A NEW BUILDING MATERIAL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXV, Issue 2125, 26 January 1909, Page 5

A NEW BUILDING MATERIAL.

I.! Mr G. H, Gilroy is embodying a ; now idea in a dwelling-house which '■ he is erecting on his farm, about a mile and a half beyond Stirling. Impressed with the" idea of having a | thoroughly damp proof and duraolo building, and one in which the • ex: ponse of erection would be reduced to a minimum, he accordingly designed what may be described as a square tile ISin long, Din wide,' and 9in deep, with a 5 x Sin opening in tho centre. He submitted the design to Messrs McSkimmiug and Son, of the lienhar works, who were favourably impressed with it, and took in hand the manufacture of the tiles. They have turned out what appears to bo a first-class job. The tiles are glazed outside and in, and are of a brown colour. In addition to The ordinary I pipes for the plain walls, there are I pieces for window and door arches I and gable ends of all conceivable | sizes and shapes. The building is to ibe a seven-rooined one on a foundaI tion of concrete, raised 2Jft, with Marge air vents. On top of this is the usual damp course, then the tiles i will be laid with mortar, same as for bricks, there being grooves on the upper and lower sides of the tiles to ensure a good binding. The corners and portions round doors and windows will be of white enamel material. As indicated, the general appearance will be brown, but the particular shade of brown from light to very dark, can be adjusted to taste in the process of manufacture. The inside is, of course, to be plastered. The material will be absolutely impervious to weather, and, in Mr Gilroy's opinion, should be most suitable for large Government and other buildings. .He points out that after _ a I number of years buildings of brick 'and Oamaru and Port Chalmers stone | all scale off from the action of tho : weather, while there is the other dis- ! advantage of dampness, all of which i will be absent in the class of strucj ture he is erecting. These tiles will j not soak up any moisture, while I bricks will absorb half their own I weight of water. The building is I being erected by Messrs Ferguson and I Dyer, of Dunedin, who expect to have tlie contract finished by the end of February. Of course i.iic initial cost entailed* in turning out a new class of tile is considerable, but if there was a demand for them, it is considered the future cost would compare favourably with most other building materials. The building will be the first of its kind, and is sure to attract a ■ large amount of attention from builders and others. Alongside tho build- j ing is a circular concrete tank 12ft j high, on a 4ft high foundation, and j K.U't in diameter, with a capacity of j 2"000 gallons. The foundations and : floors of the out-buildings are of \ solid concrete, about 2ft above ] ground level.