CHAPTER XXXI.
INSIDE WOOD-WORK.—FLOORS.—SOFT AND HARD WOOD FLOORS.—TABULATED STATEMENT OF INSIDE FINISH.—DIFFERENT KINDS OF WOOD.—DOORS AND FRAMES.—FLY SCREENS.—INSIDE CASINGS.—WAINSCOTING.—INSIDE SHUTTERS.—WOOD-WORK FOR PLUMBING.—KITCHEN SINK AND FITTINGS.—KITCHEN TABLES.—CELLAR-SINK FITTINGS.—WOOD-WORK FOR BATH-TUB.—WATER-CLOSETS.—WASH-STANDS.—TANK.—PICTURE MOULDING.—CLOSET FITTINGS.—BROOM-RACK.—CEDAR-CLOSET.—DRY-BOX.—CLOCK SHELF.—CHINA-ROOM FITTINGS.—PANTRY FITTINGS.—STAIRWAYS.
INSIDE WOOD-WORK.
All material should be perfectly clear, first-class, thoroughly seasoned, kiln-dried, dressed material, free from imperfections tending to impair its use, durability, strength, or appearance. All inside finish excepting floors should be sand-papered. Where an especially good finish is desired, all should be scraped as well.
FLOORS.
In preparing for floors, it is not unusual to make arrangements for preventing the passage of sound. This is done by deadening. The usual method is to nail strips about two inches and a half from the top edge of the joist, on which are laid one-inch boards. This leaves an inch and a half between their surface and the upper edge of the joist. This may be filled in with concrete, mineral wool, or other non-conducting material. Either is very effective in preventing the passage of sound from the floors to the rooms below. In a dwelling-house where two floors only are in common use, it is only necessary to deaden the second floor.
A permanent sheathing floor of the same material that is used for rough siding may be placed over all joists of first and second floors for a floor during the plastering of the house. This does not act as deadening, unless concrete or mineral wool be placed over it. It is well to have a floor of this kind for use during plastering. It also makes the lower floor warmer. It should be covered with building-paper before the finished floor is laid. Finished floors should extend throughout the first and second stories and the attic. They are commonly of pine or other soft wood. The material is tongued and grooved, secret-nailed, and should be smoothed off after laying. The boards should never be wider than five and a half inches, nor less in thickness than seven-eighths of an inch. They should be free from sap, large, loose, or black knots. Hard-wood floors may be of hard pine, oak, maple, or other hard wood that is readily obtainable or desirable. This material should not be more than two and three-fourths inches in width, nor less than seven-eighths of an inch in thickness, and should be tongued and grooved, secret-nailed, and smoothed off and scraped after laying. A better grade of pine flooring than that mentioned may be had if desired. It is best that all floors be laid after plastering. However, this is not the common practice. The carpenter should cut out flooring as directed, and prepare for hearths in proper places. Other inside dressed wood-work should never be placed in position until after the plastering is finished and dry.
The following table is from a specification in use by myself, and shows the kind of lumber, style of doors, finish of wood, painters’ finish, and rooms supplied with plate glass, and the general style of hardware. The detail specification makes clear the points here outlined. The filling out of the blanks indicates the range and style of finish which frequently occur. The lettering of the doors and finish refers to drawings and details, a part of which are given in this connection.
| FLOORS. | KIND OF LUMBER. | DOORS AND FINISH. | THICKNESS OF DOOR. | PAINTERS’ FINISH. | ROOMS WITH PLATE-GLASS. | STYLE OF HARDWARE. |
| first floor. | ||||||
| Front Hall | Qu. Oak. | A | 1¾ | — | — | — |
| Parlor | “ “ | A | 1¾ | All Oil. | — | — |
| Sitting-Room | “ Sycamore. | A | 1¾ | — | — | — |
| Library | ““ | A | 1¾ | — | — | — |
| Rear Hall | Gum. | A | 1¾ | — | — | — |
| Dining-Room | “ | A | 1¾ | — | — | — |
| Chamber | — — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kitchen | Plain Oak. | D | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| Bedrooms | — — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pantry | “ ” | D | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| China Room | “ “ | D | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| second floor. | ||||||
| Front Hall | Gum. | E | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| Chamber | Pine. | E | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| " | “ | E | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| " | “ | E | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| " | “ | E | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| Rear Bedroom | Poplar. | D | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| Alcove | Pine. | E | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| Bath-Room | Qu. Oak. | D | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| Rear Hall | Pine. | D | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
| Other rooms | “ | D | 1⅜ | — | — | — |
It may be said, in general terms, in regard to the different kinds of wood used in finishing a house, that, all things considered, hard wood of one kind or another is preferable, for the reason that it stands the general wear and tear of house-keeping with less evidence of the struggle. Soft wood—pine or poplar—is only to be used because it is cheaper than the other. Quartered oak, quartered sycamore, cherry, maple, walnut and chestnut may be classed as the hard woods in ordinary use in finishing houses of moderate cost. Gum is difficult to class. It is neither hard nor soft. Others might be mentioned in this same connection. Pine and other resinous woods are mentioned as soft woods; as is also poplar, called in some sections white-wood. Any of these woods may be oil-finished, according to the general formula indicated elsewhere, or any of them may be stained. Birch stains very nicely.
