DATE DUE ->ia^*==" tiSife- 4WMIMMMn«n«HHiMMiH^ G ^ y L O R D Cornell Urnversilv Library NA7160.W57 Concrete houses, how they were built; art IllillillllililliltlillllillllllllillliliiitlillllllllllUlllnlllll 3 1924 015 419 116 •/■■ ,,l , , , 1- .!. • ') -„n^'.i>vii«..' i r 'ih ■: t J /■ .■••■ ■'.■ <::._~ , ■ y^ . .n- .n, H it r.i-:^ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FINE ARTS LIBRARY :\ ■•:■•» ! 'f,'f.-f'f.-t.'f.-f-t-'f.'f.-f'f.-t.'f.-f-t-'f.'f.-f'f.-t.'f.-f-t-' A:^'ple Editor of Concrete Tlie First Edition (if tliis Book, pul> Jished in 1017, wms edittMi !:)>- HAR\-t'i' Whipple and tlie late C. L). (iii,BF3tT, at that time assoeiate editor of Concrete. Mr. Gilbert was an enthusiastic advocate •if l)etter liouses, was himself a l^iiilder of tliein, and his woric lias contributed a Kreat deal of ^'aUie to the present volume. Concrete-Cement A(;e PtTBLisHiNG Co. Detroit 192Q Copyright 19;?0 Concrete-Cement Age Publishing Co. DetroiTj Mich. Contents Preface Concrete Houses, Illustrated . . . .B_Y Harvey Whipple and CD. Gilbert How Will the Individual Builder Get a Concrete Hoi'se. . . . B3' Harvey Ji'ltipple 9 An Architect's Own House — Concrete Walls and 1''l()ors, Illustrated I5y Milton Dana Morrill Two Houses of Poured Concrete at Mid- DLEBURd, Va., Illustrated Concrete for Attractive and Permanent Dwellings — Two Color Plates, Show- ing Examples of Concrete House Arch- itecture AND OF Concrete Surfaces. .. 13-28 Details of \\vriois Types of Concrete Wall and Floor Construction •29-3() Precast Unit Houses at Forest Hills Gardens, Illustrated, (iroi-venor Atter- bury, Architect By Frederiek Squires 37 281 Fireproof Dwellings Built of Large Precast Concrete Units, Illustrated... By Harvey Whipple 45 Further Details, Unit Built Houses at Forest Hills, Illustrated SI Building Concrete Industrial Houses by Harms System in France, Illustrated. . . By Henry J. Harm's, Jr. 5.5 Ingersoll Type Houses at Phillipsburg and Union, Illustrated 6'> Sixty'-six Concrete Cottages at Manhat- tan Beach, Illustrated 71 Build 20 All-Concrete Houses; Plan 20 Bungalows, Illu.strated 7(i Monolithic Hoitses at Donora for Steel INIiLL Operatives, Illustrated By C. D. Gilbert 80 My Own House — How It Was Built — Plans, Construction Details, Costs of A Dwelling with Concrete Walls, Floors, Roof, Stairs, Illustrated By C. D. Gilbert 86 Fifty Double W^\ll Houses for CariNegie Employes, Illustrated , 92 An Example of Fireproof Residence Con- struction at Kansas City, Mo., Illus- trated 97 Concrete, Boulders and Casements, Feat- ures of Waco House, Illustrated 99 A Concrete House at Glen Ridge, Illus- trated By Edward F. Washburn 100 Seventy-five Dwellings of Monolithic Concrete at Claymont, Del., Illustrated 102 Concrete Walled Houses on Long Island Sound, Illustrated By Milton Dana Morrill 107 Tw(j Cottages Near Middleburc;, Illus- trated The Easy-to-Keep House, Illustrated By Milton Dana Morrill, Architect Economy and Simi'licity in Concrete House Building, Illustrated By Reed Robinson Fireproof House at Port Washington, X. Y., Illustr.ated Block and Sti^cco Bungalows at River- side, III., Ulustr.-ited Re-Housing in Halifax with Concrete Block, Illustrated, Ross and Macdonald, Arckiteets HoiTSE OF Concrete Stone at Yonkers, Illustrated By Harold V. Walsh Double W^\ll Bungalow of Concrete Brick, Illustrated Hollow Walls of Precast Slabs, Illus- trated FEATIIERWEKiHT L'nITS FOR HoUSES, IlluS- tr.-ited Typical Concrete Block Houses at Mor- gan Park, Dulutii, Minn., Illustrated.. Concrete Block House with Double Wall, Illustrated Concrete Block Used in Attractive and Economical House Construction, Illus- trated The Construction of Small Concrete Houses at San Juan, P. R., Illustrated. By Earl K. Burton Philippine Island Concrete House, Illus- trated Engineer Builds Economical Concrete House with Simple Equipment, Illus- trated A Concrete House with Tile-Lined Walls, Illustrated By Charles F. Dinr/man House W'alls Are Precast Horizontally". By W. B. Heriot A California House with Precast Walls, Illustrated 110 112 113 115 121 123 126 128 137 141 141 142 143 144 145 147 152 155 158 159 161 M'alls I.ixf.d with Hollow Tile, IIlus- ti-ated By ('. A'. Kmipp 1{>2 Unit Forms Speed Up }^orsi: I'oi-xdatioxs, Illustrated 1 (i t A System of Home-made A\'ali, Imirms as A\'oRKED Out by Two Eiildeiis, Illus- trated Ki;-; Hollow Wall Bungalow 15rii/r with Home-made ^Iachine, Illustrated By Henri/ L. IVlhoi, 1()() Ten Fireproof Houses of Field and Fui:- CAST Concrete^ Illustrated .. .S7rt//' Article U)7 Building Low Cost Houses with Lnii' Forms and Continuous Conveyor, Illus- trated lf)<) Texas Houses Combine Precast and Moxo- LiTHie Construction, Illustrated 171 Ctunite Walls and Studs for Houses, Illus- • trated 1 7 1 Fireproof House at Sharon, Conn., Illus- trated 17(i Roofing the Small Hoise, Illustrated. . . . By Milton Dtuia Morrill 177 ^^'hat Shall Be Done About the Surfaie? By Ilarvcij JVhipple 1 78 Burned Clay- Inserts in Concrete Si'r- FACES 180 ^Mosaic Enrichment of Concrete Sur- faces, Illustrated. . . .By Charles T. Scott 181 Flashing Details in Stucco Practice, Illastrated 182 Standard Recommended Practice for Portland Cement Stu( co 18.'3 History and I)evel(H'ment df Stucco. . . . 15y John li. Orr 188 Thin Stucco Finish on (jarden Walls and BuiLDiN(is Conirihuted 192 Xew Developments in Surface Treated Concrete and Stucco, Illustr.ated By ,/. C. Pearson .and ./. .7. Karleij 19r> A House Built Tike a Battleship, Illus- # trated By JVharton Claij 199 Overcoating an Old Frame House, Illu.s- trated 201 An English Cott.\ge — Back-Plastered Stucco 202 A Cold-Proof House in Saskatoon, Illus- trated By Randolph Patton 20.3 Codes Extravagant with House Building ^Materials ]?y Fred IV. Lumis 206 Living in Concrete Houses — A Symposium from First Hand Knowledge, Illustrated By Walter E. Andrews, Claijton B. Potter, Florence Holland, JVilson 1). Lijon, L. N. Babbit, F. L. Williamson, and Homer Laughlin, Jr 209 Advertising Section F"ollowin(; Page 215 Preface THIS book is puhlislied as an aid to tlir rcalizalioii as tlii' Panama Can/il, t;ii^antic' dauis, great bridges of more nearly fireproof and jH'rnianent eonstrue- and a(|nednets, the highways which are to withstand tion of dwelling lionses in Anieriea, where the tlie severest trallie, big oiean - going shijis, sewers, waste from tire and the deterioration of sliuisy eonstrue- wliarxcs. reser\(iirs, and indnstrial buildings — the tion is nothing less than a national erime by wliieli tlie general |)ublie does not always realize that eonerete is public suffers in poeket and in eomfcn't. the most perm.inent struetural material we know any- rp, i I i- ii 1 1 • 1. ] -ii • ■ thing abiuit onh- wlien it i.v Jtw// itiiidc. The (lualitv of 1 lie contents ot tlie hook are rei)rinted with re\ isions ■ . , ' • , ■ , the material in am- gn'eii work is determined some cases, sl.ao- or cinders of ociod (uiality the utilization ot concrete lor better houses, ,as a pulilie , , . , \^ ■ , , 1 ,■ , 1- 1 J i' 1 1 1 i '"'c lieUl ton'ctlier ii\- .a lunding m;itcrial comiiosed o need so tunttamental and or sucli general ad\ant ii;e as • • 7 ' , 1 1 • t i- • ■ t ' porthiiul cement and water. 1 he cement and water to tie a subject or superior importance. form a p.'istc. A\'hen tliis yoluine urges concrete — it means (/aoil coii- Professor A. X. 'I'albot has used the simile -i-ery Crete. The general iniblic, thinking of concrete as the t'Hci'tix cly and an exeellent discussion of his on this material used to make safe .■iiid |ieriiiaiient such works sulijccl is here (|Uotc(l in part: 1. Tlie cement anil tiie mixiuji water S. l-'act(ii-s i entriliiitin;i' t(i the strength surface of jiarticles is offset 1)\- increased may )ic considered together to form a of coiua-ete are tlien, the ainiHint of ee- ditficailty in securing a mohile mass, the paste; this paste heconies the glue which nient, the an iit of iniNing water, tlie voids are greatly increased, the mix is holds the particles of aggregate (gravel, amount of xoids in the comliination of not workable, and less strengtii is de- crushed stone, slag, cinders of good fuie and coarse aggregate, and tiie area vcloped in the concrete. h"or a o-iven quality or crushed hard-luirned hrii'k.— of surface ef the aggregate. aggregate and a given amount of cement. Editor.) together. ■ 1 ■ 1 t- ^ ,1 a decrease in tlie amount of mixing water 9. tor a uiven kuid of auiireiiate the 1 1 ,.1 j. , , '^ „. ■ 2. The volume of the paste is approxi- .stren"tii ,'' "hncating ayer will give a volume of the mixing water. '^i^,;,,^ mat,a-ial hetween the particles of '';;,^.„1[,'"'""* '" '""'"''ty '""1 J""'"' '" 3. The strength given hy this paste is aggregate. "" ' . deiiendent upon its concentration— the ,,-, ,, „ ^ .. , fertain degree of iiiohility is neees- more dilute the paste, the lower its \"- '^ '"' *.''>' .'''""^' •'>'>">">t «* "'"i"! ''■"■.>- m order to ,,lace concret,- in the strength; the less dilute, the greater its '""^ ^anie voids m the aggregate that ag- forms m a compact and solid mass, the strength (providing there is the neces- -"'S'"*^ <'"' '-"''""a ion ot hue and degree vaiymg considerahly with the na- sary minimum of water to hydrate the ">"se aggregates) will give the lugher are ot tlie work, and generally it wall cement and cause it to harden.'-Editor). '^t/'^"?*!' "■'"'■!> I'^^^.t';^' smaller „tal area he found neees.saiy to sacriiice strength ' of surface ot ]iartieles, smee it will re- to setaire the requisite mohilitv. It is 4. the paste coats or covers the par- quire the less amount of ]>aste to produce readily seen, however, that the effort tides of aggregate partially or wholly t|,e requisite mobility and this amount of should he made to iiroduce as strono- a and also goes to fill the voids of the ag- paste will he secured with a smaller cementing layer of paste as pnicticahle gregate partially or wholly. Full coatmg .p.antity of water; this paste hcing less hv selecting the iiroper mixture of aggre- of the surface and complete filhng ot the dilute, will therefore he stiamgcr. gate and hy regulating the amouirt of voids are not usually obtained. i„;^.;n„ ,„.,t.^. _ rp, „ t- 1 f ^ II- Fi>i- tlic same amount of cement '"'^mg v.i\Ui. 5. The coating or lav er of paste over ^^^^-^ ^^^^^^^, ^^^ ^^^ aggregate, that More thorough mixing not only mixers he particles forms the lubricating ma- ^^ „.„ j,,^ ^^^^. j,;^,^,,: ,t,,^, .^,, the paste and better coats the particles. terial which makes the mass workah c; , ■ , , ,, ,^ -, ■ , ,•,• "^ , i,,o ;t ,„.,i-„c. ti,.> ,„.,e .„,ku h ,,..„, ., I ., 1 ., , which has the less voids, since additional out it makes the mass moliilc with a hat IS, makes it mobile and easily placed ^^,.„ .^,^, ,^ ^ .^^^ „„,,„,., pe,eentage of mixing water, and to fill a space compactly. 1^^ ^^J^_ ^^_^^, H„.,.efore more dilute paste. this less dilute paste results in higher 6. The requisite moliility or plasticity strength. Any improvement in method is obtained only wdien there is sufficient 1^- Any element which carries with it „f fixing which inerea.ses the mobility of pa,ste to give a thickness of film or layer ^ dilution of the cement paste may in the mass will iiermit the use of less dilute of paste over the surface of the particles general be expected to wc.ikeii the con- |,.,^(^-, 3,,^^ therehv secure increased of aggregate, and between the particles crete—sinalici- amounts ot ccanciU, the use slrcnslh. sufiicient to lubricate these particles. "f additiou.il mixing water, to secure m- ' ., , . ,.,.^ '■ , , creased mohilitv in tlie mass, increased " '":'>','' '"'''''' *''' * *" '' ^'^'iH '"- 1. Increase in m^l'di y may be oh- ^^^^^^^^ ^^^. aggregate, an.l iiuavased voids '-^T" '" *'"' ','""""* "* ,™'^'"- '''"*"' ^'^^ amed by increasang the hickness of the .^ ^,^^ apgreg.ate all opcrat,- to lower fh,- ''■ ''^''-^'''-'e ]" the strength of the concrete layer of paste; this may he accomphshed ,,h.,.„„h, ,,f tl„. o,-o,l,,,'t '''t>'i- considerahle time has elapsed ap- either by adding water (resulting m a " ' peirs to he relalivclv less than it is at the weaker paste), or by adding cement ipi 13. In varving the gradation of aggre- eai-Iier ages, provided, of course, siifiicient to a ci^-rtain jioint (resulting in a stronger gate a ]ioint will lie reached, however, moisture is at hand to jierinit full chemi- paste). when the advan'.