Rustic Carpentry

by Unknown

Its general arrangement is seen in the ground plan ([Fig. 159]). Four pillars, A, B, B, A, occupy the front. These are poles 3½ in. or 4 in. in diameter. Any rough and tolerably straight wood will do, but larch is to be preferred. These rise 5 ft. above ground, and should not have less than 2 ft. below the surface. The dwarf pillars C supporting the seat are of similar stuff, but rather smaller. They show 14 in. above, and should be buried about 9 in. below ground. The pilasters D are of rather larger stuff sawn in half. These are only 5 ft. long, as they need not enter into the ground, being fixed only by strong nails to the wall.

Fig. 160.—Elevation of Inside of End of Lean-to Summer-house.

The ends of the summer-house (the space from A to D) are of smaller half-stuff, ranged side by side (as seen at E, E), and nailed to the cross-pieces, F and G, which appear in [Fig. 160]. In this last-named figure also appears one of the wall-plates, resting on and nailed to the tops of the pillars (H, at [Fig. 160]), and at I is seen where one of the front wall-plates meets it. There are two of these front wall-plates, each resting on the two pillars to right and left of the entrance, and their inner ends appear in [Fig. 158], where the ends of the purlins which form the small gable rest upon them. The wall-plates are of large half-stuff, with the flat side above. In [Fig. 160] will be seen how the short cross-piece which carries the sloping end of the roof is supported; and [Fig. 161], which is a section through the centre of the building, explains how the ridge-piece of the small gable, E, rests at its inner end on a crosspiece M from rafter to rafter, seen in section only, whilst N shows the point at which the purlins meet and support the ridge-piece towards its outer end. The intersection of the diagonal braces in the gable is indicated at O, and P shows the course of one of the rafters, and how its upper end rests against the wall, and upon a ridge-piece of half-stuff, Q, strongly nailed to the masonry.

The elevation ([Fig. 158]) explains pretty clearly the ornamental details of the front. They are not elaborate. It will be seen that the top of each pillar has a small cap, formed of four pieces of quartered stuff, mitred at the corners, and that across the opening on each side of the entrance, near the top, is a "transom" of straight wood, with a little arrangement of crooked bangles round it. Over the entrance are diagonal braces crossing, and also a little filling-in with bangles. The entrance is 5 ft. 10 in. high.

In order that an ornamental and appropriate lining may be given to the back of our summer-house, it is recommended to plug the wall, and nail over it a level covering of thin boards—say, ½-in. matchboarding. Upon this the decorative work can be bradded. The back of the seat is shown in [Fig. 158] to be of rustic mosaic. Above this, as well as under the seats, a covering of bark has been introduced. British-grown bark, such as elm, can be made to lie flat, but as in any but rural districts this may be difficult to get, virgin cork may be made to take its place.

[Fig. 160] gives an inside view of one of the ends, and from this it will be seen that the ornamentation of those parts varies little from that of the back. The lower band, however, answering to the strip under the seats, is not bark, which, in this place, would be liable to be kicked and destroyed by the feet, but of smaller half-stuff, so arranged as to break joint with the outside pieces. This will be seen by referring to the ground plan. Any chinks in the ends should be neatly tucked with moss, so as to make them wind-proof.

The roof is of wooden shingles—things which any rough hand at carpentry can prepare and put on for himself. As will be seen from [Fig. 158], it is easy to give an ornamental character to these. They will have a rustic look, which will go well with other parts of the structure, and, if clumsily made, the effect will be none the worse. For the present purpose, suppose the shingles to be 12 in. by 4 in. The lower ends may be sawn to a variety of ornamental shapes.

If this covering is used, instead of nailing laths across the rafters, it is proposed to cover the whole roof with similar boarding to the back, and upon this it is a simple thing to nail the shingles, placing them just as tiles might be placed. Whilst nailing them on, it will be necessary to have some person within to hold a heavy hammer against the place, otherwise the vibration will jar off the shingles as fast as they are fixed. A ¾-in. board, rather wider than half the length of the shingles, should first be nailed along the eaves to make up the required thickness.