XIV 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



August, 1907 



Embellishments for 



Concrete 

 Buildings 



Interior and Exterior 



Tlic problem of making' artistic concrete 

 huildinjjs, both private and public, is 

 most satisfactorily solved by the use of 



Hartford Faience 



The Hartford Faience Company will be 

 pleased to correspond with everyone 

 contemplating the erection of concrete 

 residences and other buildings as to the 

 uses of their Faience work, and will 

 furnish suggestions and sketches upon 

 request 



Kindly address Department "N" for 

 Illustrations of Medallions, Friezes, 

 Mantels, Mouldings, Caps and Tiles 

 for Concrete Buildings. 



The Hartford Faience Co. 



HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 



Weatherproof 

 means more than 

 Waterproof: 



Leaks soon make 

 themselves known. But 

 sun, heat, frost, damp- 

 ness, etc., quietly, yet 

 surely, ruin all roofings 

 — except 



Genuine Bangor Slate Roofs 



"outlive the building 

 without paint or repairs." 



Can you saij more? Or ask more? 



Our free Roof Book 



gives all the facts about all 

 the roofs — the words of the 



tin people about tin 1 

 tile " " tile 



shingi* " " sbingle I 



patent " " tar' gravel, [ 



asphalt, film, etc. 



slate people about slate J 



Genuine Bangor Slate Co. 

 Fair BIdg. Easton, Pa. 



newing its youthfulness with the passing sea- 

 sons. By general consent the autumn is chosen 

 as the most appropriate season for painting the 

 house. Exigencies of business and household 

 necessity may induce some to paint in the 

 spring, but the best results are obtained in late 

 autumn. The dry October weather is best 

 suited for such work. The summer's swarm 

 of insects have disappeared by that time, the 

 air and sun are soft and drying, rains and 

 storms are infrequent, and the dust of summer 

 has been laid by the September showers. 

 Moreover, the woodwork of the exterior has 

 had ample opportunity to part with all sur- 

 plus moisture, and it is in excellent condition 

 for treatment with paint. Painting the house 

 is a serious problem which involves many con- 

 siderations as to artistic choice of colors, the 

 suitability of climate and surroundings and the 

 selection of the paints of right texture and 

 composition. 



How often does a house require painting? 

 This is not to be answered arbitrarily. A 

 cottage near the seashore may require paint- 

 ing every second year, while another located 

 in a dry climate can go three or four years 

 without a renewal of its outside coat. It is a 

 mistake to let a house go until it begins to 

 look as if it needed painting. Before the 

 house begins to look shabby the property be- 

 gins to deteriorate. When the paint begins to 

 be powdery, or brittle, or porous, it needs re- 

 newal at once. The best way is to test the 

 paint with the finger or knife. If the old 

 paint chips off, or soaks up water, or can be 

 rubbed off in a powder by the finger, the time 

 has passed when the paint protects the wood. 

 Underneath the paint the wood is disintegrat- 

 ing. Wood that is properly painted will prac- 

 tically last forever, but if not so protected it 

 rots rapidly. Paint is thus an insurance just 

 as important as that represented by a fire in- 

 surance policy. Lumber is more expensive 

 than paint, and carpentry work more than 

 either. The most important part of all paint 

 is the linseed oil which is used to dissolve and 

 mix the pigments, and so long as the oil lasts 

 the paint protects the surface, but when the 

 oil is "dead" the old paint has lost its pro- 

 tective value. 



The composition of paint should thus be 

 clearly understood in order to meet this ques- 

 tion intelligently. The body of good paint 

 consists of either white lead or oxide of zinc, 

 or the two mixed, with such inert materials 

 as gypsum, whiting, silica and barytes, and the 

 various coloring pigments, such as lamp and 

 bone black, red iron oxides, Prussian blues, 

 ochers and chromes, umbers, siennas and other 

 mineral elements. The universal solvent of 

 these materials is pure linseed oil. There has 

 never been found any adequate substitute for 

 linseed oil, but many adulterated oils may be 

 employed in cheap paints. Petroleum oil, cot- 

 tonseed oil, fish oil and rosin oil are sometimes 

 used as adulterants, but they never serve the 

 purpose as satisfactorily as pure linseed oil. 

