This mode of construction is carried throughout the ground floor.
The stone landing of the passage by the side of the servants’ stairs, is supported on the part next the wall by corbel bricks, and on the other side by an iron bar let into the wall at each end; as shown above. In the upper floor, the joisting should be reversed and go front to back, notched on wall plates let into the wall, thus tying both walls together.
Section of stone landing of passage.
Section of kitchen roofing.
The introduction of rolled iron girders into buildings renders fireproof construction very easy. They are made of all sizes, and can be placed over any opening, so as to carry the weight above them. Kitchens in many London houses are constructed in the back yards, with an area between them and the house. This confines all the smell of the cooking to the precincts of the kitchen. As it is very important that no roofing should interrupt the light from the back ground-windows of the house, the roof of the kitchen is so constructed that the yard is only moved upwards; it belongs to the ground floor and not to the basement. For this purpose, cast iron girders, standing on brick piers, bear up rolled iron six-inch girders, between which half-brick arches are turned. Above all these is concrete, cement, or asphalte. The courses of tiles and cement are laid at such a slope as will be sufficient to take the water off quickly. It is easy to put skylights, or any kind of opening, in this construction, and to make the whole water-tight.
This figure shows a way of supporting walls over openings, instead of the old method of arching in brick; the iron girders or plates have often no timber between them; they rest upon iron shoes or stone slabs, their depth being proportioned to the opening and the weight above. Strong large hollow bricks or tiles are placed over them, and above all is the brickwork.
Support over opening.