COLOUR IN FLOORS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19852, 13 February 1930, Page 4

COLOUR IN FLOORS.

RICH STENCIL BORDERS. A PLEASING RESULT. Floors have been the last to yield to the prevalent use of colour in the modern home, but they are now being painted and decorated in almost all the ordinary tints. Blue, green, coral, and yellow are popular for bedroom floors*! In the sun-parlour we usually find grey, tan, yellow or green. For the other floors almost any colour is used. Eiren in the living room the floor has some gay painted finish which harmonises with the surrounding style of decoration. Not only arc the floors painted in plain colours they are also embellished with stencil borders and stencil corner designs. No doubt the present stvie had its origin in the customary painting of old-fashioned wide board softwood floors, which simply had to be given a coating of some kind to render thcrn washable and decent in appearance. Later all softwood floors were painted, and finally the usage has extended to the finer floors, having a natural finish. It lias been discovered that even the most expensive hardwood floor can often be made more beautiful with a little decorating of the right kind. Some woods do not possess a stronglyfigured grain unless a stain is used to bring it out, therefore special finishes have lately been perfected to enhance the wood 'beauty and to supply the demand for colour.

There is nothing complicated about the proems of treatment. It is accomplished in the following manner: First the floor is thoroughly cleaned, and if there are prominent dark spots these are scraped or bleached. Then the stain is applied, the brush being operated in the direction of the grain, or parallel to the boards. The surface is gone over a second time without using additional ;-fain 011 the brush. The floor is then allowed to dry, which visually requires from seven to twelve hours, and after that it is sandpapered and dusted. To soften the tone of the stain colour a specially prepared clear lacquer is now applied. It is not put on by brushing back, and forth, but is flowed 011. It dries ouiclclv and may be gone over with sandpaper after two or three hours. Finally, two coats of a special varnhh are applied, and the job is completed. After a floor has been treated in this manner, it possesses nn unusual richness of tone, which is pleasing for anv room. The stains come in a variety of shades, so that a home-owner will have 110 difficulty in selecting tints to harmonise with every style of decoration. Some of the colours which have created a popular appeal are royal blue, orchid, silver grey, pastel green, pale yellow, and autumn brown. "Christian Science Monitor."