-iges in the reduction ol' cal action to lie iii;iintained.'' Ciood concrete of a standard cement and cle.iu, h.ird. limnogciicons, ipriky "iinid" (the \ criricular of tlie taiii- well-graded aggregate, combined in proper proportions struction job); well coiisolitlated in the forms ,aiid ]irop- with cement and water, and thorouglilj' mixed to make a crly hardened — such a niatcri;il will make good houses. H-VRVEy A\'hipple. Concrete Houses ]5y Harvey Whipple and C. ]). Gii.iiEirr Di-awiiigs By Gt.i;nn M. Ui:i:s Arrliitoct, Hurli.'sh'r, N. \. Every home builder benefits by i\\v aeeiiuiulated ex- perience of others, as expressed tiirough his architect and his builder. Equally he is the loser by that expe- rience which holds to traditional metiiods and materials long after better things are obtainable. This conserva- tism, coupled with a mental laziness that resists the eft'ort required to develop new ideas, is chiefly responsible for the slow development of the fireproof house. The percentage of houses in which concrete is the principal structural material has been so small that the man who builds a fireproof house is looked upon in most localities as a curiosity and his work as a kind of de- mentia. Those best able to advocate the better dwellings and to make them successful — the architeets and tlie builders, as a class — have been so wedded to traditional materials that their opposition can generally be counted on to dis- courage tlie layman who has the foresight and the te- merity to believe that a better house should be secured for the monc}' he is about to spend under presumably expert direction. This condition is deplorable from tlie standpoint of loss to individuals and to the community, bv the per- sistence of burnable houses, with their attendant evils of constant painting, repairs and depreciation. It is regrettable, too, because not a few concrete houses have been the work of men whose zeal and appreciation of concrete have not been coui)led with an equal appreciation that care in construction must be combined with architectural training, so tliat full advan- tage may be taken of the inlierent excellence of the ■plastic stone. Their lack of experience too often re- sulted in dwellings whose raw crudeness showed concrete at its worst. Its inherent beauty was lost. Thus has come about the perpetration of numerous monstrosities calculated to substantiate the statements of those who prefer to work with other materials. Concrete Design — Not a M.\squerade It is the outstanding fault of numerous houses of con- crete that they are both uneconomical and unconvincing, from an architectural standpoint, because thev are frame houses or brick houses masquerflding in another, radi- cally different material. When concrete is to be used, the designer should tliink in terms of concrete, from footing to parapet, and the ideas of our traditional tinder boxes and all their com- ponent factors should be cast to the winds. Do archi- tects and builders as a class never feel the need of new fields to conquer.'' It is true that concrete houses of conventional plan and elevation can be built, but always at an undue ex- pense. It is equally true that in the treatment of the elevation there is great opportunity to take advantage of the plastic and fire-resisting qualities of the material 'Concrete, January, 1918 ■.^»«^^^ ccoiuimieally by departing from the house architecture familiar in America. It is not necessary that the architect create such de- signs in their entiretj' — he has for liis inspiration the wonderful work of the finest Italian periods, he has the areliitecture of tlie Orient, and he may gain suggestions from the W(n-k of primitive peoples. Our own best colo- nial work is not witliout inspiration to the designers of eouerete dwellings. \Vhile most house builders will prefer a compromise, utilizing concrete where its advantages are most obvious and other materials where convention or personal taste dictates, there is much to be said for tlie use of concrete as the major material throughout the house, with only euougli of other materials to add the needful decorative touch. Sueli full use makes for economy, since it per- mits fuller ciiiployiucnt of mechanical helps and less dependence on numerous trades. An investigation of tlie individual problems of concrete house construction discloses certain outstanding facts that apply to indi- vidual jKirts of the structure. Footings and Basement Concrete is obviously the best material for founda- tions. AVater-proofing should be used for basement walls and floors where drainage conditions require. Insulation and dampproofing considerations make desirable an air- spaced wail by the use of hollow blocks, double walls or furring. Building codes are notoriously deficient in their provisions, often requiring concrete house walls of excessive thickness and not providing for insulation by air-s}iaciiig. In file modern house basement, space is too valuable to waste, and provision should be made for laundry, shop, amusement rooms, and so on, in accordance with the oceujiants' requirements. Comparatively small ex- pense will add desirable rooms that may be dry well liglited and attractive. The heating plant should "be sep- arated by solid walls from the rest of the b.asement, and the coal storage preferably provided under a porch. This will confine most of the dust, especially if ashes can be removed without going through other parts of 6 CONCRETE HOUSES the basement. When the partitions are also the bearing walls that are the most economical support for floors, the expense of division is little, if anything, extra. House Walls Much latitude is possible in wall construction, which may be of the unit or the monolithic type. The bogy of dampness with concrete walls is dispelled when given intelligent thought and honest work. In dry climates, without extreme ranges of temperature, solid walls of reasonable thickness are probably satisfactory, but in general the excellent qualities of concrete should not be called upon unreasonably to give immunity from the enforcement of natural laws. Solid walls may be water and damp-proofed. Even this depends too much on the personal element to be dependable as a general rule. ^ i-V Temperature and atmospheric conditions take little ac- count of workmanship, and the solid wall will be a con- ductor of heat, and cold walls will condense moisture from saturated air, regardless of their structural ma- terial. The necessary insulation is jjrovided b}' air spaces within the wall or may be secured b_v the application of furring and lath to solid walls. Wall construction divides sharply into unit and mono- lithic classes. Of the first the common hollow block is the best known and has through its use by unskilled builders done much to discredit the use of concrete units. As distinguished from the muddv textured rock face "block," the modern concrete "stone," well proportioned, sliillfully made and "set," combines tlie beautv of nat- ural stone with the economy of a manufactured product. Insulation is most effective when the unit is so de- sio-ned as to leave the protecting air sjiace as free from concrete as possible. Indeed, a type that gives two entirely separate walls, bound by metal ties, is used satisfactorily where furring and lath are omitted. Some progress has been made in the use of large precast units, in general cast Iiollow, but their use is practicable only in the construction of groups of houses, where erection facilities are at hand. In such work their great possi- bilities have barely been touched. The present tendency is toward building house walls of rough concrete units of ample strength, but with no .'uggestion of finish, presenting rough faces as an ideal surface to receive plaster and stucco finishes. This laethod has the great advantage of low cost units made on a large scale, to be erected as desired and to receive a variety of finishes alread}' made popular in spite of the abuse of the stucco house idea with work done on luisuitable plaster bases. Monolithic walls can be so cast that on removal of forms a finished surface, or a surface that can he finished without stucco, is produced. Very beautiful results have been obtained in this waj'. A rustic eft'ect may be de- sired, or form marks may be acceptable as honestly ex- pressing the material used, or special care may be taken in making the forms, or special facing mixtures may he used, or the surface may be brushed, tooled, bush ham- mered or rubbed — b}' taking a discriminating advantage of any one of numerous ideas for the surface to be ob- tained, the builder has a latitude for his taste and for his purse which few, if any other, materials make pos- sible. Unless, however, the preference is for a bold and somewhat rustic effect, the special form work or special facing mixtures or subsequent treatment on a wall whose surface is monolithic with the structure, will cost no less than for a rough wall finished smooth or rough with any f ne of several popular stucco treatments. The difficulty of producing thin, double, monolithic walls by placing the concrete in deep forms, is very great, and has led to the introduction of double wall machines, tlie work of which may be compared to the laying of rough wall units, since the machine travels along the ^^■all building double or triple reinforced walls. The simi)licity and flexibility of the equipment is note- v.orthv and the results, in competent hands, are of un- qucstioned cpiality, presenting a perfect plaster base, to which stucco can be applied economically. Unit, steel, uan-like forms are used with success by some builders to construct solid walls, while the use of lumber for forms is still quite general, chiefly, perhaps, for the rea- son that our builders are mostly graduate carpenters, or carpenters at heart, or yet, in fact, in wdiom the use of boards is a tradition not to be discarded lightly. Floors The value of fireproof structural floors for residences is coming to be recognized, and thej' are now being used in man}^ of the better homes, even wdiere concrete is not used for walls. The expense is not prohibitive, if the owner is willing to consider the use of the concrete floor without an ex- pensive surface flooring. The man who builds a house without too rigid economy may choose terrazzo, tile, cork carpet, etc., but for the less expensive house a well finished concrete floor can safely be recommended as highly desirable, in spite of popular prejudice against it. The criticism that such floors are cold is not founded in fact, wdiere modern heating systems are used. The addition of furnishings removes the bare look associated \vith concrete, as seen in basements and factories. Indeed, the floor in its natural condition is not found (;bjectionable by some, but it is susceptible to treatment '.',ith paint or with stain, varnish and w-ax, to meet prac"- tical and decorative requirements. Neutral textures — a lack of high polish — are readilv attained in concrete, and they enlarge the apparent area of small rooms and CONCRETE HOUSES display' to better advantage the rugs, furniture and dec- orations, while tlie sanitary qualities of the concrete Hoor ai'O unsurpassed. The ad\ent of the vacuum cleaner has apparently tinned the thought of decorators back to all-o\'er ear- pets, in Avhieh there is exhibited a renewed interest. Concrete floors with tacking strijjs, would })ro\ide an ideal base for carpets. Structurally, the concrete floor is sini|iU' and economi- cal. The flat shall with one or two-w.iv steid is |irob,al)ly desirable in some eases, because of its simplicitv and ^ ,^ iZt l< because it permits Hat ceilings witluuit furtlier treat- ment. A more economical floor can often be built by the use of steel ])ans or wood forms, gi\iug a ribbed floor that requires less material. Tliis construction is desirable for the first floor, and for situaticnis requiring a suspended ceiling, and could well be used throughout in verv low cost houses, where the beams could be left exposed. With carefully studied combinations of beams and slibs, this construction could be adapted to the prin- cipal rooms of large houses. For isolated houses, where the unlikelihood of its reuse would not warr.aut form investment and where flat ceilings are desirable, the tile and joist Hoor is probably the most jiractic.il solution because of the small lumber waste and the sm.all .amount of skilled labor required in the construction. The Roof It is the roof tluit gives the designer of concrete houses at once the most trouble and the greatest oppor- tunity. The characteristics of concrete are not easily adapted to a domestic arcliitecture whose thought for 300 years has been of wood. The stee|) pitched roof is ada})ted to easy construction in wood; it is i)icturesque and lias unquestioned architectural charm. As before intimated, the architect has new worlds to corujuer. It becomes a matter for the owner to decide and for his V' u Vj) architect to create. Is tlie home builder to have ])erm'i- ncnce and fire proleetion, togethei- \sith ceoiiomy and possibilities I'or mw usefulni'^s th.it the ll.it roof ofl'erf, or u\ust lu' forego these because his architect is unre- sourceful .'' Tlie inherent (|iialities of ;i m.ateri.al and the economic necessities iueidiait lo its use .ari' at the beginin'ng of the architect's prcibhui. Wv c.aumit ignore them; he -hould not misuse them. He sliouhl find ius])iration in availing himself of striietural (jualities .ami economic necessities .nid mnhlino' and shajiiug them to serve an .aesthetic .as well as ,a pr;ietic;il purpose. He is not witluuit precedent. He does not stand .done. He m.iy t.ike courage among tlu' fl.it roofs of old Salem ami Newherryport ; he may he clieirrd at Mount Vernon and spurred to his task by the missions of Califcnaiia. Tin- design of sm.all, moderate sized fl.at-roof dwell- ings iu\dl\cs :\ study of proportion /ind .an .adapt.ation of c.irel'ully considered detail, but the dilliiailtv should be .actapted .as ,i \\-orthy challenge. 