Le TEL 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
November, 
The rear of the house showing the studio end of it 
sequent shrinkage and cracking. ‘The lath, which is to grip 
and hold the stucco, is nailed on to the furring strips. 
Wooden lath should be considered out of the question for 
exterior work. In the long run, the surfacing will invariably 
fall off of it. Expanded metal lath, and there is an infinite 
variety of it, has been used very extensively, but it is not to 
be recommended. It is advertised as the very best backing 
for our work—it is advertised specially covered with anti- 
rust solutions, to easily embed itself in the plaster, to key 
quickly and have no sharp edges to shear the plaster, as well 
as by its corrugation to provide against contraction and ex- 
First floor plan 
pansion and avert cracking. Far better than expanded metal 
lath is a good galvanized wire lath. Naturally it comes in 
many different grades as well as varying mesh, but relatively 
valued, it ought to cost about twenty-three cents per yard, 
as against twenty cents for expanded metal lath of about 
the same grade. Be certain that the wire is galvanized; 
No. 20 gauge is good, No. 18 best of all. It must further 
be rigidly tacked to the furring strips. Builders generally 
prefer, for convenience and economy of time, to tack the 
wire mesh on vertically; it should, however, be tacked on 
horizontally, lapped at the joint at least three inches. If 
+ SITTING Ram: 
13:0" 13: a 
Second floor plan 