DOORS AND FRAMES.
Door-frames, when rabbeted, should not be less than one and three-eighths inch in thickness. Sometimes the strip is screwed to the frame. In that case the frame is often not more than one and one-eighth inch thick. One and three-eighths inch, however, is better. Front doors or principal entrance doors are frequently hard wood when all the others are soft wood. All outside doors are generally filled with glass in their upper panels. Sliding doors should be the same general design as other adjacent doors. One additional panel to each additional twelve inches in excess of width of other doors may be provided. Sliding doors should be hung from above. Hard-wood doors are usually solid. All excepting pine are best made of a veneer, one-fourth inch thick on a one-and-three-eighths-inch pine body, as indicated by [Fig. 35]. Sometimes doors are made in two thicknesses of hard wood. This is not as good as a single thickness. Three thicknesses are better. The only door to be recommended, however, is the veneered door. Such doors will not warp; others are liable to do so. Transoms may be hung on pivots, and should be provided with catches, and, if heavy or high, with adjustable lifts. Transoms are sometimes used in doors on the second floor, though this practice is less common than in the past. Where doors with transoms are used, it is not uncommon to have the closet doors extend to the full height of the transom tops, and provide additional top panels. Doors six feet ten inches in height, or less, and not more than one and three-eighths inch in thickness, may be hung on two three-and-one-half by three-and-one-half-inch buts. If higher than this or wider than three feet, they should be hung on three buts or hinges.
Doors in unfinished cellars may be made of two thicknesses of seven-eighths beaded flooring; frames the same as in rooms above. A seven-eighths batten door, with one-and-three-eighths-inch frame, should be provided for man-hole in cellar. Scuttle doors, where required, may be seven-eighths inch in thickness, battened.
Cuts [35], [36], [37] indicate ordinary style of inside door and window finish, the sizes and heights being marked. Doors from dining-room to china-closet and china-closet to kitchen should be hung on double-spring hinges, so that they will swing either way and come back to position. The slide from the kitchen to china-closet or dining-room should be hung the same as sash, with plaited cotton sash-cord, pulleys, and weights, and provided with lifts and bolt fastenings.
Frames should be provided for opening into bay windows, window-seats, alcoves, and pilasters.
Stop beads for glazed and sliding doors should be secured with round-headed screws.
There should be corner beads for external angles.
FLY SCREEN.
In the modern house all outside openings, from cellar to attic, are provided with fly screens. They are now made by concerns who make it a business to do this work, and are much better than those made by the ordinary carpenter. They are arranged so that they will slide up and down on the inside or outside stop, and are finished in every way to correspond with the other wood-work of the house. They need not be more than three-quarters of an inch in thickness if properly made. A small strip is secured to the stop bead, and a corresponding groove is cut in the screen frame. A spring therein holds it firm, and admits of their removal without trouble or waste of time. Special hardware is provided for door and window screens.
INSIDE CASINGS.
The commonest way of constructing casings at this time is indicated in [Figs. 35] and [36], showing inside of doors and windows. This is one of the least expensive forms, and is adapted to all ordinary work. The casings are usually seven-eighths inch thick, the corner and plinth blocks one and one-eighth inch thick. The plinth block comes at the bottom of the casing. One reason that this form of casing is in such general use is, that the corner block conceals any slight shrinkage which there may be in the wood. Where there is a mitred or flush joint, the shrinkage is certain to show. Casings as elaborate as any one is inclined to pay for may be used. Window, door, alcove, and other casings are generally all of one design in a room. All girders and projections below ceilings should be cased.
BASE.
The base-board around the room should be plain, so that it may be readily cleaned. Where it is ornamented, it adds nothing to the appearance of the room. There should be a base for all plastered walls. Generally they should be not more than eight inches high, seven-eighths inch thick, bevelled at the top and a quarter round at the bottom. A five-eighths-inch adjustable lip may be put on at the top, to take up the inequalities in the plaster. The closet base may be formed of a quarter round only if it is plastered and skimmed to the floor. It is well to have as little wood-work as possible in the closet.
WAINSCOTING.