'I'lic problem re- quires skill for ,an .attr.ictive solution. .Much can be done with wide tau-nices and suit.ible treatment of para- pet \v.alls ,111(1 with windows and entrances. Some home builders who .appreciate hreproof ciuistriietion will un- d(nibtedly still prefer the pitched roof. ,and if covered with fire resistive in.iteri.al ,a verv s.afc construction can be secured, particularly if there is the protection of a couerete .attic floor. Concrete roof tile .are [irobably the least cx])ensi\'c roof covering of ])r(mouueed architec- tural v.aluc — with color .and texture — and they combine well with stucco w.alls. ■S--tm '•^ ! The true concrete roof will be ,a|)proxim,itelv flat. It ni.ay be pitched slightly to the outside, but common sense ,ag,iin re\ a rses the conventional method of dispos" ing of roof water .and ])itches the house roof inw.ard to oiU' or uuua' sumps, ,as in industrial buildings. The ad- vantages nrv olni(U!s, ;is gutters and downspouts .are al- w.ays expc iisi\e .and are prolific sources of trouble. Dis- posing of M-.ater tlnamgli a center conductin- reduces troubli' ))ossibibties to a minimum. The warmth of the house ser\es to k(cp the sump open ,at .all times. A st.atiaiuait that no roofing materi.al is needed on a projierly constructed tamcrete roof sl.ab, w'lW be consid- ered radical, yet siuli roofs of an ,are,i th.at would cover the a\'er,igc ni.au's house h,a\"e long beiai in successful use. jMc.ius .arc .at h.ind for providing joints where needed. If inaiperly constructed there is little d.anirer of leak.age, .and evtai shmihl temperature stresses eventu.allv cause (U'.icks, rejiairs .ire easier tlian on most roofs. A few inches of sand or eartli covering would almost certainly prevent trouble from cracking of prop- 8 CONCRETE HOUSES erly reinforced roof slabs. Where land is limited, such roofs open wonderful possibilities for roof gardens and playgrounds. Tri.m There are satisfacturv metal window frames, sasli and metal doors, but their cost will iirevcnt their extended use in house construction. Desirino- tire|)r()ofness, most ot us will still refuse to give up tiie bcaut^' of wood trim. Window frauics uiay be of the familiar box type, and economy of wood at no increased cost is secured b\' the use of spring balances for double hung windows, while casement sash require a minimum of frame. Inside of tlic house much can be douc to eliminate combustible material. ludi\idual taste ma\' demand pan- eling or extensile window and door trim, .and in matters of one's person.al taste there should be no .argument. It is well to consider, hiiwe\er, if as desirable effects can- not be obt.ained in other ways. For instance, in most houses, much materi;d and time are used to pTit more or less elaborate triui ;iround window and door (jpeniugs. trim which always nuist be cleaned and retinisjied; yet wlien window h.angiugs arc in ])l;ic,' the wood wall trim is scarcely seen. An incxpeiisi\e hollow metal trim is now to be had that is ap|)lied before the plastering is done and tinishcs the plaster against the frame in a neat and substantial way. Some will find such trim around openings restful by comparison lith the over-trimmed and molded openings so much used. Where concrete flocn-s are used the concrete is turned gt-W-- >ip with ,a co\ e .it the floor angle aud meets the wall plas- ter either (lush on ;i uietal screed or with a slight pro- jet'tion. Decor.vtioiv' 111 t'omliiii.itinii u'itli stucco, the lecorative possibilities of the exterior are unlimited ana stucco houses ever}'- where built offer suugestions. It should be remembered as :i first princi])le that concrete and phister are unex- celled as Ijackgrounds f(n- the woi .i of nature. The de- signer of a concrete house slmuld never lose sight of this fact, and should take full .'.dvantage of it. The plainest house, if reasonably well ])roportioned, can in .■I few years be transformed by trees, slirubs, vines and flowers. If, in addition, judicious use is made of a few brick and tile for w.armtli of color, ,and a few boxes of evergreens for contrast with walls, the effect is then |.icrcnnial. How Will the Individual Builder Get a Concrete House? And What Kind? My Hahvey Whipple I'^.ditor CoNCKKIE WHEN tliere arc so iiiiiiy Imiulrcds of thousands of people who want liouses to live in, it will be a ijood thing- for the concrete industry to take stock of what it has to ofl'er — iind out what jiart it may hope to play in satisfying a demand that will reach somewhere near tlie peak in the next building season. There are plenty of reasons why concrete houses should be built: First, on the gcHcral prjnciple that wc here in America should be better I'.ouscd. In these times when conservation has come to be ihe watchword of our kitchens, our coal bins and our clothes closets, we should live in houses that do not represent so big an item of national waste. This waste is figured up in long columns of items for fire losses, decayed lum- ber, ]iaint, and other maintenance and repair necessi- ties, for excessive fuel — in general, for too high an annual cost over a term of years for places in which to live and be comfortable. Then again concrete houses should be built because more local materials may thus be utilized. But most emphatic and most telling of all is the fact that more concrete houses xeill be built because there is a shortage of materials out of which to build — because concrete construction requires a smaller per- centage of skilled labor — because — and this selling argument should not be overlooked — the permanent house is cheaper now than it ever was before when compared with the cost of other kinds of houses — because the man of moderate means cannot afford to invest the amount of money that building construction costs him in a structure that will levy a heavy tax on him for upkeep before he has paid off the mortgage. A rich man can afford to live in a tinder box, per- haps; but a poor man must buy goods that will Avear well. Now. all these things being so, and the time being ripe, what will the concrete industry be able to do about it.^ How does the land lie.^ What means are available to turn sand and gravel and crushed stone and cinders and cement into houses? So then, if a man in Newark, or Nashville, Charlotte, or Oshkosh, Kalamazoo, or Owatonna, Austin, or Helena, sees the light; decides that he can't aft'ord to build a rattle-trap house-v-that he lias got to build to stay; that he must sa\e on fire insurance and preserve his peace of mind and save money on fuel and fixings from year to year; if he decides that he wants permanence so far .as niav be in this world, and comfort, and doesn't want to spend a mint of money on the first cost of his enter- 'CoNfBrTT, .lami.nry, 1020. prise — in short, if tliere is a man in any one of these jilaces, or in anv other place, who is eiFeetually sold in his own mind on the concrete house and ready to talk business — then to whom is he going to talk business and wliat is to be done.'' And what is a concrete house, anyway ? Of course, house fires .are m(U-e or less every-day matters. People consider themsehcs lucky if they escape disaster and their houses don't burn down. This year the dianands are for houses to live in, and we can ex|)ect no sweeping change of public conscience which would put the avoidance of disastrous fires out of the "luck" category. "i'et any time a man re.iehes that plane of thought in which a safe home is of as much consequence as a Ford runabout, a man may make it safe for about that much additional outlay and with what he saves in insurance and upkeep by having that kind of house, he will be in better shape to maintain the runabout. Good Ikuiscs, as such things are generally understood, may be built of monolithic concrete or of concrete block or other ]M'eeast units, and the use of either type of construction for tlie walls gives solid support for floors of the right kind for safety. "Wuo Will Build a Concrete House? TF the m.an wanting a lnuLse goes to the average car- penter builder and expl.ains his wants he may be dis- couraged. In the first ])]aee, the average carpenter builder doesn't know why or how a house should be built of concrete, and he will be prejudiced against its use. That's natural. If you want to he discouraged in any enterprise, go to a man wlio doesn't know how. Nine times out of ten he'll say it can't be done. But let's see wli.at there is to offer the citizen who wants a concrete liouse. What Systems and Methods Are Available? t^ROM year to year in its housebuilding numbers, and in other issues. Concrete has described the methods employed and the results obtained in various systems of monolitin'c house construction and in the ap- plication of \ .irious precast units, large and small, to the erection of homes. Among the more pretentious housing enterprises with coucvete are: The monolithic houses at (iary, Tiidian.i, with the unit forms now known as Meta forms. Two hundred liouses .at Morg.in Park, Minn., for the Minnesota Steel (-'o., with Hydro-stone block Much more extensive work \\\{\\ the same type of 10 CONCRETE HOUSES units, but -with far uiore in-ctcutinn to arcliiti'ctural ef- fects at Halifax A hundred uionolitliic Ikmisi's at Donora, Pa., built with Lanibie steel forms tlirouuh part of the contract and finished with wood forms. About seventy one-story cottages built at Manhattan Beach, more recently, using the same steel form.g Group dwelling's fm- tlie General Chemical Co. at Cla3'mont. Del., using Alorrill steel forms for the greater part of the work. Earlier work on double houses witli the same steel forms at Naiiticoke, Pa. A ten-house grou]) built by tlic Siuips(uicr.af t system of ])recast slabs and casl-in-plaee frauie work, at Lans- ford, Pa. Several Inmdrcd dwellings in France built by the Harms-Small s_vstem of monolithic walls and precast floor units. The large group of terrace dwellings at Youngstown, built bv the Unit Construction Co., employing large l^recast units. The earlier and more architecturally pretentious work alona; similar lines, but with the precast units manu- factured with flnishcd surfaces for oiitside and inside — the work of Grosvenor Atterbur_v, at Forest Hills, N. Y. A twentv-five house group whose monolithic walls were put up in record time by the Van CJuilder double wall system at Youngstown, for the Carnegie Steel Co. A row of two-story monolithic houses at Cleveland by the Hydraulic Steelcraft system. The monolithic houses at Philli|)]isburg, Pa., built by the Phillippsburg Development Corjioration with Inger- soll forms, and a smaller group built by the same system at Union, N. J. These are outstanding jobs among the many that have been considered, most of them in considerable detail, in the pages of Coxcrete. All of them have been successful operations in some degree, some of them to a marked degree. Some were carried through under adverse conditions, which did not give the system employed a fair chance to demonstrate its full value. Now let's group these systems by distinguishing char- acteristics, somehow to arrive by elimination at what may now at this precise time be made available for the uses of the individual builder, who may or may not be trained in the use of any one of them. F.