BEAUTY OF WOODWORK.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19112, 22 September 1927, Page 4

BEAUTY OF WOODWORK.

TIPS FOR HOME-BUILDERS. (13v W.H.W.) . A que.si.ion .very often asked l;y the homo builder is, "What can I do to my floors and woodwork so that the beauty of tho grain may bo enhanced and the necessity for expenditure of a. considerable bum ol : ' money in floor coverings may be obviated?" I'ipun the treatment of tho floors and the woodwork in tho rooms much of the beamy ot tho home depends, 'iho importance of floor and woodwork finish cannot bo overstated. Success in tho staining or painting of floors and woodwork depends as much upon using the right material in the rignt place as upon the way that the work is done. Another thing that cannot be over-emphasised is to use tho best materials. Cheap articles are never satisfactory, as they do not wear well. It should be remembered that ecoiiomy need not mean stinginess. On the other hand it means spending money wisely, and for that reason any money spent on finish for floors is thrifty expenditure. It is a long way cheaper to wear out varnish than wood. At the same time it is astonishing how many people consider they cannot afford to touch up their floors while they are ruining the boards by wearing them into matchwood.

Apart from tin: advantage of attractive looking woodwork, which also lasts longer and looks better is the laboursaving value of smooth, well-finished floors. All iho dust that collects on these floors can be easily and quickly removed with a good mop. It all depends on the class of wood in the house whether it should be painted. 01" stained and varnished. If the wood is prettily grained it should not bo painted. That would hide its beauty, as its chief attraction is the grain.

It does not mean that because hardwood floors cannot be afforded, that unsightly floors have to be put up with. Ordinary softwoods ' can bo stained and varnished to give a very good imitation of hardwoods. Apart from staining floors can be ipuintcd with special floor paints and satisfactory results obtained. They can also lie decorated, as, for example, they could have a stencilled border near the skirting. This border work is done with the use of ordinary artist's pigments and the ordinary stencil board cut to suitable border pattern. Place the border on the floor and colour the pattern in with a stencil brush. A darker tone of the colour of the floor gives the most satisfactory results. Use a simple plain design for preference. If a coat of varnish is later applied it will keep the decorated floor always fresh.

' With woodwork and floors which are painted, a border or the floor colour run along the upper part of the skirting is effective.. The turnings of the woodwork or the mouldings could also be outlined or picked out in colour. When painting floors always lie sure that they are slean before applying the paint. Woods that are porous or soft should have a priming coat containing plenty of linseed oil. A thin coat of shellac before painting will keep knots and sap-Pdled pockets from "showing through." It is advisable to use three coats of paint .and a finishing coat of varnish will make the floors much more durable.

StJMMER FURNISHINGS.

( A SUITABLE SCHEME. > A'ow that the days are lengthening and vanning up, our thoughts will naturally turn in quest of homo equipment having a tendency to reduce temperatures and thereby contribute to the personal comfort of all in the, family 'circle, says an exchange. Much along these lines can be accomplished when the furniture is suitably chosen and the various • apartments in the home left tolerably free of unnecessary curtains and other drapery. Cushions sh.oukl bo placed with a studied restraint, for a lot of cushions on a sweltering hot day are nothing other than a nuisance and a vexation of spirit, destroying by the heat they generate the restful ease and comfort they should by their softness create. In a ve4 - y few week's time a good deal of entertaining will be conducted in the sun room of the host's residence, an apartment specially located and equipped for the special objects we have in view. The furnishing scheme will be light and airy, the floor sparsely covered with rugs and mats, light in both colour and weight, while the partitioning on all sides (of course there will be no definite walls) will be blinds to roll up or let down as required.

The most suitable furniture for the sun room assuredly is wicker, for by its open and consequently well-ventilated nature it is as cool and comfortable as anything we know. Nothing can excel the coolness of a wicker or seagrass chair or lounge, and the popularity of the material is based very largely upon that fact.- The result of all this is the great summer demand for wicker furnishings of all kinds. t

BUILDERS' EXHIBITION.

SUGGESTED FOR CHRIST-

CHURCH,

In a letter received by Sir W. H. "Winsor secretary of the Canterbury Builders' Association, from Mr A. Clark, a member of the Association, who is at present visiting England, a suggestion is made that a builders' exhibition should be held in Chl'istchurch. The suggestion was prompted by a visit to an exhibition of this nature in London, with regard to which Mr Clark says: —"At this exhibition, I saw a bungalow complete in every detail. There must be a dozen firms interested in the erection and fitting of

that bungalow. . . . Tlie point is that the Builders' Association can, and should, be a 'House of Lords' in the organisation of the building industry. A building exhibition should be inaugurated and carried through to success by our association. If would be a gathering of the clans, and nobody could afford to miss it. The British Government has supported this venture in London, and likewise .the New Zealand Government would support one in Christ-church. It would receive national, municipal, and business firms' support, and tlie national, local, and individual profit that would follow would fully justify it."