BUILDING and HOMES

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 214, 4 June 1924, Page 14

BUILDING and HOMES

(BY

JACK PLANE)

AN ECONOMICAL FLOORING CEMENTED LINOLEUM SOME PRACTICAL HINTS

As a rule, linoleum'is used in this country only as a floor covering. It is not usually fixed permanently io the floor. In America, linoleum is used extensively as a finish flooring, which is cemented down by the builder before a house is handed over. 11l some rooms, notably bathrooms and kitchens, an excellent finish and appearance arc obtained in this way at very moderate cost. In an article describing American methods of laying linoleum, the “Building Age” observes that as this material is entirely sanitary and impervious to moisture, it is as suitable for kitchens and bathrooms as • tile flooring, and it can be placed at far less cost. “Handsome-appeanng designs,” the trade journal continues, “can be obtained, but if one wants something individual, it can be had by using some different colours and cutting out certain portions, inserting another colour. In this way, vat ions designs to lit any individual taste can be" made. There are certain patterns of linoleum in tile-like effects and . a handsome finish can be had by running a border of plain colour around a tile-like field. "To get the best results from linoleum used as a flooring it should be cemented down. . . . This is accomplished as follows: —First smooth down the rough flooring so that no sharp ridges appear. Be sure that all nail heads are sunk. Deadening felt is first to be cemented firmly to the floor and rolled so as to be very smooth and tight. “Then, every inch of the felt except where the seams in the linoleum come, .is coated with nou-waterproof cement, and the linoleum put in place and rolled. There, of course, is a lap at the seam. To make a good joint here, the workman takes a good sharp knife and cuts through the overlapped edges of both strips (using a straightedge as a guide). This means that both strips of linoleum will fall down in place and make a perfect joint that wilt practically be invisible after the seam is cemented and rolled. “After the seams have been cut, the unpasted edges of the linoleum strips are lifted and a waterproof cement is thickly applied, then the roller is used and the result is a permanent watertight joint, with the seam practically invisible.

“The secret of laying a good linoleum floor is to get every square inch of the linoleum lying flat, and to do this rolling” is highly important, as it ensures a perfect adhesian between the linoleum, felt, and floor. One should take particular pains wi’th all seams and edges along the wall. An iron roller weighing about 1501 b. answers the purpose. There is no reason why the bathroom floor in tne small House should not be made to look attractive. I’eoplo have become so used to the tile effect that it is always a good selling point in a house, but to the man whose every dollar counts it is a luxury that he cannot afford. With linoleum used in place of tile, he can have just as good an effect, besides certain advantages which the tile does not possess, ana at a price within his reach.”

STRAY NOTES AN ALTERNATIVE TO FLATS

There are many people in every large city, the exigencies of whose lives demand that they live close to the city; so many that the inner fringe of suburbs is not sufficient to provide space for individual or terraced houses, says an Australian writer. The modern solution is the flat. Flat life solves to an extent the domestic and otherproblems, but it has many disadvantages. It is impossible to have even the semblance of a- garden, and theie is a lack of desirable privacy. Experience in England and America has shown that it is possible to build closely upon small areas of land, and yet avoid an appearance of overcrowding and dreary repetition. Iho provision of something between a flat and the house that is either inconvenient or too expensive to maintain would bo welcomed by a large section of the publie Experts have declared that the small-house group is the ideal medium. Not the least among its merits is that its design affords an agreeable relief from the monotony and discordance which is too frequently in evidence in Australia. Groups of houses, or oungalow courts, have been successfully tried in Los Angeles and several other cities in the United States. There they are erected as a commercial proposition, and there is no reason why the system should not give satisfactory resuits here. Where the properties are owned by one landlord the general care and upkeep is under his direction. In America high paling or other fences are dispensed with. Low st«no or brick divisions, creeper covered, or carefully-tended hedges divide the houses. The houses are built under the supervision of an architect, and attention is given to ensure every comfort to the inhabitants. lurnituro is mostly built in. There are three or four rooms in each house, and from four to eight houses in a r mp. I'rom pictures of such groups in uos Angeles it may be seen that they are of an excellent appearance.

A collapsible teatray, which can be carried in one hand, leaving the other free to open and shut the door, is one of the latest useful inventions.. It can be loaded or unloaded flat, just like on ordinary tray, but when the handle is lifted is automatically converted into a tray with two or three tiers. This tray is quite simple in construction and cannot get out of order, but it makes the clearing of a table an easy matter, and is a most useful labour-saver. One sometimes wonders what 'would have happened in this country except for the introduction of vegetable and casein glues, says an American journal. The tremendous increase in the consumption of glues, in conjunction with the. limited supply of raw materials from which animal glues are made, would certainly have placed a drag upon many industries, especially that of wood-working. The consumption of glues for the year 1923 has just been published by the Department of Commerce, and shows that while vast quantities of the newer glues are used their total is much smaller than that of the old animal glues. During the year there were l used 94,640,9811 b. of animal glues, as against 40,649,5941 b. of glues with bases of vegetable and casein. But where would th© industries have been, lacking those forty odd million pounds of adhesives? When the house.is being decorated it is easy to get paint stains one one s clothes. If quite, fresh, the paint may be removed by rubbing the place with a piece of the same material. Dry paint stains can be removed without leaving any trace by sponging with a very little chloroform. When turpentine is employed in such cases there is nearly always a mark left behind. Anything that' can be washed should have the stained part soaked in turpentine for an hour or so. Then rub between the fingers, wash with soap and water, and the mark will vanish.