\RGE Precast Units /CONSIDERED in the large, the Attcrbury and Unit ^ Construction Co. systems are the same — both em- ploy very large precast floor and wall units, requiring big cranes and derricks to place them. The Attcrbury system involves shop finishing of surfaces with special facing mixtures ; the Unit system does not. The Attcr- bury system is admittedly still under development by the Standardized Honsiiig Corporation. The Unit sys- tem, according to tlie engineer in charge of work at Youngstown, is not suited to developments of less than 100 dwellings in a single operation. Both these systems a)i))ear to offer great promise of giving real service under skilled direction for large un- dertakings where considerable outlay for initial plant is justified. ^loNIJEITIIIC COXSTRI-CTIOX 'y HE Laiiibie steel forins are in heavy sections — just too hca"\-y for one man to handle, making the labor charge somewhat n-reatcr. we arc informed, tlian for wood forms. Under certain advantageous labor condi- tions, they may undoubtedly be used on individual house jobs with satisfaction when thev may be rented or when used frequently by a contractor who has already in- vested in the necessary equi])ment and is familiar with its use. The H3'draulic forms, while apparently giving most satisfactory results on the group of Cleveland houses, are at present undergoing further development to meet the approval of their producers. The Harms houses in Europe, built under the direc- tion of Henry ,T. Harms, represent the only use of the system of which we arc informed. The form units are heavy, of cast iron — to give true joints — and are prob- ably not adapted to individual liouse building, because of the tremendous weight of equipment to be trans- ported. The Lambie and Hydraulic forms jirovide for pour- ing a story height at a time. The Harms forms are set up for the entire job, the precast floor units being set as the forms go up. In this general class of operation comes the Inger- soll system. Data obtainable from the work at Union and Phillippsburg warrant the statement that the results fully justify the expectation of C. H. Ingersoll, who originally had them built to solve housing problems among his own watch factory operatives. Tlie forms are of wood and the sections are heavy, V'et with a trained crew the erection operations proceed rapidly and a complete cycle of operations (from a footing and basement floor, which is the support for the forms) through complete erection of forms, pouring and strip- ping, ready for erection for the next house, has been made with twelve men in less than six days — giving a six-room-and-bath concrete shell, fully piped and con- duited, with walls, floors and roof in one piece, sur- faces unfinished. Admittedly, however, this system is not adapted to an operation involving less than forty to fifty identical houses. CoMBiXED Precast axd Cast in Place 'T' HE Simpsoncraft system looks complicated in a set of house details, but not so comjilicated on the job. It employs thin precast slabs for walls and floors, with precast concrete beams, erected ; temporarily supported and joined — tied into a monolith, so to speak — by the reinforced studs which are cast in place. A house is carefully detailed in advance and all the unit panels ])redetermined to standardize them as completely as pos- sible. The pre-casting o])erations are simple, the neces- sary plant equipment small and the success of the work depends upon having a skilled carpenter and a skilled concrete foreman, both of them well grounded in the details of the system. Only under exceptional condi- tions, witli the best skilled direction, would the work be adapted economically to small operations. Other JMoxolitiiic Work /~^F the systems employed in the housing enterprises listed there remain for consideration the small, light-weight unit steel forms — Morrill and Metaform ; double wall machines — notably Van Guilder — and then concrete block, the only type specificall_v mentioned in the large housing undertakings listed, being Hydro- stone. The original Reichcrt forms, in their present devel- ojjment known as Aletaforms. were used on a number of individual house jobs with success, particularly in the vicinity of ^Milwaukee, and the same tj-pe of form on the big job at Gary. The Morrill forms ha\e been used successfullv on CONCRETE HOUSES 11 group enterprises and on individual jobs, a lunnbcr of which have been described in detail in Concrete. Mr. Morrill lias developed the use of his small steel units to employ them clamped togetlier to be handled in tiers for twentv-ineh or two-foot elevation at each tier. Thus a conifiaratively modest equipment suffices fen- single- house construction. The Morrill equipment is not at this time in the hands of many builders. Mueh of the work done with it has been in some degree sujiervised by ]\Ir. Morrill. Wood Forms Ct) nuieh for the conunercially available systems of forms. Before passing to a consideration of the double-wall machine, it must not be lost sight of that individual eon- tractors have used wooden forms, frequently made up for use in horizontal panels, and thus with two sets of panels successively raised one above tlie other in pouring house walls, much after the method employed with the Mor- rill forms, in tiers. INIany satisfactory individual house- building jobs have been carried on in this way. The success of such work may be measured by the skill of the individual builder, his knowledge of the material concrete, his familiarity with the short cuts and econ- omies in handling it and jilacing ^nd finishing it. The Van Guilder double wall machines have been in increasingly successful use for a number of years. Year by year new men have been trained in the use of the equipment to get the best results, for the least cost — and facility in handling is the main item. One crew of four to five men may easily do twice as much work as another crew not so well trained. Such a difference runs into a considerable item of labor cost, e^'cn on a small job. There are about .a hundred of these wall ma- chines in use throughout the country. They are no longer for sale; the Van Guilder company now is op- erating as a parent company in the development of con- tracting organizations in various centers of population. The machine is simply a double mold, without bottom .or ends. After the footings are ready, angle irons are set up at corners to maintain perpendiculars. The ma- chine is set on the footing and the two sides filled and tamped with concrete of such a consistency as to per- mit the immediate release of the mold, which is shoved along ready for filling in another section of wall. Each operation makes a tier nine inches high and about five feet long in two walls each •! inches thick, separated by a two and one-half inch air space, the two walls are tied together by galvanized wire hooks at short intervals in each course. When a complete circuit is made the machine is set up on the first tier and another circuit is made. It is possible under usual building conditions to put in four tiers a day, thus raising a wall three feet. The machine works directly up to window and door frames. Exterior surfaces are stuccoed and walls plas- tered inside directly on the concrete — this being made possible by the continuous air space. Block Walls 'l^HE Hydro-stone block is in two types (sec details, page 34) ; one for the so-called one-piece block wall, having projecting interior lugs, virtually forming concrete studs, to which furring and lath are fastened, and the two-piece wall, in which two opposing two- lugged block, inside and outside, form a continuous hol- low chamber. The Hydro-stone block are distinctive in the fact that their development has been with a feeling for architec- tural uses and special care has been given, in the few plants where the block have been made, to produce units of attracti\e appearance for finished wall surfaces. The e.\[)os('d face of the block is Q" x 21-", which departs from tiic usual sizes in the more eoimiionly known block types. The jirospeetive builder, deciding to use concrete block may find that tliere is no Hydro-stone block in his territor}^ — in fact, it is being made in very few places. That type of block is singled out for special attention here because of its use in two of the large housing projects listed at the beginning of this survey of what is available, and because Hydro-stone has undoubtedly had a higher architectural development than any other standard block type. Many of the manufacturers of the more common block types have been satisfied with foundation work. Yet there is good reason to believe tiiat tliis condition is about to be corrected. Block manu- facturers are organizing in many localities to develop the uses of their products and improve their quality. The builder wilj be able to discover who are making good block in his territory and will be able to influence to a considerable extent the architectural character of that block, (somewhat as outlined in another article in this book on tlie subject of "Surfaces"). Block manufac- turers will make what is demanded. There are many types of block to be used with entire satisfaction in residence work when the block are made somewhere near as well as they can be made. In this, structural tile must not be overlooked. There is an increasing appreciation of its special qualities. It is made on several different machines now on the mar- ket, and in some few places has already undergone a very remarkable development. It differs from the ordi- nary concrete block, as hollow clay tile differs from brick. It is thin walled, and when well made gives a strong, light building unit which lays up rapidly and gives much truer surfaces than burned clay products. It is particularly suitable for use with a covering of stucco. The problem of the individual builder who wants a concrete house simmers down in this summary of what is available to a few basic considerations. First, what will his local building laws, if there are any, permit him to build.'' The Hydro-stone block, with its relatively thin outer wall and projecting lugs forming studs, is a type unrec- ognized in most building codes, although probablj' it would never be rejected for residence purposes after a careful examination of what kind of wall it makes pos- sible. Again, the Van Guilder system supports its floors on the inner four-inch wall — and a four-inch wall is a heresy in building codes. Yet the system has withstood such tests for rigidity and crushing strength, entirely beyond the requirements of residence construction, as to make its eventual acceptance certain. In the single monolithic walls many building codes offer difficulties. Concrete is frequently placed on a basis with brick and must he in 9" or even 12" thick- nesses, where 6" and 8" of good concrete would give a very large factor of safety from every standpoint. Similar conditions restrict the use of the common types of concrete block in many places, so that their use has been confined to a great extent to foundations. The conditions cannot persist. Sufficient demand will change them. Good walls can be and are built with all of these four general types of construction just named. The double walls need not be furred on the inside for 12 CONCBETE HOUSES latli and pLisler. Single wails slioiild be fui-red in all These are followed by arlieles deseri])tive of numero dwellinirs in Ihe nortbern lialf of tbe United States. Jt examples of the use of conerete by various methods. must be borne in mind that a eoiierete block with a ho]- rrii ll c c „^ ^nicli \a r'nnsirlered in a sena , , , , „ Tlie matter of surface hnisli is consiaerea ni a sepa low s|)ace m the center dovs not make a double wall. The solid spaces remain, which raise the necessity for furring. us rate article. So much is available for the individual builder. There are shown eight pages of details of wall and He has but to find the contractor who knows concrete. floor construction of concrete. Or else— why not?— the contractor must find him. (^oncrete for Attractive and Permanent Divellings The First Four Pages Show Ehhit ^'iehs of a Moxdlituic Walleu Concrete House Marsh House Near Daricn, Connecticut, the Home of F. Rayiionu Holland HuNTINGTdS BOSWOUTII. X. Y. C, ARCHITECT Marsh House, Neah Darien, Connecticut 13 CONCRETE HOUSES The LivixG Room axd an Exterior View of the Studio, Marsh House II ( '()N( llETE no USES liNCI.OSEI) TeKIIACE, IIITII I NTEIiES'Ll NU CultNEIl Auc] 1 — LoO KIN(i OuT Ovi'.U I.UNU ISLANl) SOUNU The ItoLiNUED Couners—Tiie Soft Peastekeu Kffects of Italy Ake Shown in This Entii.\sce Detail 15 CONCRETE HOUSES The Pijeasing SiaiPMCiTY OF Archer Openings Is Well Shown in This Enthance Detail Below Aee Views of Main Entrance Hall, Showing the Simply Built Doors, and of a Wall Fountain, with a Glimpse of Evergreens Against the Gray Stucco 16 CONCRETE HOUSES 17 A Cdxc liK'vi: Hnrsi:, ami 1)i;t.