Wainscoting kitchen, bath, and other rooms is not as common as it once was. This is because wood-work is more difficult to keep clean than plastering. Wherever there is wainscoting, there must necessarily be joints. These are difficult to keep clean. Panel wood-work, or other form of decoration for wall or ceiling, may be used in rooms according to the disposition of the owner and the taste of the architect.
INSIDE SHUTTERS.
Inside shutters are not so universally used in good houses as they were a few years ago. Draperies, though more expensive, are preferred, and are taking their place. Inside sliding shutters, arranged in several sections and constructed according to the general plan described for fly-screens, are in more common use. Rolling slats which roll into a pocket are to be thought of only in connection with an expensive dwelling. The common inside shutter is ordinarily seven-eighths inch in thickness, four panels wide, beaded, and cut at the meeting rail; and the four centre panels are provided with movable slats. The special designs of inside shutters mentioned are manufactured by various establishments throughout the country, and are advertised in various magazines and periodicals. Under any circumstances the owner will have to investigate proprietary goods and special furnishings for himself. They are not to be considered in a work of this kind.
WOOD-WORK FOR PLUMBING.
All should be put up in a way to make plumbing readily accessible by the removal of screws. The pipe duct should be located as required in the kitchen, and pass from basement to attic floor. The inside measurement should be seven by twelve inches. It should be constructed of seven eighths-inch lumber. In case of stud partitions, the duct may be let into the wall the full depth allowed by studding. The front will project into the kitchen. All should be of clear lumber, the same as other wood used in finishing. A ventilating opening, five inches in diameter, may be provided at the top of the duct. This may be connected with pipe and funnel, or other device, placed over the kitchen range. The carpenter should provide pipe boards for all pipe runs. The following, in regard to wood-work for plumbing, is from the specification of an architect:
Kitchen Sink and Fittings.—Wood rim, ⅞ by 2½ inches; skirt, ⅞ by 6½ inches; support on cleat at back, plain oak, 1⅜-inch turned legs in front.
Splash-board.—⅞ by 14 inches, scurfed back; ⅞ by 2 inches, plain top.
Drain-board.—Shall be 22 inches long by 21 inches wide, ⅞ inch thick, 1 inch incline; channelled top; skirt, 3 by ⅞ cleated with two cleats at bottom. One end shall rest on sink, side on wall cleat, other end on turned leg.
Full length of tables, sink, and drain.
Tables.—There shall be two tables connected with drain and sink, each 21 inches wide, 2 by 6 inches long, ⅞ thick; skirt, 3 by ⅞ inches. Cleated back. Secured and supported same as drain.
Other Sinks:—
Cellar Sink.—Provide ⅞-by-3-inch supporting rim, 2½ inches by ⅞ inch top. 1⅜ square legs.
Bath-tub.—Case sides and ends with ⅞-by-2¾-inch oak board, tongued and grooved material, secret-nailed. Batten foot-casing, and put in in one piece with round-headed blue screws. Cap top.
Splash-board.—Wainscoting same as tub casing, 6 inches high. Cap top in two members ⅞ inch thick.
Water-closet.—Hinged flap and seat, each ⅞ inch thick; skirt, ⅞ by 5 inches; support on 1⅜ turned legs in front, cleat at back.
Case water-closet tank, mould top.
Wash-stands.—Provide supports under marble top. Case sides same as specified for tub. Make cleated door in front of same material. Provide hinges and fastenings.
Tank.—A tank shall be placed in attic; capacity, 8 barrels. Construct with 1¾-inch ploughed and tongued material, with two ⅜-inch rods, bolts, and nuts at each end, and cleats across top at middle.
In this house there shall be the following plumbing fixtures, to be fitted up as above: 1 kitchen sink, cellar sink, sink, 1 bath-tub, 1 water-closet, 1 wash-stand.
PICTURE MOULDINGS.
Picture mouldings should be provided on all plastered walls excepting those of kitchen and pantries. It is usual to place the picture moulding on a line with the top of the door; that is, so that it comes just below the top of the corner block.
CLOSET-FITTINGS.
Shelves should be seven-eighths inch thick, number and arrangement as desired.
The following is a schedule from closet-fittings. Provide hooks in closets as follows:—
One row to cleat on wall 5 feet 3 inches from floor.
One row under side of shelf.
One row to cleat on wall 3 feet 6 inches from floor in children’s closets.
DRAWERS FOR CLOSETS.
Drawers for closets are best made by a cabinet-maker. If not, they should be modelled in all respects after cabinet work. Cedar closets are not as common as they once were. As people have more to place in them, there is less confidence in their efficacy. The following is from a specification:—
Broom-rack.—Provide in space as directed 1 broom-rack, with cast-iron broom-holder, for sweep-broom, whisk-broom; hooks for dust-pan and bucket.
Medicine-chest.—Provide in closet a medicine-chest 8 by 10 by 16 inches, with ⅞ panelled and hinged door. Approved lock.
