406 [Assembly 



you intend to side up with clap boards on the studs, which I never 

 would do, except for a small common building. Make no calcu- 

 lation about the top of your studs; wait till you get up that high. 

 You may use them of any length, with broken or stub-shot ends, 

 no matter. When you have got this side boarded as high as you 

 can reach, proceed to set up another. In the meantime other 

 workmen can be lathing the first side. When you have got the 

 sides all up, fix upon the height of your upper floor^ and strike a 

 line upon the studs for the under side of the joist. Cut out a 

 joist four inches wide, half inch deep, and nail on firmly one of 

 the inch strips. Upon these strips rest the chamber floor joist. 

 Cut out a joist one inch deep in the lower edge, and lock it on 

 the strip, and nail each joist to each stud. Now lay this floor, 

 and go on to build the upper story, as you did the lower one, 

 splicing on and lengthening out studs wherever needed, until you 

 get high enough for the plate. Splice studs or joist by simply 

 butting the ends together, and nailing strips on each side. Strike 

 a line and saw off the top of the studs even upon each side — not 

 the ends — and nail on one of the inch strips. That is the plate. 

 Cut the ends of the upper joist the bevel of the pitch of the roofj 

 and nail them fast to the plate, placing the end ones inside the 

 studs which you will let run up promiscuously, to be cut off* by 

 the rafter. Now lay the garret floor by all means before you put 

 on the roof, and you will find that you have saved fifty per cent 

 of hard labor. The rafters, if supported, so as not to be over ten 

 feet long, will be strong enough of the two-by-four stuff. Bevel 

 the ends and nail fast to the joist. Then there is no strain upon 

 the sides by the weight of the roof, which may be covered with 

 shingles or other materials — the cheapest being composition or 

 cement roofs. To make one of this kind, take soft, spongy, thick 

 paper, and tack it upon the boards in courses like shingles. 

 Commence at the top with hot tar and saturate the paper, upon 

 which sift evenly fine gravel, pressing it in while hot — that is, 

 while tar and gravel are both hot. One coat will make a tight 

 roof, two coals will make it more durable. Put up your parti- 

 tions of stuff one-by-four unless where you want to support the 

 upper joist — then use stuff two-by-four, with strips nailed on top, 

 for the joist to rest upon, fastening altogether by nails, wherever 