\ i i.s -- '1'vi'k'Ai. ni' tjie KiMMiNti: Wmkk (II lii\iN(; .1. (Iii.i,. A lu' 1 1 rriu'r. San ])i:.<,,.. CM,. M f. ('ill Ikis slidwn Hi;il *(nicretc in hncid niasscs can 'ii' 'i'';iiit i til! ; III- lll;ik(■^ full use of iiroupctl wiiulitws and ai-clirs. Willi llic aiUanta-c of jiictn rt's(]ur s(4tinus and !a\isli ]il;jnl - I'l iw '. Ii, hr as^il:ns tn iialiirc a ddinilr jiart in llic (!c''itr;il ir H. Ktni, Arciit., l>Kn{(HT, Micii. This house, with tlie cliarining roof lines of tlie Knglish ciitt^ige, h:is wM^ of ciiiu-rete tile. 'I'liey :ire covcreii « itii a rough-ca.st stiu'eo of light color. IJksidexce kv Wii i i ^^i CONCRETE HOUSES Ten Plates Illustratin^^ Concrete Surfaces (Top) Two Gradks of Facinc: Mix — F.imitoying Fine and Coaiiskr Ciu:siii:i) Stoxk — SriiFACE BursuKi) Willi. iv t'lUDKX \'i:iiY I ni:xim:xsive AND Avoids That 1'asty SMooriiM:ss oi- the (\»:M3io>r I'^iNE Sand Facino ('oiii(Ti;sv of K. H. BlISIINEI.I,, I'OUCIIKEEI'SIE, X. Y. (Centeii) Fine Tooi.kd Suuiace fiF Conchett. Stone Cast in Sand Molds — Coui{ti:sv I^'.^ier- soN & NoRiiis Co., Boston (BoTToni) Brushed (While Green) and Acid Washed Surface ivith Facinc .Mix of Mica Spar Crvstai.s — Courtesy The IIydro- Stone Produtcts Co., Chicaco 19 C ON C BETE HOUSES .A . (Top to Bottoji) 1 — Tiiix Coat A\^HIT'E SxrCCO ON" ^loXOLlTIIIC Wall Xevlii "(ioxE Over" a Secoxd Ti_-me. ON' Concrete House IN' ^'^IR^,INIA CoI'UTESV AIlLTON' Daxa JIohkh.i,, AiiciiiTECT, Xew York Crrr ? — Dry DAsrr Sti'cco — For Beai'- 'itft:l Tont.s wi'i'ir Coi.orkd Agore- (iATT:s — CorR'rEs\' Ati.as Portland Cement Co., Xr:w "^'oitK City 3 — Parallel 'J'onrLxr, ix CoxcHErE. Stone— CorR'ir:sY i-', mersox & Xor- Ris Co., Xew York City' :, ^ r *' ■"9^ - ^'^ h- •*» " - f »# ^ '' »' c -'•;:^!.*4;/u<'^. 20 CONC RKTK no USES (At Kkiiit) Brisiied Out Facinc of 1 Part ■;4" Wiiitk JIahhi.i: Chips. -I PaIITS Vi" GUEEN' MaiiULE CllIPS, i\'-< Paiits Saxd. 1 Paht Ce.^ien't — CliniTESA' ^'UI.CA^•ITE PoilTl.AXl) Ce- 3IEXT Co., Xew York City (Relow) BRUsirEi) Out Strface of Sei,ecti:i) Mix of Crushed Potobiac River Pebbles. — Courtesy John J. Kahley, Washington, D. C. (At Lei r) Detail of Mausolefji of Concrete .Stone — IUihbei) Surface — COUR'IESV .IllHEI'lI J<'.ILBACHER, El.rZA- BETIl, N. J. 21 CONCRETE HOUSES ^r^ A WASTiixfiTON" Park B u I L D T >r c. , Showing SOMETIIIXC OF THE GeN- EKAL Effect, without a Full Idea of Coi.ok X'alite, of the Coxchkte S V R F A C E . 'I'jiE Work of John' J. IVXREEY Cottage of Concrete Block, Cobblestone axd Kellastoxe Stucco — Built axd Occui-ifd by Carl Mess. Phili.h's, AVis. ^^/f/^^-"'-v^^^ III m \ » HrhT fefei^^^^^^^^%isi%%;£AL%*5*f't Spactous Tirxr.Ai.o^v at MOOSEIIEART, IlI.IXOIS liriLT OF HVDIIO-STOXE Br.OCK. FOR I.OYAT. OrDER OF JIoosE, Under the Direction of K. F. Hav- 1,1 K y^ ( '()X( UKTK IIOISIJS Imcmt ^'haks tn- Xatlrk's W'ukk on C'iinikkth Hoisi: at Sin rii ()hvnc;i;, X. .1. Three illustrations are slidwn of the home ot' Albert Mover, at ,'!'J1- Ridg'eMOod road. South Oraiijje, N. ,1, It was built in i;)07 and is a most interesting example of the way in wliich a eoncrete house, when earefully built, tits into a landseape and comes in time to furnish a beautiful background for the draperies of nature. The walls are of solid concrete .and .are not f.aced. .is might be sujjposed, but .ire of like qu.ality of t'oncrcte throughout. I'lie aggreg.ate was carefully selected to give a certain etfect in the finished work, and instead ot having a pl.astcr or n stucco surf.ice the concrete was scrubbed and ele.iued ti< expose the .aggregate immedi- atelv after the reiiio\;il of the forms, '['his concrete w.is composed of 1 p.irt cement, .'! p.irts limestone and white marble, the size of s.iiul, .lud 1 p.art '■'• i" traji rock. gi\- ing a good color v.aricty. There is ,i great deal of ex- terior decor.ition which, however, is unobtrusive, ,i, the colors of the tile inserts .are primitive, |)astel sh.idcs in low tones. All the tiles were h.and-made and were burned in ,i primitive m.inner. The lines of the house .are very sim|)le. almost severe, yet this severitv of line is fully com])ensated for by the richness of the entire concrete surf.acc, .and now, .after the l.ajjse of .a number of years it is further enriched b_v the shrubbery .ind the \iries. The house is t'J' wide, not including tile loggia, and ,').">' deep. The windows .are casement made with English leaded glass. The roof is of Jap.ancse pan tile, run of kiln, .and some of the tiles .ire smoky red, others s.almoti, ■ iiid .all the \,irious sh.idcs .are mixed together, giving a most pleasing result. The .arcliiteets .are Tracy & Swart- out, N'ew ^'ork Citw ^24 CONCRETE HOUSES 1 Two \'ii:\vs, CoNtiiETi; I!i:sii)i;nli: dv Aii;i:iri' .Mnvi:ii. S Yi; \iis Arriiii (,'nNST]ir(_Tii)X ( ONCliETK HOUSES Concrete Block Houses — HviHiosTONE System — AT Morgan Paric. I)u- LUTii, Minn., for Min- nesota Steei. Co. HeHE A'.MtlKTV. KCON- O.-MY AND .StARU.ITY AN'eRE All Attained TiTE Block Aue Plain I''acED. DFT of a PiOl'GII Interesting Texti're C ON CRETE HO USES 'Yinw.v. \\v.\\'-r. n[ lirxcA- i,o\vs OF (.'iiNCKi:'ii: lii.orK - - S'ri'CCd ('(i\'i:iti:') - - at U IV Kits IDE, I l.r.l NdlS i '^k^^^-^/^:!^§M 26 CONCRETE no I \SES HOXE OF W. D. I Guilder Svste:m, Y(1N. CiTRNN- KlDCK, X. J. DofULE W.M.l < I mi-i.. Hv THE Van A COXCHETE PERr,OI,A CnX'RTESY MlI.TOX DaNA _M 11111111,1., Akchitt.ct COXCEETE HOUSES w x>c •^ ' — ' '^ _' I ~ ~ V. "" — C > E x 28 CONCRETE HOUSES 5-^ o o s s o b^ '> o ;^j "^ i- ^ U bfi G c o p. cU o re > > O o ., o O Cl V) ^ -M cb .2 OJ o ^ "ti. ^-H O '^ , " c ■" ^ ^*j c ^ o Q ^ n Q ^ w - ^ 1^ QO s X o r^ o —I ^ :o s- Q = ^' ^ J, fa3 ^0 CONCRETE HOUSES ■ Ch e ■ y. o 0^ 4-J K O -G Lj .™ -4-1 O ^ ■-' ^M ^ ^5 bjj ■■-• r i i; » p i: g -g » M ■- 'X. = -^ O ^ CONCRETE HOUSES ^ " ^ zn tf- -t-' — o ^3 3 Hi ■- fc. >c ^ 5 & 'li 0? (>1 = ^ ? ^ = 4-J .^0 ~ ~ =;; c V c c OJ ' ' o " " o o „ o c^ji; tc ;r ^ f^ ^ « 5 I ■^ +^ ^ w o -^ -^ -C G O O " o ^ '^ ,0 r- '^ '/f TX 1^ ^ w ^ O G c G -- — =: w CT5 t^ iJ " -*-' -M — 7Z o S 5 '■ "^ ^ ■— ?^' OJ 'O — ^ ;:;' 7 3 = o -^ ;-, o O s: ■r *: 1 CJ (U CO (-- O -^ - ' c/: ;/, ^ o ■v: ^ ^' --; > -i-j ^ 5 OJ r- 1^ OJ -i- j:; H 9 > ^ ■^ S g^S 2 p ^ £ i^ qj C ^ ' — ' C o 111 o 4 r o ,rY u i iAa\\a\v\^ ^fe:>^%^\\^a ^ o P- J 3 O liJ z: lu ^ c>j o P 3 P ^ o 3 o CONCRETE HOUSES en ~ H (-1 -SU 'A O n ^ ^0 Q S c o t:: ^ -r O ^ b-S ■^ -1 P rt -^ O 1 ^ -2 G rr -^.2 *A o O (U t.^ W.5 O >-. & M •2 f^' 0^ r-. (y, — ^J c ^ ^' CO ?i CO C TO OJ ^ O M '^ O W OJ CONCRETE HOUSES K -r- C2 w ■r| ;:3 ^ o O ^■ o S '^ -r 'ffl ►J i: t^^ H'=' W r en L. Q^ r— sl3 n CONCRETE HOUSES ^ B 2 ^ 3? Q< ■¥, o M 5 S :3 B S " p^ ^ o Pm w § I S a ° u t^l fH W s < 1^ CONCBETE HOUSES ^ ., H ^^ -^ (U . --7^-9- a z:^ ^ - Ml c o ^ ^ ^ c — ■■-'■- ^ .ii^ SG CONCRETE HOUSES Fig. 14 — How Block of Various Sizes Are Laid Up — Details Courtesy Ideal Concrete Machinery Co., from Whose Various Block Types These Designs Were Made .SUciCfciTED METHODS OF FLOOR CONiTRUCTlON WITH M^DRO-iToriE. WALLi Figs. 15 and 10 — Details of Floor Construction, Wood Joist AND Concrete^ with One-Piece and Two-Piece Hydro-stone Block Precast Unit Houses at Forest Hills Gardens Gkosvenok ATTKinunn . AiainTECT By Frkderick Sqfikes Fig. 1 — Pr.AZA at Btsiness Cen'tkii of I''(iiu:st IIii.i.s CJahdhxs, Long Isi,axu A house of 2Ji'i,()(_ K l''u;. 5 — Dktam. Siiow'i vi; Tkx- Tiiii: or Bit! siiini C'oxchete W'oitK A in- 1. IKK IN Srir with CoLdltEll Ac.CltMCATi: w CONCRETE HOUSES ,$^^4e:^^ *-t-44^ ^^9'"' T'lc. C — Pumiox OF Group C, KoriEsT Hills Gardens, L. I. Sliows inupper stories concrete lialf-timber work composed of ]ire-ca.st hollow sections made ill the factory, reinforced and lilled in erection; terra ccitta liliK'k and brick panels inserjed, also linislicd concrete grilles, ci)|iinf;:s on terrace walls, and gateways. and Greek ornamental plaslcr makers have been casting lovely concrete images and engineers have been design- ing concrete buildings. Mr. Atterbury has bronght the two together. Aluch of the beauty of the group cannot be shown in the illustrations, the colors of the exposed gravel ag- gregates and the crushed red tile playing an important part in the general effectiveness. There is a warmth of hue which has been attained onlv occasionally in con- crete work. The rei)rodnctions from photograpjhs do show texture. Iiowever. Even the concrete sidewalks are obviouslv not "cement sidewalks," as the aggregates have been exjjosed. While the general appearance of the main groups is similar, in that almost all of the exterior walls are pan- eled with concrete bands or half timber, which repre- sent the horizontal and the vertical reinforcements in the walls, they are in some cases formed in the ordinary way by using terra cotta block reinforced and covered with concrete stucco on the exterior, the intermediate spaces being tilled in witli a \eneer of brick; while in other cases it is a true reinforced concrete skeleton build- ing in which panels are formed by the erection of pre- cast tubular concrete timbers reinforced and filled after erection at the building. This method of construction — the employment of what may be called permanent molds — is the intermediate step between the ordinary in situ process of concrete construction and the factory-made sectional system illustrated in the figures of the group of 11 houses erected and now occupied for something- over a year at Forest Hills Gardens. It will be best to preface the description of this group of pre-cast houses with a visit to tlie factory where the units are made. From the easting shed or head house an overhead electric crane runs out through the storage yard, where "wall, floor and other sectioirs are stacked riady for transportation on small cars running over ;in industrial railroad to the building site. The entire process — manufacture, transportation and erection — involves onlv three necessarv handlings of the I'll.. 7 — Gnorr _', ]''oi!i:s'j' Hills Gmiiilxs, L. I. Of tills group tlie 10 Miiail liou^cs wi-re erected under -Mr. AttcrburN-'s system of hollow sectional concrete construction, the four larger ones being composite in type, with roofs, floors, and partitions of various fireproof metliods of construction. CONCBETE HOUSES Al units. After being poured from the mixer into llie steel molds and partially hardened, the sections arc lifted out on false bottoms by the electric crane and finished wliile still green; as soon as tliey are hardeued they are lifted oft' the false bottoms and ]>laeed on Ihe I raiisportation cars in the storage yard, to be handhd for llic third and last time ivhen they ari' picked otl' the lars aud set in their proper places in the building by the la-ecting crane. The actual time during wbicli labor is put upon these sections, from the gra\'cl bin to tlieir completion in the building, amounts ' to less than fi\e hours. The miui- uuuu time tor seasouing, duriug which no labor is )nit upon the bUiek, is approxin^ateh' three days for the wall units .lud oni' week for the Hoor sections. Repl.aeeuients were actual- ly made and set in the buildings within three days at Forest Hills and •20' floor sections have been handled one week after casting. A longer time, normally, sluudd, of course, bi' allowed for manufacturing and sea- soning. 15ut with a piroper plant and o;ood conditions, the erection work can begin within two weeks after the conunencement of manufacture. This includes the time necessary to finish comiiletely both the exterior and the interior of the wall sections, for the sx-stem contemplates the omission of h-.th, plaster and interior trim, the section being molded on the interior side so as to form panels in the walls of the rooms. The process of erection is designed so as to eliminate as much as possi- ■ble the scatt'olds, temporary supports and the waste time consequent upon the ordinary construction, where one trade follows another and is more or less deiJcndent upon prompt co- oi)eration. In this o))eration the time occupied in lifting the block from the trans- portation c:u- .and placing it in posi- tion in the building, trued up and wedged re.idy for grouting, averaged about '20 miinites for each section. As a matter of fact, owing to the shajie of the group, it was impossible to kee]i the crane busy, since the greatest nuudier of houses erected at one time w.as five. On a straight group, where the crane could move readily u)! aud down the track, with- out having to be turned, the speed of erecfion could undoubtedly be doubled. Even under the existing conditions tlie records show that in the first operation, covering three small houses, the concrete shells were eom]ileted and ready for the finishing trades — (jlumbing, heating and painting — in six •.veeks from the laying of the foundations. This was at the r.ite of a house in two weeks, and was accomplished hx laborers who, with only one exception, had never before seen the system in operation. The second grou}) of four \?