Exposed wood-work thereof same as room in which closet is placed.
Cedar-closet.—Closet shall be lined, ceiled, and fitted up with red cedar.
Dry-box.—Secured on wall adjacent to kitchen range shall be placed a drying-box for scrub-rags, brushes, etc., 8 inches deep by 18 inches wide by 24 inches high, constructed with ⅞; material, inside measurements. Provide hinged ⅞;-inch panelled door with fastening. Top, bottom, and shelves shall be perforated with ¾-auger-holes for passage of warm air through the box.
Soap-box.—Constructed same as dry-box. Size, 9 inches deep, 20 inches wide, 30 inches high.
Door, ⅞; inch thick, panelled. Provide approved lock. Shelves, ⅝ thick, set into sides, 3 inches apart. Perforate bottom and shelves with ¾-inch auger-holes, and connect top with kitchen or vent-flue.
Clock-shelf.—Provide 8-inch moulded clock-shelf, ⅞ inch thick, in kitchen.
Ventilator. Clothes-chute. Coal-chute. Coal-bins in cellar.
CHINA-ROOM SPECIFICATION.
Cupboard (see drawing, Chapter VII.).—Shelves as directed below and above. Lower shelves ⅞ inch thick.
Lower doors ⅞ panelled, upper doors glazed.
Provide hinges and fastenings for all.
There shall be 8 inches space between ⅞-inch top of lower section and bottom shelf of upper section. Upper door shall not come below under side of this upper section shelf.
Table.—Construction same as in kitchen.
Sink.
Drawers.
PANTRY SPECIFICATION.
Cupboard (see drawing, [Chapter VII].).—As indicated. Doors below and shelves above, same as specified for china. No doors above.
Dough-board.—Provide constructed same as tables specified for kitchen, except that it shall be supported on brackets.
Flour-bin.—Shall be 18 inches deep by 24 inches high in front, 28 inches in rear, by —— long, —— compartments. Set 4 inches from floor. Top cleated and hinged. Lumber ⅞ inch thick.
FLOUR-BIN.
The flour-bin described in the specifications is the old kind with the hinged top. Another kind that has been used successfully is here illustrated.
The receptacle for flour is pivoted in the manner indicated by the section. The pivot position is indicated on the drawing by the point of the arrow. The dotted lines on the section indicate the position of the flour receptacle when it is open. It is pulled open by the hand. The knob is shown on the drawing of front. As soon as it is released it falls back into a closed position. It is pivoted so that it remains closed unless held open. The front drawing indicates a flour-bin of this kind with three receptacles; the larger one for flour, and the two smaller ones for meal and graham. The marble dough-stone can be placed on the top of a bin of this kind. If there is no other room for the bin it can be placed in the lower section of the pantry cupboard, and can take the space ordinarily given one of the doors. The pantry cupboard is illustrated and described in [Chapter VII].
BOXES FOR PANTRY SUPPLIES.
These boxes are constructed on the same principle as the flour-bin, just described. They are pivoted and arranged in a row, and may be set on a pantry shelf. The drawing indicates eight of these boxes, four of them nine by twelve inches, and four five by three and three-fourths inches. These boxes are of tin, the frame only being of wood. The socket into which the pivot fits is open at the bottom, so that the box can be lifted off the pivot and taken out and washed. An arrangement such as this takes very little room, and the boxes are always closed unless held open. They are so pivoted that they fall into a closed position as soon as released. Two of these boxes in a china-closet would be convenient to hold bread and cake.
STAIRS.
The wood-work of the stairway should always be of hard wood. Where hard wood is used for entire finish, the stairway is best of the same variety. The treads should always be one and one-eighth inch in thickness, and never less than ten inches in width. The risers may be seven-eighths inch thick and never more than seven and one-half inches in height; Square or turned newel posts are in common use. Winders should not be used for the main stairway. Square turns at the landing should be made. Sometimes the rear stairway is of the same general style and design as the front. When it is an open stairway, it is necessary that this should be the case. A rear box stairway, the cellar and attic stairway, or, in fact, any box stairway, should have the treads and risers the same thickness and general dimensions as those mentioned for the front. However, they need not be of hard wood. They should always be provided with hand-rails. All lumber for cellar or attic stairways should be clear and dressed, and quite as well finished as that of any other part of the house. When the cellar is not plastered, the side lining for cellar stairways should be seven-eighths-inch flooring below the first-story plastering. This flooring should be dressed on both sides. The outside cellar-way should have dressed treads and risers one and three-fourths inch thick. The wall should be capped, preferably with stone, and the outside cellar door should be of iron. Where economy is necessary, one-and-three-fourths-inch oak coping and doors may be used.