COMPLETE BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR 
CLOTH HOUSES 
Measure out a PERFECT RECTANGLE on the 
ground, each side of the rectangle being 33 feet 
if you plan a house 33 feet in width, or if larger, 
some multiple of 33 feet. Posts to be placed in the 
ground three feet deep, to carry the wires at posi- 
tions that will line the wires in 16-feet-6-inch cen- 
ters, in every direction. 
If you plan a 33 feet wide house, it will require 
no inside posts; in a 66 feet width house you will 
need one row of posts inside, and in a 99 feet width 
house two rows of posts inside. IN ALL SIZE 
HOUSES BE CAREFUL THAT THE POSTS ARE 
PLACED TO CENTER THE SUPPORT WIRES 
EXACTLY 16 FEET 6 INCHES, so the top cloth 
made 33 feet widths with allowances will fit the 
frame. 
Each outside post must be anchored rigidly with 
a dead man, and each corner post must have two 
dead men, one anchored against each side of the 
rectangle, dig a hole about three feet deep, six feet 
away from the post, take a 24-foot length of No. 8 
galvanized wire, double it and loop one end around 
the post 6 feet 6 inches from the ground, attach the 
other end to the dead man and bury it, then twist 
the wire with a stick as in sketch until the post is in 
line; nail the 6-inch baseboard in position around the 
outside of the house. Place two 14-inch staples 
six feet above the ground on each post so the No. 8 
galvanized wires will pull through easily and use 
wire stretchers to stretch the wires taut. Stretch the 
wires from the corner posts only, as corner posts 
have two dead men, one anchored against each 
side of the rectangle, stretch the wires until they 
have the proper rigid tension and 
then drive the staples in fully to hold 
wires. 
If you have inside posts they may 
be placed to hold the support wires 
and cloth 634 to 7 feet in height, 
giving more head room with the 
same width of cloth. 
will be easy to lay if care is taken to follow direc- 
tions. 
To cover the top unroll the cloth at one end of the 
frame and with several men lift it across the sup- 
port wires, leaving about a yard hanging over the 
end wires so you can adjust it later; unfold a few 
yards lengthwise beside the frame, then take the 
selvage edge of the house top and the selvage edge 
of the sidewall and roll them together five times 
around the side wire, where you have surplus cloth 
on the ends wrap this around the wires and sew it, 
as it protects the cloth where the strain centers on 
the support wires. Pin the cloth in place with 8- 
penny wire nails, pin 10 or 15 feet before you begin 
to sew, stretch the cloth only enough to keep the 
sagging out and be sure to keep the lengthwise re- 
inforcement woven lines at an even distance parallel 
with the length of the wire. 
Start at the post and sew by whipping around the 
wire, using a tight lock stitch, so that the cloth will 
not slip; do not whip the thread along the wire more 
than 3 inches before lock stitching again. As you sew 
have the cloth pinned ahead of you 10 to 15 feet 
all the time. After this side is finished unfold the 
cloth to the other 33 feet side support wire and pin 
before sewing, making sure that the woven rein- 
forced lines are at an even parallel distance from 
the support wire; sew ends with the same method. 
Only sew the cloth to support wires. Fasten the 
sidewalls to the baseboard with the new aluminum 
fasteners every 9 inches instead of using the old 
ee BewiD method, as this will prevent the cloth from 
rotting at the baseboard, from damp- 
ness. 
A very good idea to prevent the 
cloth from chafing and wearing out 
the yarns is to cover the rough joints 
of the baseboard and also wrap the 
posts with either heavy paper or old 
cloth. Where wires are spliced cover 
The cloth is rolled and folded and 
ce ee “DEAD MAN 
; ANCHOR 
them with some kind of wrapping. 