>' houses was erected in fi^'e weeks, or at the rate of a house in nine- davs. As the curing process occurs in the factory before be- Im. Di:tatt, of the Town' Ci;nti:k, avitif Towru ax]i .Vuciied Street * tkrS^hlll txs- , ..s^»/^^-««««. , i S f'iG. fl B \TC(IX\ . PaXEI.S Ol C'llIORI '^»t^ ft,5S^,5^KvS.^^&*«X«^-'" .-■ .SlTOWlM, t'sE (II' I'UE-CAsl' nECOHATlVE I^UUSIIED CoXCKETE '^ f i II Vi.caiii.vii AMI ('iii(iiua) CiiNCUETE ;\]i)SAic Backgrouxds jJ [^ I ginning ereclion, the speed of ereetinu and completion under this system can be pushed to its economic limit. It is c\idcnt from the records of the demonstration at forest Hills Gardens that sectional houses in groups can be erected at the rate of one a week and completed by the finishing trades, ready for oecu])aney, in two months from the first delivery of sections ,at the site. In the buildings at Forest Hills, which had to be finished to correspond witli the high class structures adjacent to !i2 CONCRETE HOUSES Fig. 10-13 — Views at I^'actohy ior Pre- cast L'-VITS AT r'oREST HlIJ.S tliem, seven weeks, or eight weeks, w'ere spent in finishing und deeorating the interiors. While in a majority of the liouses the interior snrfaces of the walls are all of concrete, as before explained, cer- tain of the houses are ])lastered directly on the wall sec- tions and ha\e floors eonstrncted of pre-cast concrete beams. These concrete beams had on top and bottom a surfacing of a cementitious nailing mixture into which Hoors and latl)ing were nailed. The same product of the factory was used on tlie roofs as a nailing surface to re- ceive the tile. Among otlier Ijy-produets of the demonstration work 17-1!) — Detail \'ik\\s of Pre-cast lloi'SEs UxiiER Construction at the factory there has also been develoj)ed a hollow wet process concrete block, with a brushed surface of ordinary hand unit size, for use in buildings not per- mitting the introduction of the large and undoubtedly more economic standard sections. ^^'llile the factory has thus been used for all the va- rious products employed at Forest Hills Gardens, the plant, as was to be expected, has not j ustified itself com- mercially through the products utilized so far in the buildings erected with pre-cast units. So much of the work done has been pioneering, with such large expenditures to be made and remade in various undertakings which were purely experimental, that Mr. Atterbury's achievements in the Sage Foundation under- taking are more a contribution to the science of build- ing with pre-cast miits than a successful investment in the immediate work described. Mr. Atterburv believes COXCHlJrE HO I 'SES 4-3 tliat in spitf iit' .uiNtTsi' ciuulitions tlie (■(iiniiieri'i.il pos- sibility lias been (IcniDnst.raterl, so as to be available in fiirtlier un(lertakini;s wliieb are of suffieient magnitude to Avarraiit the "wholesale" methods inx'oh'ed. One of the ])reliniinarv deeisions arrived at in con- neetion with the ma.nut'aeture and use of large wall and floor iniits was this: In order to make it praeticable to ado|)t a really seientitie and eeonomie design, all nnits were to be east and subsequently bandied in the same ]iosition as tliat in wbicli they were to be put. under stress in tlie building itself. Tbc floor units were thus made horizontally and the wall units were cast vertieally. The molds for tbe wall iniits were in a ])it and were faeed by tbe >ise of a dividing jilate with tbe special facing mixture on one side, backed u|i on the other with the regular mixture. This in all eases was ]ioured wet. The molds ,are of steel, the sides hinged at the bottom ,uul adjust.able for diflfcrent thicknesses of slab. Both floor and wall molds were equip)icd with collapsible or tapered cores, wliieh were steam heated for rapid curing of the wet mix. ]5y this method it was found actually possible to remove a one-ton wall slab vertically from the nuilds in two hours after jiouring. but this was obviously undesirable, as the great heat required "cooked" the con- crete so as to deprive it of much of its strength. In liractice each mold was ne\(r used more than twice in '2 t hours. Floor slabs were usuallv 1 I' lona:, .'i' wide and 10" thick. Wall si. lbs were usually S' 6" high, 6' wide and 9" thick, cored and having 2-^4" webs and outer and inner shells l|^" thick. In the earlier demonstrations the average wall sec- tions weighed a little less than 1 ton, being the equiva- lent of from 1,200 to 1,.'500 brick laid in an 8" w.all. Experiments, however, showed tb.at still greater economy could be effected hy increasing the size of the nnits, which now run from one ton to three tons in wei tons with a swing of 270", a iO' hoist and a lO' clear reach, so that it could put tlie chimney to])s on this group of houses, sub- stantially equivalent to three stories in height. It is obvious that such an equipment and layout are too elab- orate for economy in any but large operations, the der- rick alone costing $7,000 or $8,000. The subse(|uent illustr.ations of the process of erection need very little further ex])Ianation. The electric er.ane, ojierating above the storage yards, lifted the foundation block onto cars which followed the tracks laid down for tbe derrick, and were relieved bv it of their burden, which was swung into place on the footings already preji.ared. When all the foundation walls were in place they were bedded solidly upon their footings b}' grouting from on top tlirough the core holes and by this method also the tongue- and-groove joint was made perfect. In this group all joints were later coated from the outside with oakum and pointed up over it. In the original experimental house erected, the floor and wall sections contain rabbets, so as to give a mechan- ical obstruction to leakage from the outside. This was entirely satisfactory ; and in the second house an ex- periment of omitting thi.s- mechanical lock was tried in order still further to economize in the cost of manufac- ture. For more than a year there was no trouble, even under these conditions, and in view of that experience the same design w.as adopted fen- the group at Forest Hills Gardens. Later on, however, trouble was expe- rienced with these straight joints; and as it was too late to modify the design the caulking process was resorted to in order to avoid any trouble of this nature. Ob- viously in future operations the rabbet will again be in- troduced, experience having shown that the only vulnera- ble point is the joints, and almost entirely in the hori- zontal ones. In no case has experience shown that damp- ness has made its way through ])roperly cast hollow wall sections of the design here illustrated. In placing the units, the crane actually handled 2,000 cu. ft. in a da^^, not working by any means to its full capacity, but handling all the units which could be placed and grouted by eight men. Two of these men attended to placing and six to grouting. When the basement tier of w.all sections had been set and grouted the floor slabs were in turn hooked up by the four corners and laid in their proper positions on the basement slabs and simil.arly grouted in place. The outermost floor slabs show through the wall, )iroject over it a little and are ]irovided with a wash and drip. The exposed surface was usually arranged to a closed side. CONCRETE HOUSES Ill i i» "i 1" li! '!ivi_l ^fl Till _f!5^^ Fics. Jn. 2\ AXD 2J — At Leit anj) Amni:, 'I'wd \i)\-.\NC'Fi) STA(;i:s ix Pitocriiiss oi- i''i{i:ti KIN Aiii: Shown, axu at Uiciri-, ■iiii; CuiiKi) W'ai.i, axi] Ki.odh L'xitk Aki: Ci.i:a[{i.y Siiowx but when the iiatiirally ccircd end of the sh-ib was '-xposed it was pluggL-d and finislu-d like a 'ide adjoiiiiiig floor shibs and its ends and sides were anchored togetlier witli iron stra[)s let in and li routed. Abutting ends were grouted together and for this ])urpose thin slicet met;il caps were jilaeed over tlie up])er ends of the wall slabs which carried th( in so as to hold the grout. U))per walls and floors were similarly constructed. ^^'all slabs adjoining an opening have a groove toward it into which ^v^ re slipped wooden window and door frames. It will be noted that everv floor shows tlirough and that every feature of construction writes itself on the outside of the building so that he who runs xaAy read. This is the gosjjel of arcliitecture and it has scarcely ci er been so closeh' attained in anything but a concrete building. Pre-casting eoiu.u-ete sl.abs insures scientifically placed reinforcement, uniform setting and sutfieient curing. It is attended by none of the difliculties of adverse weather conditions, untrueuess of forms and unprejiaredness for load carrying which are the nightmares of the monolith. It makes possible the use of casting machinery and standard molds, so as to avoid all wastage of all kinds incident to ordinary casting work in situ; it permits^ as well, a reduction of the factcn- of safety to a more scientific point both in materials and design; it offers opportunity for all the economies incident to factory conditions. C^uite apart from its economic aspects, its stability and its fireproofness — properties common of course to all properly built concrete structures, it is evident from the demonstration described that there is a further dis- tinct advantage in the important saving in time accom- plished under any system which manufactures a house substantially in the factory instead of on the scaffold, as has been the ordinary custom. Up to the present Mr. Atterbury's s^-stem of standardized hollow sectional con- struction recjuires a plant incompatible with economy in small operations, but the same might once have been said about erecting structural steel. To an arcliitcct the most satisfying thing about this crescent of concrete dwellings, set in sharp competition as to appearance with some of the best small suburban houses in America, is that the group holds its own in color, texture and design in spite of the fact that it is composed of "standard" sections made out of ordinary sand, gravel and cement. 281 Fireproof Dwellings Built of Larp'e Precast Concrete Units' ]5v IIarvky Wiiu'ple I'llHTOIl CoNCItr.TK 111 iii;iiiy I'c'sincls the most. iiii|irts.sivf industrial lious- iiig' dt'\t'lopiiifiit. ill Aiueriu.i is to be sctu at East Yountijs- towii, Ohio, ill tlio '281 concrete dwelliiiiis erected by tlie Unit t'onstruction Co., St. I.oiiis, for the Yoiingstown ^CuxcuiTE, January, Hil9. Sheet & Tube fo. This is not an unquaJified statement that the precise methods of concrete construction em])loyed represent the last word in a whok'sale nndcrtaking- for the construction of flre|)roof dwellings. The fact remains that in this ])articular case '281 concrete dwellings of two, three and four rooms each are there — a solid and an attractive fact. The fiiiisliing touclies are now being put on the Last J,'!,5 of the number. The permanent and solid asijcct of the develojjinent stands out above everything else. Yet the degree of attractiveness which has been achii'vcd is particularly sur)irisiiig, in \ ii'W of the fact that duplication of design is an essezitial fundamental of the methods employed. This work was described, from a eiuistruction stand- point cliieflj', in a detailed article in these pages one Fig. 1 — Layout of Housing Dr.vET.opivrENT of the Buckeye Land Co. for Youncstoivn Sheet & Turn: Co. Ejiit.oyees; De- signs IIY CoNZEI.IMAN, HeRDING & BoYD ; CoNSTRUCTON BY UnTT CONSTRUCTION Co. /,0 CO^' CRETE HOUSES FlOS, .' AXD EllECTION ijr I'jK; PllK-CAST CoNC'liETE L'nITS IN' IT "I'lirN'iisTnwN, Ohio year :i'^<).