316 HOW TO MAKE A COUNTRY PLACE 



shakes, and studding well toe-nailed. Bridle irons on floor beams, 

 strap irons on rafters, and tie rods through plates are essential safe- 

 guards. 



Cutting and tenoning of timber, unless done with judgment, 

 often defeats its purpose by weakening the support, but all joinings 

 of plate and sill should be halved. 



The cantilever principle, as well as the under brace, will make 

 the porch sleeping room reaching into tree top or open absolutely 

 secure. 



Overhang, whether in roof or veranda flooring, adds valuable 

 area with the same foundation expense. Nailing of bridging to both 

 sides of floor beams is left until just before plastering to fasten floor 

 beams when and where they have shrunk. 



If one objects to iron beams, which in all cases cannot be satis- 

 factorily fastened to wood, Georgia pine girders may be substituted. 

 A flitch or sandwich beam made of either one or two three-eighth 

 inch iron plates twelve inches in width firmly bolted each side of or 

 between the girders or beams their entire length stiffens a building 

 tremendously, and trusses made from one inch iron rods set up with 

 a turnbuckle placed between two by twelve inch planks well bolted 

 together have the same effect. 



The ends of house rafters and pergolas look better if in some- 

 what similar design and false rafter ends close jointed. In a house 

 of superior build, outside studs should be two by six, or three by four. 



If cramped for closet space, studs can be set flatwise unless they 

 support floor timbers. Under no circumstances should timber ends 

 be completely embedded in solid masonry. If the end of a timber 

 is hermetically sealed, the chance of infective dry rot exists and is 

 almost a certainty where there is dampness. A small air space at the 

 timber end is a necessary safeguard. 



The furring down of ceilings in bathrooms, even as low as seven 

 feet, will make them compact and more easily heated beside giving 

 an overhead space for open or secret closets, and allowing of tiling 

 to ceiling line at slight additional expense. This satisfactorily settles 

 the difficult question of how to treat bathroom walls and also avoids 

 capping the tiled wainscot. Projecting crowning tile is liable to be 

 laid irregularly and in time works loose. 



Diagonal board exterior walls (provided there are not too many 

 openings), bringing boards together in the shape of a V, forming 

 an additional side-thrust brace. In a gambrel roof this treatment is 

 especially desirable as it is weak construction until firmly braced. 

 In smaller buildings preference may be given to balloon construction 

 with ledger board supports notched in studding instead of braced 

 frame and plates. 



