6o 



The Country House 



make a good job, owing to the little hold it has upon the bricks. Should it be 

 required, however, the first rough coat is omitted. 



Although with care the two-coat work can be made a creditable job, yet the 

 three-coat method is preferable, inasmuch as the final result is surer and better. 

 In the former a rough "scratch" coat is first applied, and then finished with the 

 "skim" coat. In the three-coat work the "scratch" coat is first applied as 

 in two-coat, being forced through the lathing to insure a good clinch on the back. 

 The surface is then scratched with a comb to present a rough, adhesive surface 

 for the next coat. When dry the second or "brown" coat is applied and 

 brought to an even and true surface by means of straight-edges. Over this the 

 final or "skim" coat is laid. 



Back plastering is applied to the inside of the rough boarding of a frame 

 house to exclude cold and heat, and consists of one rough coat. Coming be- 

 tween the studs, the lathing must be cut to fit, and in order that the plaster may 

 adhere the lathing should be furred off from the boarding by using a lath in 

 each corner. If these furring laths are set out from the corners about half an 

 inch, it gives a chance for the corner plaster to clinch, which is still better. 



NOTE. It should be remembered that the various woods specified in this chapter, and in fact throughout the book, are those 

 in common use about New York and the East in general. Other parts of the country have their natural substitutes for 

 many of these. 



Court side of Royal House, at Medford, Mass., showing 

 the combination of wooden side walls with brick ends in which 

 the chimneys are placed 