- At that time ten of' tlic tir>t firouii of I Ki dwellings were ncaring eomiiletion. witli |)arts cast and ill the vard ])ractically ready tor setting up of .10 more dwellings. With that .artich' typieal plans w-re Jjre- sented; a lavout of the de\-elopment w.as shown, and construction methods in casting and handling the large units were described and illustrated. The first group for foreign labor — was conijileted in the autumn of 1918, but before th.at time work had been begun on the second group of 1.S.5 dwelling.s, comprising the negro colony, and these, in December, 1918, were receiving the finishing touches of paint and plaster. Briefly summarizing the construction methods de- scribed "in the previous article;: the Youngstown enter- prise was the first use of the Unit Construction Co.'s patents and methods in house construction. A similar idea was, however, applied and worked out with notable architectural success several years previous in Uie work of Grosvenor Atterbury at Seawarren and at Forest Hills Gardens, both of these operations having been described in this magazine. At the basis of the Unit company's -CONCRLTE, Jan., 191S. p. 3. oi)erations is the fact that in a central manufacturing vard large standardized units are cast in simple hori- zontal n^olds — one unit being sufficient for half or for ,in i-ntire side wall one story high, of a single dwelling, or for the entire floor of one room. These units weigh from half a ton to six tons; are loaded with a locomotive er.ane from the casting area to storage spaces and to five-ton motor trucks, which convey them to the place of erection, where thev are ]ilaced by means of a big mova- ble hoist. The Unit Construction Co.'s work heretofore had been applied chiefiy to industrial structures, to train sheds, to railway bridges and other work of similar cliaracter. In ap))lying tliese special methods to the construction of liouses, the new element lay in the addition of furring, hath and plaster on the inside and of paint to the outside surfaces. In the manufacture of the standardized units tne cen- ter of operations is in the mixing plant, the concrete being elevated in a tower and deposited through a chute into a car on a tramway, which serves the casting yard. The concrete is of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and -i parts slag. The mix is dumped from a 6 cu. ft. push cart, hand operated by two men on the tramway, which traverses the casting yard, to short chutes convej'ing the mix by gravity to the unit molds on either side of the track through several hundred feet of casting alle_vs. The entire structures in the housing enterprise are of j)recast units, except for 8" footings, which are cast in ])lace. The exterior wall slabs are of rib design (.3" sl.ab with ribs projecting i", 16" o. c. — see details) ; are usually of story height and of a length equal to a room or entire side wall dimension. They are rabbeted at the ends, so th.at adjacent slabs as set provide spaces for sealing with grout. Ribs, giving a total wall thickness of 7 ', were in the early part of the ojicration formed by boards and sand cores, after the 3" sLab concrete was screeded. The easting method was reversed, how- ever, and ribs are now formed at the bottom and the out- side surface of slab troweled on to]5. Furring strips, asphaltum ))ainted on the back side, are anchored by nails to the ribs when slab is cast. Partition walls were first made tubular, the vertical coring being provided by means of form boxes set in the slab forms as the con- crete was poured, these being withdrawn, the spaces filled with sand and the sand later removed by washing with a hose. Changes in casting methods were made when R. J. Blackburn succeeded to the position of resident engineer in charge of the operation, in Februarv. ]()18. It was found possible to S)3eed up the work considerablv by casting the exterior slabs with the rib side rather than the slab side down. The use of tubidar will slabs was discontinued, as it was found that the economy of concrete by making the slabs tubular was more than counterb.alanced by the extra labor. Partition slabs are therefore made 6" thick solid, instead of 8", where thev serve as bearing walls in the structure. The floor slabs are beamed, the panels being -1^" thick. These are cast ceiling side down, over well finished wood cores, de- signed to give a molded trim around the edge of each panel adjacent to the beams. The floor slabs are rab- beted at the outer edge so as to fit over the wall slabs, anchoring the work. Window and door openings are rabbeted and provided with wood nailing blocks cast in. Sills, to get a better finish, are separately cast. Chim- nevs are east vertically with vitrified flue in place, and are rabbetted to anchor with the unit slabs when grouted in. Hooks for lifting are cast in the units and cured parts are lifted by a locomotive crane operated on a track throughout the casting area, first to racks (a verti- cal numbered filing system between stout posts), then CONCliETK HOUSES c£)T.r,^£r £'L£^'^'fT/QA/ (/tfXJ>£/y £l£/jr/CA/ ■ '^■{yy /'laoK^ &jj-£Af£.yr Jfcoyo f2,oo/{^ c5f cjr/oA/ Fig. -I — Plans, F.i.EVATinxs anii Skctions Tvi'icai, -l-Roosr Hi Bei.oav a 4-Room PijVN" KIodipikd for Two Families to fi\e-ton trucks wliicli dclivfr tlir units to tlic iuiuit- diate scene of erection, where tlie_v are picked up by a hoist, each of whose three legs is set on rolhrs and eounterweiglited with gravel in the cylindrical hoppers shown in the illustration, reiiroduced from the January, 191 8, issue. When the house units are assembled, set, anchored, and grouted, the tinish is not elaborate. Frames are nailed to the blocks i)ro\'ided at ojieniiigs, wedged, calked witli oakum and plastered over to a neat finish. The inside surface of exterior walls is lathed and plastered over the furring on tlu' wall ribs; wood floors are laid on .slceiiers over the unit sl.abs ; interior partition sur- faces, plastered exterior wall surfaces and ceilings are painted. The layout of the housing enterprise is illustrated, the later group, for negro labor, being practically sluit oft' iiy the .arrangement of the streets from the group first erected, for foreign labor, h'urtlier deveh)pnient for the ultimate housing of about (iOO families is in prospect, witli a town center including several public buildings. Plans of a tyiiical fiuir-room house, I6' x '-11' , are shown, together with a ]>age of details including plans, elevations and sections, showing the unit scheme of con- struction. Since the fundamental requirement for econ- A/TC/f£A/ A/oT ^xc^L'^reD TKTl J^COA/D floo^ /LlAI f;/UT /zax. fiAA/ 0/IJfM£Nr /t/lA/' oniy in operation in tliis method of construction, is the du])lication of units to as great an extent as possible, the houses are of but few types,, monotony and constant rejietition being obviated in the layout by irregularitj^ of streets, general spacing of house groups and by stepping of house grou))s in the pl.ans, as shown in the pl.an of layout, and also by tlie unequal tojiograpliv of tlic com- munity, with steep grades and a welcome necessity for stepping tlie construction from one grade to another. Tliis especially lends a great deal of charm to tlie com- ]ileted work. This is shown in some of the illustrations from pliotographs. The development h.is been handled by Conzelman, Herding and Boyd, architects and town pl.anners. The construction is done by tlie Unit Construction Co., for the Buckeye Land Co., wliieh is handling the develop- ment as a subsidiary of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. Wliat has been achieved tlius far is in some '-Pleasure indicated by the illustrations from tlie photograjilis taken the latter ])art of December. These incturcs show the completed houses in the first group, (Ui which work was begun in .Tuly, 1.017, and completed in the early fall of I9IS. A further idea of the grouping and gener.-l char- acter of the development, with its ultimate planning, is indicated in tlic architects' sketches. Under Mr. Blackburn's direction concrete work was started after the winter shut-down, early in March, and continued until October. In th.at jieriod, during which the remaining units for the IK) dwellings in the first 48 CONCRETE HOUSES Vic. 5 — A ()iR Co. Fn:. 6 — Castixg Yard; Thack FOR Locomotive Crane at Left; Casting Area and Tbajiway AT Rkjfit, with '1'o^\'er in BACKf.ROrXD I-'id. 7 — A Near View of 3L)Lus FOR Unit Sears l^K ^'i^ Idk C()N( liETE HOVSES r-'> TfPlCAL'lMTfflCE^Ml •TYPL-l-E)' •fOR-THt- maixhimxxo 'Y0[iMG5T0WAI'0ttlO' comimw "Mdiwg -doyd AB:ttlTtCT:5iNGlM[EP-5^i-TOWH-PUWNET.j ' COAliTVJJCT 1 WG 'EMG 1 Mllf S - ■5AIMT'L0JMS' DEAWIMG-)UJMBtt.-E.-lll <;_ _ r-^ > .^ , ^-. ^ ____,.. _ 1 — i1 j __ ^-- ;JI H ' — 1 r i' •^ ; 'I i ; 1 1 1 1 >! 1 if , ' h : iJ '■ unnuL 1 ^^ rn -^ ' r 1 : i i 1 I ! 1 ■i 1 1 1 i j 1 \n i_J ■ n --, --1 r_i ~" 5 LC 0,M D • FtOOTi, • P L A M ' ■fOONOATIOM • PlAM- 'Tl-E.oT'TLOO-Si.- PLAW' 10 CONCRETE HOUSES group niid for the 13.0 dwi-lliiigs in the srcoiul group were finished, an average of CiO yds. of concrete was poured each daj^ and only i'our d;iys missed, including the Fourth of July, two days of h.ird r.iin and one d.-iy when the electric power w;is shut off. The setting up of the unit.s was completed in Xovemher. resulting in pro- ducing in tlie period of 0|)tration ;iu average of two dwellings a dav. In the construction of the second gr(ui]) of houses, for negro labor, the ])l;uis were reversed, making wluit was the front of the hcuises in the first grou)), the re.ir of the houses in tiie second grou|i. This was done for tlie purpose of making the dwell- ings of this colony face en- tirely upon themselves in .-i separate rect.angle, and for economy in service features, .sueh as pavements. Another dej)arture in tlie s e e o n il group of houses was in pro- viding for some of tlie ten- ants two two-room .i])art- nients in what was (U-igin.ally planned for ,a four - room dwelling. The t\vo-rooui apartment on the second Hoor has entrance to the iiasianent coal bin from the outside while the remainder of the basement, including a bath- room, is for the occupants of the first story apartment. The upstairs apartment has its rear room with kitclien plumbing, and its st.iir and entrance are indejiendent of the first floor rooms. Some speci.il architectur.al touclies are found in this development in tlie following items: The lioiises are entirely fireproof (except for tlie wood floors orer concrete slabs, and a small amount of in- terior trim), uj) to the ceiling of the second floor. This ceihno; is a fireproof slab and lias ventilators with grat- ings under tlie eaves. The roof framing, an entirely false struc- ture, is wood and the roofs are covered with red clay tile. In some eases tlie g.able ends are of fr.'ime construction and painted witli a different color from the wall surfaces. Exterior wall surfaces ;ire covered with two coats of cement jiaiiit and window blinds painted green or brown .add an attractive touch. Around the steps, jiorehes and terraces good use has been made of all of the loose stone which has been found on the site, in assisting the shrubbery planting in lire.aking up and adding variety to the landscape. The thorough weatherproofness of the construction is very well illustrated in tlie fact that after the ceiling slabs had been finished up on one group of houses and th. before the roof had been closed in. there was a hard rain so that the ceiling slabs became temporary cisterns, with several inches of water. This was on houses that (}therwisc were fini.shed, plastered and painted inside. Tlie water stood there for two or three weeks, even after the roof w;is finished, until the scuppers were finally ojiened .■ind the flood released. No damage resulted. Houses .are to be heated by first floor sto\'es, with regis- ters in ceiling to second floor. Although no detailed cost figures h.ive yet been made public in regard to this work, it is understood that on the first grou]) of 1 Ki dwellings the finished cost was abmit .%'J,.'JO() per family. On the second groui) of dwell- ings the cost li.-is been considerably reduced, ;uid it is believed that the_v will be finished up at about .$2,';(J0 per f.amily. Rentals .are being made on a basis of $.').()(.) per room per month. Ill tlie first grouji ;ire 7i 1-room dwellings and 72 ."-room dwellings; in the second grou]), 2.0 l-roorn dwell- ings, 80 .'S-room, .'!() 2-room — a total of 281 dwellings and .QliJ rooms. Placli dwelling or apartment has basement and bath. The ultimate cost ))er dwelling will depend upon whether or not the plant continues in operation for further construction in the same enterprise. In connection with costs, it is interesting tli.at what has been ac- c m 15 lished has oeeii un- der certain serious han- dicaps. Not- able among these — not to mention the labor situa- tion — is the fact that ma- terials have been delivered on the .job at an excessive cost for hauling. The work is on top of a hill — the only .ajjproaeh . by a steep gr.adc — so that, .according to .Mr. IJlackburn, everv ton of material delivered from a r.iilw.ay siding ,at .a distance less than a mile h.as borne a h.aalin^ cost for th.it distance of .