ART OP BUILDING. 253 



By this table, the number of bricks required to con- 

 struct any given work may be found immediately, by 

 knowing the superficial contents. Example. Suppose 

 a building to contain 5873 square feet, how many bricks 

 will build it, supposing the walls to be l bricks thick 1 



4000 feet will require - - - GO, 176 



800 " " '"- - - 13,235 



70 " ... H58 



3 " " " - - - - 49 



4875 80,618 



Plastering. In New England, and almost all other 

 parts of the country, the stone and brick mason is a plas- 

 terer, to whose art we are indebted for a considerable 

 portion of the effect produced by the decorative part of 

 architecture. The art of the plasterer is necessary in the 

 proper finish of all kinds of building. 



Great care is requisite in the preparation of the mor- 

 tar, or stuff, as the workmen call it ; the lime should be 

 thoroughly slacked, or soured, before the sand and hair 

 are added. Unless the lime is completely slacked it is 

 impossible to make smooth and durable work ; the best 

 burnt lime will require the maceration of several days. 



In making mortar for plastering, some other substances 

 are frequently added besides lime, sand, and hair, accord- 

 ing to the nature and uses of the walls to be plastered. 



The most common cement used for plastering the in- 

 side walls of buildings, common mortar, is called coarse 

 stuff, and is prepared in the usual way with the addition 

 of hair. 



Next to this is fine stuff, which is formed by first pro- 

 perly slacking the lime with a small quantity of water, 

 after which a large quantity of water is added to it in a 

 tub, where it should remain until the water has solar evap- 

 orated as to leave the lime of a proper consistency for 

 use ; commonly about three parts of fine sand is added to 

 three parts of this lime, and sometimes a little hair, and is 

 then called troiccllcd stt/if' or bastard stucco, and with 

 this stuff all walls intended to be painted should be fin- 

 ished. 



For the purpose of forming cornices and mouldings 



