying, more or less paint is scratched off, and without a second coat the roof is not finished. Architects and builders always require it, and if a heavy single coat of paint is given the roof every five or six years, there will be no perceptible wear on the tin, insuring many years’ service.

OUR NEW PATENT.

Patented April 4th, 1882. Patented Nov. 8th, 1887.

Our Queen Anne Shingles are designed expressly to meet a want often expressed for an attractive and artistic roof covering and outside decorating. They are not intended to take the place of our Standard Walter’s Patent, which for general use are incomparable, but less ornamental than the Queen Anne Shingles. They have bold clean cut lines, producing, from the effects of light and shade, the most striking and artistic roof yet produced by metallic shingles or tiles.

For church spires, belt coursing, towers or mansard roofing, they cannot be excelled. The cut illustrates the kind of finish used at the eaves and verge board. The same ridge coping used for our Standard Shingles can be used for this. This shingle must be seen to be appreciated.

We recommend the Bronze Metal, or the Galvanized Shingles for use on public or first-class private buildings, because such buildings should be covered with the best roofing material to be had.

Each superficial foot of brick wall,

SURFACE MEASURE.—All roofers compute roofing jobs by squares, which means 100 square feet, or 10 feet square. If you go to your architect or roofer and ask him how much it will take or cost to cover your roof, he will first ascertain how many square feet there are to be covered; and if, for example, there are 2,500 square feet he will tell you there are twenty-five squares to be covered; and in order to intelligently supply what is wanted, we put up our shingles in boxes of one square each; that is to say, each box of one square will cover one hundred square feet after they have been put on.

OLD MATERIALS.

In tearing down old work be as careful as in putting up new.

Old material should never be destroyed simply because it is old.

When putting away old stuff see that it is protected from rain and the atmosphere.

It costs about 15 per cent. extra to work up old material, and this fact should be borne in mind, as I have known several contractors who paid dearly for their “whistle” in estimating on working up second-hand material.

These remarks apply to wood-work only. In using old bricks, stone, slate and other miscellaneous materials, it is as well to add double price for working up.

Workmen do not care to handle old material, and justly so. It is ruinous to tools, painful to handle, and very destructive to clothing.

In my experience I always found it pay to advance the wages of workmen—skilled mechanics—while working up old material. This encouraged the men and spurred them to better efforts.

Sash frames, with sash weights, locks and trim complete, may be taken out of old buildings that are being taken down and preserved just as good as new by screwing slats and braces on them, which not only keeps the frame square, but prevents the glass from being broken.

Doors, frames and trims may also be kept in good order until used, by taking the same precautions as in window frames.

Old scantlings and joists should have all nails drawn or hammered in before piling away.

Counters, shelving, drawers and other store-fittings should be kindly dealt with. They will be wanted sooner or later.

Take care of the locks, hinges, bolts, keys and other hardware. Each individual piece represents money in a greater or lesser sum.

Old flooring can seldom be utilized, though I have seen it used for temporary purposes, such as fencing, covering of veranda floors while finishing work on plastering, etc. As a rule, however, it does not pay to take it up carefully and preserve it. Conductor pipes, metallic cornices, and sheet metal work generally, can seldom be made available a second time though all is worth caring for, as some parties may use it for repairs.

Sinks, wash-basins, bath-tubs, traps, heating appliances, grates, mantels and hearth-stones should be moved with care. They are always worth money and may be used in many places as substitutes for more inferior fixings.

Marble mantels require the most careful handling.

Perhaps the most difficult fixings about a house to adapt a second time are the stairs. Yet I have known where a man has so managed to put up new buildings that the old stairs taken from another building just suited. This may have been a “favorable accident,” but the initiated reader will understand him. Seldom such accidents can occur.

Rails, balusters and newels may be utilized much readier than stairs, as the rail may be lengthened or shortened to suit variable conditions.

Gas fixtures should be cared for and stowed away in some dry place. They can often be made available, and are not easily renovated if soiled or tarnished.

It is not wise to employ men who have nothing but their strength to recommend them. As a rule they are like bears—have more strength than knowledge, and lack of the latter is often an expensive desideratum. Employ for taking down the work good careful mechanics, and do not have the work “rushed through.” Rushers of this sort are expensive.

Never send old material to a mill to be sawed or planed, no matter how carefully nails, pebbles and sand have been hunted for, the saw or planer knives will most assuredly find some you have overlooked, then there will be trouble at the mill.

Have some mercy for the workman’s tools. If it can be avoided do not work up old stuff into fine work. If not avoidable pay the workman something extra because of injury to tools.

Don’t grumble if you do not get as good results from the use of old material as from new. The workman has much to contend with while working up old nail-speckled, sand-covered material.

Builder and Woodworker.

HEATING.

STEAM AND WARM AIR COMBINED.

I once knew a church building committee who planned and built quite a large church, and when I was called in to arrange for heating the building with a large furnace, the furnace committee were astonished when told that the building committee had forgotten the fact that the hot-air furnace required a chimney.

The construction of many houses suggests that houses built in the hot months of summer needed no special provision for heating. This is an important subject, and should be carefully considered in the construction of the plainest house. Always take climate, location and fuel into consideration. The open fire place, with fire on the hearth, is without doubt the most cheerful and healthful. This is the favorite and best mode for plain country homes. But in all instances, for churches and public halls, the open fire-place is not to be depended upon. There is a variety of good steam-heaters and hot-air furnaces to choose from. Consult the parties from whom you buy as to the size of heater required; its location, size of cold-air duct, register, pipe, etc.

For small rural churches that have no basement, construct a small room under the front entrance or vestibule; eight feet square, inside measure, is sufficient. Near its floor have a cold-air entrance leading to the furnace. Cover the opening with wire netting to prevent the entrance of mice. Use brick for the room, building the walls eight inches thick; leave openings 2½ × 4 inches, about one foot apart all around the bottom next to the floor. Carry the wall close to the ceiling, and make it tight by plastering carefully inside and out where it joins the ceiling. Cover the ceiling, by nailing to joists, with bright sheets of tin, and white-wash the brick-work inside. For entrance make a door 6 × 3 feet. A plain wooden one will answer. In the aisle of the church, immediately over this room, put a large grating, such as your furnace-men will suggest. In this room place your furnace, and have it large enough to heat the room above during the coldest weather without excessive firing. With a larger capacity than necessary, the furnace will last longer, burn less coal, and give better results in every respect. As the furnace will radiate considerable heat, this can be utilized by running a pipe of proper size from the room to the vestibule or some other room. The objection to using this heat in the church is the noise of firing up, which would be annoying during church service. However, a furnace properly attended will not need firing during church service. Remember, a large volume of warm air is what you want, and not a small volume of hot air. Never cover the grating or close the cold-air duct to cool off while there is fire in the furnace, but open the doors or windows of the church and check the fire. The closing of the grating or cold-air duct will injure the castings of the furnace by overheating them.

CLOSE SHEATHING THE BEST.

While a rain-proof roof can be made with our shingles, our system, as well as all metal or slate roofing should not be put upon open sheathing. If walked upon the metal will not support the weight, and bends out of shape, and the roof is blamed. In high latitudes where we have driving storms of fine snow or “blizzards,” we specify close sheathing covered by paper (using same rules as for laying slate). We will then guarantee a perfect roof.