BUILDING NEW HOUSES 57 



The Finish Inside. 



For window casings and other finish inside many 

 kinds of wood are used. Of the native northern lumber 

 extra quality of spruce is sometimes used. White ash is 

 much used and makes a beautiful and lasting finish in 

 natural wood colors. Cypress is coming into extensive 

 use in modern houses of medium cost, and when care- 

 fully selected most beautiful natural wood finish may be 

 obtained. Birch, butternut, black walnut, black cherry, 

 oak, etc., are used either alone or in combination with 

 others with pleasing effect. Of the native southern 

 lumber, the cypress, hard pine, tulip wood, magnolia, 

 sweet gum, etc., makes a very satisfactory finish. When 

 the finish is to be painted clear pine, cypress, and spruce 

 are largely used. Window frames and casings and other 

 inside finish are now made at factories at very reasonable 

 prices all ready to put up, and also doors, sash and 

 blinds, thus reducing both the cost and the time it takes 

 to build. By carefully selecting beautifully marked 

 boards or those of special colors for the doors, casings, 

 etc., beautiful effects may be obtained. 



Floor Boards. 



Most modern floors are made of hard wood to be fin- 

 ished in natural wood colors, but where they are to be 

 painted cypress, spruce and pine are used. Boards in 

 narrow widths used in hard wood floors are much more 

 even and durable than wide ones, though the narrower 

 the boards the greater will be the waste and the cost of 

 labor in laying. Floor boards should be kiln dried and 

 be laid at once after coming from the kiln. With nicely 

 fitted flooring any one fairly skilled in the use of tools 

 may lay a good floor, but if fancy designs and various 

 colors are worked into them it can only be done with 

 success by those who can make very exact and close- 



