HOUSE AND GARDEN 
248 
October, i 
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Asbestos “Century” Shingle Roof — Residence Frank C. Childs, Lexington, Mass. 
ASBESTOS CENTURY SHINGLES 
“The Roof that Outlives the Building” 
I F you want the fullest possible use of the top floor 
of your house you must roof it with Asbestos 
“Century” Shingles. 
It’s the only way to avoid the extremes of heat and 
cold that bother you with the ordinary roofs. 
Asbestos “Century” Shingles are very 
efficient heat insulators. They are made 
of reinforced concrete, which is celebrated 
as a non-conductor of heat and cold. 
From every consideration, it’s worth 
your while to look into Asbestos “Cen¬ 
tury” Shingles before building, rebuilding 
or altering. 
They are indestructible by weather. 
They are the best preventive of fire you 
can give your home. They last forever — 
without painting or repairs. 
And they cost no more than you expect 
to pay for a first-class roof. 
You can get Asbestos "Century” Shin¬ 
gles in shapes to suit any architectural 
style—in several sizes — and in three col¬ 
ors: Newport Gray (silver gray'). Slate 
(blue black) and Indian Red. Ask your 
representative roofer about this inde¬ 
structible roofing — or write 11s. Send for 
Booklet C, “Points on Roofing.” It will 
settle your roof problems to your great 
satisfaction. 
The Keasbey & Mattison Company 
Factors 
Ambler, Penna„ 
Branch Offices in Principal Cities of the United States, 
and London, England. 
iAUTIFUL NEW STFLE BOOK MAILED FREE 
nd ior it today and read its interesting History or this 
ining style from the 15th Century to the present time, 
illustrates over 300 patterns of our Hollana-Dutch Arts 
Irafts and “Flanders” Furniture, and shows—with colorei 
es of model Arts & Crafts rooms, what tasty and har 
lious effects can be obtained at small expenditure. 
WRITE FOR OUR STYLE BOOK 
re selecting any more furniture—it will show you just 
t you want—furniture that is artistic and comfortable, 
made so well that it will serve several generations, 
sk your local deaier to show you ‘ I.imbcrt ’ * Arts & 
and see our trade-mark branded into tin 5 wood, 
cannot supply you, send us his name and we will send 
the address of our associate distributor nearest you. 
CHARLES P. LIMBERT COMPANY 
ind Rn’pids.TVflch. Dent. K Holland. MVh. 
What Varnishes Really Are 
(Continued from page 232) 
outdoor work, the surface is built up with 
varnish, successive coats being applied 
until all crevices are filled. Each separate 
coat is sandpapered lightly until the last, 
which is left to finish with its ov;n natural 
gloss-. The greatest enemy of varnish is 
sunshine ; due to its powerful deteriorating 
effect, outside doors, etc., should be var¬ 
nished yearly, while interior trim if well 
varnished in the beginning will last from 
ten to twenty years. 
Varnish holds a unique place in relation 
to paints. Our usual thought of varnish is 
as a finishing touch; but contrariwise, the 
outside of a new house should first receive 
a coat of heavy shellac varnish. This is 
for the purpose of trying to stop up the 
knotholes in the wood. Even in dry wood, 
the pitch in the knots will often ooze out, 
and in time discolor and soften the paint. 
The prevention of this oozing of pitch 
is a great house-painting problem. Noth¬ 
ing has yet been discovered which acts as 
a sure preventative; varnishing is the best 
known treatment (unless one will leave 
the house unpainted for a year to give the 
pitch a chance to harden or wash away in 
the rains). After the varnish is dry, the 
paint is applied. 
Varnish is frequently used as a consti¬ 
tuent part of paint for interior woodwork, 
instead of as a finish. A quick-drying oil 
paint is generally used, to which a portion 
of varnish has been added, replacing the 
oil, forming what is known as a gloss or 
luster paint. This makes a serviceable 
finish. For a finer finish enamel paint is 
used, of which varnish is the vehicle or 
liquid “spreader.” 
A good general rule for the drying of 
varnish, and also of paint, is to note the 
time which elapses from the application, 
when it is a liquid, to the time it becomes 
firm, but is still sticky. Before applying 
another coat allow for drying at least five 
times the number of hours this setting 
process has consumed: for instance, if 
“set” in ten hours, fifty hours at the least 
should elapse before the second coat is 
applied — much longer in the case of quick 
drying shellac varnishes. This rule should 
be lengthened wherever possible, for the 
longer the coat is left to dry, the better for 
ultimate effect and service. 
In using varnish over a wood stain, the 
same method of application is used as over 
any plain woodwork. The use of a water 
stain to dye woodwork is very effective 
for large or open grained woods. The 
stain merely dyes the wood ; and after its 
application the grain is filled with a col¬ 
ored paste “filler.” Striking effects are 
secured in this way, as the filler is a dif¬ 
ferent color from the background, but a 
harmonizing one. The transparent var¬ 
nish is applied over the stain and filler. 
As before mentioned, varnishing is al¬ 
most a fine art, and too much attention 
cannot be paid to details. But if directions 
are carefully followed, results are sure to 
be satisfactory. 
In writing to advertisers please, mention House and Garjen. 
