American homes and gardens (1905) (18150393315)

Advertisement for Cortright Metal Shingles
Title: American homes and gardens
Identifier: americanhomesgar11905newy (find matches)
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Architecture, Domestic; Landscape gardening
Publisher: New York : Munn and Co
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library



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are commended to the attention of Architects who are seeking to combine beauty and economy in their work. Cortright Metal Roofing Co. Philadelphia and Chicago perfectly dustproof floorings and ceiling deco- rations. A number of inventions have been made which appear to answer the purposes. Liquids that harden and form smooth floor surfaces have been Invented, so that at the corners a perfect join! is made. Interlocking rubber and marble tiling is used for bath- rooms and kitchens. Interior metal sheathing is employed also, and the surface painted so that there is not a crevice left anywhere large enough for a flea to hide in. Even tapestries and burlaps treated with fireproof and ver- minproof materials are manufactured for wall ornamentation, and when properly applied there is no space left for dust or vermin to find lodgment. Wood pulp has been tried for producing finished floor surfaces, and when applied in the liquid state and allowed to harden the protection is nearly perfect. All of these surface preparations for the interior are proof against damage from water, and frequent washing is permissible. It is even considered probable that the future kit- chen will be washed with hot water daily by means of a hose and spray so that every par- ticle of dust and dirt can be removed. By applying a spray of hot water under consider- able pressure to the walls and floors, germs and vermin of all kind brought in during the day would be removed and swept away by the water into the sewer. It will be seen from the foregoing that science is rapidly minimizing the danger of home life due to the introduction of germs, filth and dirt that must inevitably enter our houses from the streets. By applying safe- guards that have proved their worth, we in- sure to ourselves and families immunity from many diseases which to-day are purely of local origin. We are building homes of more per- manent and durable character than ever be- fore, but we must also secure for them all the sanitary safeguards that science and ex- perience teach us are necessary for our health. FIFTY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE HOUSE 1. Floor Coverings THE floors of bathrooms, sculleries, water- closets, larder, lavatories, greenhouses and sometimes of halls should be cov- ered, whether with hydraulic pressed tiles, marble, mosaic or some substance of a non- absorptive character, so that they may be washed down frequently. In the case of lava- toires, bathrooms and sculleries the floors are best laid sloping, so that when washed down the dirty water may be led, by means of a duct pipe, into a rain-water head to discharge over a gully trap. Ordinary basement floors are best finished with solid wood blocks laid either straight or herring-bone on a six inch bed of Portland cement concrete, and in some form of bituminous composition. For ordinary rooms the best floor covering is either hard wood, such as oak laid in half-batten widths and beeswaxed and polished, or good selected deal, stained and well varnished. The edges of the boards should be grooved and tongued. Parquet flooring may be laid over the whole surface in order to ensure an uniform and im- pervious surface without cracks in which dust may accumulate. It may be cleaned with a mixture of turpentine and beeswax.—B. F. and H. P. Fletcher. 2. Bedroom Doors Double doors to communications between bedrooms en suite are especially important, particularly in the case of bathrooms. T-he locks should not be opposite each other where