164 ENGINEERING ON THE FARM 



fir. These should be of vertical-grain stock. They present 

 good wearing surfaces, are hard, do not splinter, but shrink 

 and swell somewhat. They may be oiled, painted, or var- 

 nished. Where a hardwood floor is desired, oak, maple, or 

 birch gives good results. Oak, being open-grained, calls for 

 special treatment in finishing. Both maple and birch are 

 close-grained and stand hard usage, but it is practically 

 impossible to maintain a finish upon them. Any finish, 

 when applied to a surface, must penetrate deep enough to 

 make a distinct bond between the floor and the protective 

 covering. 



Barn floors. Plank floors have been used in barns for many 

 years and have the advantage of cheapness and ease of repair 

 may be made of 2" X 4"'s or 2" X 3'"s placed on edge and 

 or renewal. A better, more sanitary, and more durable floor 

 separated by a lath spaced 2 feet and the cracks between 

 filled with pitch. This floor is tight, solid, and good for many 

 years (Fig. 154). Creosoted wood blocks such as are used 

 for street paving, laid according to standard paving practice, 

 are very good. Cork brick or blocks laid in the same man- 

 ner are tight, sanitary, and not too hard for use as a stable 

 floor. Expense is the chief objection. Concrete floors are 

 permanent, sanitary, and easily cleaned. A replaceable 

 wood covering on concrete has proved quite satisfactory. 



Roofing. Shakes. The oldest roofing extensively used 

 in this country was shakes. These were slabs of pine, cedar, 

 redwood, or cypress, 6 to 8 inches wide, 20 to 30 inches long, 

 and y 2 to K i ncn thick. They were split out of straight-grain 

 timbers and were very durable, in many cases serving from 

 fifty to eighty years. . 



Shingles. At the present the wood shingle is most popular. 

 It is wedge-shaped and 16 or 18 inches long. Six common 

 shingles stacked with the butts together will measure 2 

 inches. They are commercially known as 6 to 2 shingles. 

 A heavier shingle is- known as 5 to 2. The wood used is 

 cedar, white pine, and cypress, favored in the order named. 



