There is no limit to the ingenuity one may make use of in form building. The illustration given is merely suggestive.
7. Waterproofing.—The extent to which a wall should be waterproofed will depend upon the location of the building. Foundations near running water must naturally be better protected than those in well drained locations. [Fig. 7] illustrates a treatment which will prove quite safe for almost all localities. The exterior face of the wall is covered with several layers of asphaltum or tar. By coating the top of the footing and the top of the concrete floor just before the finish floor of cement is placed, little water will enter. A drain tile carried about the house as shown in [Fig. 7], especially if gravel is placed against the wall above it, will meet every emergency.
There are other ways of waterproofing basement walls, but this is typical of the external wall treatments. In monolithic construction waterproofing may be secured by appropriate additions to the mixture of waterproofing materials such as slacked lime, just before the mixture is placed, no external applications being required.
Fig. 13. Cellar Frame with Sash
8. Basement Frames.—[Fig. 13] illustrates one successful form of basement window frame construction, with sash. In this type the sash is hinged to the top of the frame, and a catch or button at the bottom of the frame secures the sash when closed. The construction is such as to best shut out wind and water when the sash is closed.
Fig. 14. Basement Door Frame
[Fig. 14] illustrates a basement door frame. Frames such as this, and the window frame of [Fig. 13], are made of heavy stock and are known as plank frames.
Basement frames are held in place by means of wooden blocks nailed to the sides of the frame, as well as by the projecting "lugs" of the frame itself. The frame is set and plumbed by the carpenter as soon as the mason has prepared the sill. [Fig. 14] shows a frame plumbed and stayed, ready for the mason to lay the adjacent wall. [Fig. 15] indicates the position of plumb and level in the setting of a frame. The edges of a door frame are "sighted" for wind.