The Country House 



laid absolutely close. Rough boarding is seldom of absolutely straight edge, and 

 if laid as it comes leaves more or less irregular joints. 



In the old work of the braced frame the boarding was laid horizontally. This 

 is a good method, and saves both time and labour. The nature of the balloon 

 frame, however, demands that the boarding be laid diagonally. Its direction 

 should be changed several times on each wall surface so that the bracing shall 



be effective both 

 ways. 



Although there 

 are those who insist 

 on the horizontal 

 boarding for the 

 braced frame, yet 

 the additional 

 strength afforded by 

 the diagonal board- 

 ing is no small factor 

 toward the general 

 rigidity of the whole. 

 Theoretically the 

 braced frame is 

 rigid, and in oak 

 the reality comes 

 close to theory; yet 

 as we build to-day 

 it is far from being 



true practically. Of course it is almost impossible, under the conditions im- 

 posed by present methods and materials, to make the frame structure so rigid 

 that it will not rock a little. And it is for this reason that it is wise to take 

 advantage of every stiffening and strengthening method that can be easily used. 



The roof boarding should be the same as that used for the wall. Here again, 

 in the case of the pitch or gambrel roof, the diagonal boarding can be used to 

 advantage, as these roofs have no absolute braces in the framing. The hip roof, 

 on the contrary, is, from its construction, self-braced, and the boarding can 

 be laid in the usual manner. 



Sometimes the roof is simply covered with horizontal strips, spaced so as 

 to receive the shingle nailings. This, at best, is not a first-class method for what 

 is to be considered a good kind of house, although it may do for the simpler 

 summer house or camp. It has one advantage, perhaps, that of the ease with 

 which a leak can be detected and located as compared with the difficulty of 

 doing so in the boarded type. 



Under floors should be of matched hemlock of even thickness, laid close 

 and diagonally to insure a breaking of joints between them and the upper floors. 

 Ordinarily the under floor is laid in line with the upper floor, and at right angles 

 to the floor timbers. As it is necessary that the upper floor breaks joints with 

 the lower, this method requires some diligent watching on the part of the superin- 



House at Chestnut Hill, MASS., showing the transition of the gambrel to the pitch roof; the 

 cottage to the two-story effect 