 As a rule the paint which requires the great- 

 est amount of linseed oil for its proper applica- 

 tion is the most durable in color and use. 

 Where quick drying is essential turpentine and 

 benzine are often mixed with the paints, but 

 these decrease the amount of oil and thicken 

 the coat of pigments, and they give a "dead" 

 surface which never lasts long. 



Good paint can not, therefore, be tampered 

 with, and it is much greater economy to have 

 the work done in the mild, warm, dry days 

 of autumn, when no artificial "dryer" is 

 needed, than to hurry the work in the 

 spring to avoid hot, blistering weather or a 

 week of rain. 



The house to be properly painted must be 

 in a suitable condition. If the house is a new 

 one the surface of wood must be dry and all 

 sappy and knotty places covered with shellac 



A Ckeap Motor Boat for 

 Your Summer Home 



PORTABLE GASOLINE 

 SUBMERGED PROPELLER 



Attacked and detactcd ANY BOAT, in a 

 moment. Can be raised and lowered to 

 run in shallow water. Entire outfit is 

 outside of boat. Perfectly safe, a child can 

 run it. Is inexpensive. A 20-foot boat 

 will run 7 miles an hour. Is compact, 

 easily transported as baggage. ^Vrite for 

 details and price list. 



SUBMERGED MOTOR CO. 



84-86 Washington Street CHICAGO 



Take of f your Hat to the 



For whether you n5ed::Hand'br Power' 

 Pumps, Hay,Tgf>lSrSfore Udders, Gate 

 Hanto550M*uinp Fixtures 



MYERS' are Always Best 



Haatit^ and SerVicf U the Myera slogan— 

 yoa've alwaya got your money'a worth and a 

 bargain besides when you buy from MTERS> 



380-PaKe Cataloi with cloae price* f REE. 

 '. F. MYERS & BRO. Ashrand. Ohio 



Baumruk's Fountain Brushes 



See the easiness of work done 

 with Baumruk's Fountain 

 Brush for cleaning ell kinds of 

 vehicles, windows, porchei* 

 floors, sidewalks, etc. 



They are made to be connected 

 to any water reservoir, hydrant 

 or pail. 



We make Fountain Brushes 

 for all kinds of work where a 

 brush can be used. 



If your local dealer cannot 

 supply you order direct from us. 

 Price of Porch Brush, $2.00. 

 Send for free catah£. 



Baumruk Fountain Brush 



Co., (Inc.) 

 599 W. 26th St., Chicago, III. 



Van Dorn — 

 Iron Works Co. 



PRISON, HOUSE (©, 

 STABLE WORKi* 



JOIST HANGERS 

 LAWN FURNITURE 

 FENCING, ETC. 



CLEVELAND, OHIO 



PATENTEO 



Standing Seam 

 ROOF IRONS 



(^LINCH right chrough the 

 ^ standing seam of metal 

 roofs. No rails are needed 

 unless desired. We make a 

 similar one for slate roofs. 



SEND FOR CIRCULAR 



BERGER BROS. CO. 



R H I l_ A D E: 1_ P H I A 



SEDGWICK 



THE ARCHITECT 



SEND' ONE DOLLAR FOR MY 

 LATEST BOOK 



RCQX HOUSE 



tJCO I PLANS 



A Beautiful Book 

 1 5 NEW DESIGNS 



of small, economical homes costine 

 from 8500 lo S5.000. Portfolio of 

 Residences. S5.000 to 825.000. 50c. 

 Portfolio of Stores. Banks. 50c. 



Free — Church Portfolio — Free 

 1028 H LumberExchango 

 Minneapolis, Minn, 