ENAMELLINGThe beautiful surface obtained by an experienced painter is mainly due to care and good material. Enamel can never look well unless the surface upon which it is used is perfectly clean and smooth. If, as is usually the case, the work has been previously enamelled, it should first be well rubbed down with pumice-stone and water. A coat of paint specially sold for the purpose should then bo applied, after which the enamel may be put on with a flat brush. Practically any enamel made by a, firm of repute will give good results if used according to. the directions on the- tin. But success depends upon covering the surface quickly and evenly. Enamel t'ries on the brush, therefore it is desirable to clean that implement freauently, and to take care that Jittie lumps and bits of s kin /?o "ot form on file bristles. The chief difficulty with enamel is that if applied too freely it runs, and leaves ridges, and Tt used sparingly the brush-marks are apt to show. But fortunately the enamelling done at homo is not subject to the critical gaze of an expert, and is usually quite good enough to pass muster. It is always wortn while to spend money upon a good brush which may be used time and a<rain; a cheap brush is never worth having, although most people buy them.

WOVEN WICKERWORK Wickerwork has been woven by hand longer than can be traced; it was perhaps one of the most primitive industries. But until quite recently work of this description has not been attempted with machinery. Now however, a new fibre and a new loom' have been discovered, so that woven furniture has actually become n reality. This woven furniture looks like the best wickerwork, but it does not creak, nor are there any loose ends waiting for victims. It is ram and sun-proof, two great advantages when used, in the garden, and cannot <ret out of shape. The material from which this furniture is made has a silken surface that can be dyed. It is seen in pink, ivory,, goldi Iblue, "rev green, and other suitable shades, and also in blue frosted with gold, or silver and mahogany. Uns furniture, it is said, is cheap, durable, and ai+istic and is already used in the drawing-rooms of big hotels, in Great Britain Besides furniture, baskets, flower stands, window boxes, and even baby k-armges are made iiom the woven fibre.

ARTISTIC COAL BOXES Until recently the old-fashioned coalbox, which Spened at the front, was certainly the most convenient if not the most elegant receptacle lor coal. But now some handsome coalboxes are made, which are both ornamental and useful. Oxidised silver, bronzed or polished brass, is the latest idea, although wooden boxes are by no means out of date. In metal boxes exhibited recently in Great Britain there are some half-dozen designs of outstanding merit. Two of these are round raised on three small feet, and have handles at the sides and a lid on the top. Another pattern is a very plain high box. with a loose lining; it is decorated with four raised lines down the front, and looks really valuable. A smaller box, also of metal, has a sloping top ornamented in relief, and two rings for handles. Another more handsome pattern in the same size stands on feet and has a bow front and a lid with thp hiimes outside. A square box. raised rather higher on four legs, with a decorative front and lid, is also convenient, and looks particularly well in oxidised silver.

HAND-STENCILLED WALLPAPERS There is real joy for the artistic woman in being able to add for herself thopo personal touches which, make a home distinctive and a thing of beauty. Hand-stencilled walls give originality to a newly-decorated room, and for anyone with a knowledge of ordinary stencilling it is not difficult to carry into effect. A decided advantage of this kind of ornament is that it breaks the monotony of the walls without the need of a number of pictures, thus providing a real saving of labour. Pictures are great dirt collectors and add work daily to the dusting round of the housewife.

The stencils should, of course, be applied after the paper is hung. Paper with a plain smooth surface is the best to work upon. The measuring off of the spaces is perhaps the most formidable part of the task to those accustomed to work on a smaller scale. However, with care, and by selecting a starting point for your ruler from a skirting-board or picturerail, this can really be " accomplished without much difficulty. With a repeat or border design it is always best to start from one corner of the room, and then measure off along the side of the room till you come to the next corner. Then it is generally possible to regulate the design without being cramped or cut into at the turn of the wall. The stencils should be cut in thin card or stout paper. They must be fairly substiantijiil, as otherwise the edges tend to perish with the repeated usage. Small stencils can often be held in place with the fingers while brushing in, the colour. Large pieces can be fixed at intervals with tiny pieces of sticky stamp paper. llp.ther a large brush should be used, as work of this kind is always best done quickly when you are sure .of your ground. It is, as a rule, better, even when more than one colour is used, to complete each separate motif before going on to the next. Stencils can bo bought all ready designed, though the artist may like to make her own, provided slie understands the art of designing and cutting them. An effective ornament for a room is sometimes carried out with a single I large stencil over the door or fireplace. Such a scheme in suitable colouring and line will give a» most artistic result. —“M. 8. in the “Westminster Gazette.”

SUMMARY OF TENDERS CLOSING DURING PERIOD JUNE 5 to 18. Borough of Invercargill, Waterworks De-partment-Tenders supply water meters. Close noon, June 5. D. B. Frame. Napier.—Tenders eredtion war memorial. Close noon. June 5. Borough of Mt. Eden. —Tenders construction of concrete carriageways for various roads. Close 5 p.m., June 9. Horowhenua Electric Power Board, Levjn.—Tenders electric ranges and water heaters. Close June 12. Wellington City Council.—Tenders supply and delivery of erpss-arms. Close 4 p.m., Juno 12. Swan, Lawrence, and Swan, Wellington. —Tenders erection brick residence. Closce noon. Juno 12. Wellington City Council—Tenders for construction of various sub-stations. Close 3.30 p.m., June 12. Wellington City Council.—Tenders supply and delivery of a motor chasis. Close 3.30 p.m., June 12. Public Works Department—Tenders, erection villa at Stoke. Close 4 p.m. June Public Works Department—Tenders erection of women’s hospital at Hamner. Close 't p.m., Juno 17.