^1.2.5 a ton. The methods used on this work, ui.iking and iiandling ])recast house units of m.iximum size, .and of ,a high degree of ])ainst;ik- ing stand.ardization, are not adapted to use in small enterprises. I-'ifty houses in ,a single group ])rob,ably rein-eseiit ;i min- imum undertaking to war- rant the outl.iy for |)lant equipment .and to permit suflieient dui)lie.ation to insure economy. Even a fifty-house grou]) could be ex])ected to prove satisf.actory from a cost standpoint only under favor.able conditions as to m.aterials and labor. It is only in a relatively large oper.ition that there could be any hope to de^'elojj that organization and fac- tory system of jiroduction which is essential to the re;il- iz.ition of the big unit system's special advant.-iges. CONCRETE HOUSES 51 Further Details, Unit Built Houses at Forest Hills The two articles immediately preceding — the work of Grosvenor Atterbury at Forest Hills and that of the Unit Construction Co. at Youngstown — give interest to the accompanying illustrations of more recent work at Forest Hills in which the Unit Construction T'o. and Grosvenor Atterbury effected a combination of their methods, which, due to several special causes (notably war conditions in inability to get suitable materials for brushed surfaces) was not entirely satisfactory in its results. Mr. Atterbury's idea has been to cast each unit in the position which it would ultimately take in the structure. Floor units were cast horizontally, were handled horizon- tally, and were placed horizontally, while wall units were cast vertically. Another essential difference between the operations of Mr. Atterbury and the Unit company is in the fact that Mr. Atterbury aims at attractive surfaces, which require no subsequent treatment on the outside and nothing but paint on the inside, a special facing mixture being used on the exposed surfaces of the units, with an aggregate whose character will give attractive results in color and texture — results by mere brushing and washing while the unit is still green. The work done by Mr. Atterbury at Forest Hills Gardens will for a long time stand as an incentive to and an example of the realiza- tion of the aesthetic in concrete surfaces and decorative treatment, but it has not fully developed its practica- bility from an economical viewpoint. Further develop- ments may be looked for in combining the advantages in these two separate ideas in the utilization of large pre- cast units in construction, since in the last 3'ear or two the Standardized Housing Corporation, under the archi- tectural direction of Mr. Atterbury, is continuing the work wliich he began for the .Sage Foundation Homes Co. New work at Forest Hills is continuing with the former methods for producing finished surfaces archi- teeturally acceptable and of easting the vertical units in vertical molds. The work in the accompanying illustrations, which show the manufacturing and erecting methods, was char- acterized by surfaces so unsatisfactorv as brushed out, using poorly sized aggregates, that stucco was applied. The Standardized Housing CoriJoration is continuing its work, redesigning manufacturing and erecting methods. CONCRETE HOUSES Fig. 3 — A Wai.t, Unit Being Lifted dy a Crane iuoji a SrKEi, .Miii.u Het ix a Pit Under the I'Lutiit Fin. ."3- -Ck-\neu-.vy in Yard of Forest Hii.ls Plant ( ONCIiETK HO I JSES Kins. 4-1 1 — M A X II F A C - r IRIX G A N I) J'JIIXTIOX Ol'- Kri ATKJKS (I) Ho]i]H'r of concrete iiioimt- ed on car (illcd at iiiixi r iiiKid<' ]) 1 a n t, f r o iii M'liich molds arc filU'd jn yard; (5) mold .set up for reinforced concrete grill for galde ends; (()) dormer sec- tions cast in sjH'cial w o d molds; ( T ) foundations lic- ing set; (8) lifting a floor slab; (9 and 10) lifting wall sec- tion from truck; (II) attic level — dormers and chimney tops (see also l-'ig. 13). CONCRETE HO USES Fios. 13-19 — ]j A R G r; Ux]T ISliii.t IIOIJSKS — KuRTIIEIi De- 'i'Air.s THAT May 15 E C r, i: A H - [, Y U X I) E R - STOOD rno.M Pre- vrors li.i.rsTUA- ■I'lOXS Building Concrete Industrial Houses by Harms System in France' Ih' 1 IlONin' J. 1 I ARMS, .111. The .-uithors' first lioiises were built; 1. To i)rove beyond a doubt tlie i)ossibility to pour or c'.'Lst a eoniplete liouse in one continuous operation. '2. To obtain tlie nccess/iry data for the calcuL'ition of costs. As :\ matter of fact, tlie unknown factors were: (a). Tlie~ number of hours necessary for the c(m- struction of houses, nsing- our methods. (b). Average price of labor. (c). Number of hours necessary for tlie toucliing up and finishing, after the pouring. All other items entering in the calculation of the costs are the same as for ordinary construction. Each item is treated separately, in the order given, and for simplicity will refer to the house .ns illustr;ited and of whicli 19 were built at Salindres. The houses described do not, it is .admitted, take full advantage of the asthetic possibilities that lie in concrete industrial houses, but the designs were furnished bv our clients, who might h,-ive secured even better results :\t no increase in cost. The work is done with the Harms-Sui.iU system of metal forms, consisting of cast iron )ilates in unit sizes. The jirogress of work by this system has been recorded by Concrete in comprehensive articles,- tlie first of whicli described the ponring of an .all-concrete house ,-it Santpoort, Holland, in May, lyil. This four-room, two-story house, with the exception of prc-east floor and stair units, which were set in place in the forms, w.as poured complete in a single operation. This is the first known instance of :\ concrete house placed complete, in a single jiouring. The success of this experimental work led to the caiustruetion of several hundred houses. \Vii.\T H.\s Been Done After the first house in Santpoort, Holland (I!)ll), tlie second house, in l.n Ph'unc, St. Denis, France, I!M'2, followed by some other small ajiplications, which we eoiisidi-r ,as experiments and a tr.aining school, the fol- lowing works were executed: At Salindri's,' (i.-ird, .'57 houses, forming 1 Ij. dwellings, with the s.ame number of little sheds, .and concrete eii- 'Friiin ai"tit-los in Concukte, .[an.. Fell., and Mar,, ISIIS, '-('ciiiciit .-l;/r. Fell., nil'.', p. lill, and CoNTiikri-:. May, liilll. ^1(1 miles nortli uf Xinu's, in .Sontlieast I-'i-.uuo. closing w.ills, the whole forming ,-i workm.an's citv for the Cic lies Produits Chimicjues d'iVlais ct dc Cammargue. ]n ,Iuly, 1!)11', when w.ir broke out, this first industrial ;ip]ilic;ition of the H-S system was Hearing its success- ful com|)Iction. The war interrui)ted the work, but only .■I year hater work was st.arted .ag.ain, with an entirely new crew. At Lille, Fr.uiee, 22H dwellings, grou])ed 6 bv 6, in two-story houses, for Crejiy and Fils, textile industry. ^\'ork st.arted in M.ay, 1!)11', and on the outbreak of the war stoiiped. All materi.al (iJ.K) tons of molds, mixers, derricks, etc.) w.as lost, of course. Although greatly li.andicajiped by this loss of one-third of its plant and by the difficulties created by war, the company kept working ,as well ,is it could with the rest of the pl.aiit; the S.aliiidres job was at hast flnishcd in lyiO, and since then we ha\'e constructed: At li.asses-Indres ' (Loire-Infereiure) 2i houses, 52 dwellings, for the Cic des F^orges de Basses-Indrcs, en- tirelv finished. At St. Auban'' (Basses-Alpes) about 60 houses, form- ing about '200 dwellings fur the Cie des Produits Chi- miijucs d'Alais ct de Camargucs. A rejieat order. Is being flnishcd .at this time. Two sui.all ,jobs of about 20 houses each for the Cie de St. (iobain. Now in course of construction. [In order that Mr. H.arms' work, as he describes it in detail in succeeding issues, may be fullv understood, the former article in this ni.agaziue referred to is quoted liberally, since it described the essential features of the forms. Cast iron segmental plates are erected for an inner and outer wall. Ta]ier liolts are nsed wliieli not only hold the wall tiipetlier, Init act as spacers to keep llie molds at a nnlforni ciistanee. The liolts ,ire also usial to hold the reinforeiiig in jilaee until the concrete is e.-ist. The licjlt holes left wlien the centering is disniaiitleil are (illed uitli concrete. The Largest unit used is l(i" x ;!_'", and weighs 7,5 Ills. Ut-inforeiiig steel is pl.aeed ;iiid wired to the taiiercd holts going through the plates. 11 is of interest to mite that the bolt lioles are in the center of the plate sections. The meehanic ■ idj lists llie east-inin )ilates, using a pry e(|ni]i]ied with a sliding hook. The scaffolding on w !u(h he works is supported by ^Near Nantos, on Rivor Loire. Nortli France. 'Northeast of Marseilles, in Southeast France. '''CoNciiF.TK. ^tay, l!ii:!, p. iiiii. Fio. 1 — l^Airr or a Coxchtte Tewx Jcst Comiii iiu \i Smindris, 1 hanci, A .similar grouji at Liile (i^S dwellings) was lost with the cont r.ietor's cipiipnient in [he gre.it Ceinian drive of 191 f. CONCRETE HOUSES Fig. 2 -- Single Story Eir- pi.()Yi;ks' Hiu'Ses. Salixdiiks, FlIANGK K.uii Ijiiildiiif;' is poured at a single ojieratioii in east-iron forms. N(]te the industrial railway traek foi- handlint;' ma- terials, and the eomplete ali- senoe of const rnction riilibisli. .^^tsft. ' ^^ J» I. A C K . IillADV TO P(trR A House Kach plate is holled through th.- w:A\ nV its middle. A spe- cial crane han- dles the con- crete in buckets Nuiiiljerot Total Days Men H(»urs Krectioii s j :i 1,150 Pouriiis: •■! H 250 DisMiantliiio- s 7 000 Finisliing 8 C 520 2,520 The actual average time for .Oo houses as t.akeu from time sheets shows: Total Partial Ihtiirs Coefficient ICrectioji 1,001 2.72 I'liiiriiiK 2:!!) .013 Dismantling: -f''* ■*'**■> FillishinK 33 1 .855 Total l,i)03 4.88 iTntal wall surface, 3!l0 S(i. nieters.) While we had calculated with a co-efficient of 6Y2. the co-fticient obtained jiroves to be -1.88. We find therefore that in calculating time with a co-efficient of CA/s hours per sq. m. one has a safe margin of over lOy^. The Forms ^\'e abandoned the use of steel for forms in favor of east iron for the following reasons: (1) Pressed steel molds ha\e rounded corners, which leave hindersome marks; (2) assembled steel molds are very expensive; (3) steel and wood combinations we found iinjjractical, short lived and expensive; (4) steel rusts much easier than cast iron; (5) unless made ver}' heav_y, steel molds are much less rigid than cast iron, and require a greater number of stay bolts, leaving a greater number of holes to be filled after dismantling (with cast iron molds stay bolts are spaced 80 to 120 c. m. horizontally 2' 7',^" to 3' 11 ^/i" — and 10 cm. 1' S%" vertically)." On the other hand, molds of cast iron, the flanges of which are finished, have none of these faults. The}- are rigid and practically water-tight, are exact to measure, cheaper than steel, since all holes can be cored; tliey rust less easil}'; they leave a smooth surface, as is illus- trated by the following experience: Our work at Salindres was completely abandoned in ,hily, 1911. all the workmen being called under arms. A house liad just been poured; /mother one was being dism;mtled; a third one nearly completely erected. Af- ter about 12 months, and after jjassiug through a severe winter with much snow and rain, work was continued. To our great surprise we found that practicallv no dam- age had been caused by rust, not e\eu nn the first two houses, where the molds had all this time been in con- tact with the concrete. All sh;i])es are easily m.ade of east iron without add- ing much to the cost, while with stei-1 molds special sh.apes for cornices, etc. (must be made of wood). Our Largest molds measure l.'j x 80 c. m. (about 18" hy 32"), and weigh about 38 kms. (80 lbs.). The small- est plate measures 15 x l.'j cm. (6" x 6"), and between these two we have all intermediate sizes, with intervals in each dimension of 5 cm. Further, we use inside cor- ner molds of heights corresponding to the various heights of the molds ,and m/iking corners of 10 x 20 or CONCRETE HOUSES 57 l''lGS. t AND 5 -C O X C II i: T K HOUSKS UnDKR CONSTIUH'TKIN AT Sai,i\iiim;s, l''llANl|.: A'irw's were t:ikcii i-vactly one woc-k iij>;irl, jiiul nIiow pi'dnTcss of two luiiiscs in lliat week. This WHS (liiriiif;' llic I'diirlli week after acliial liiiildiiif^- lii- ii:m oil the Saliiulrcs job. 1x15 cms. ^^V' have also inside and outside cornice molds, with their inside and outside corner plates, all So cm. high. We use steel only for the plates closing door and win- dow openings (Fig. 6), and for the molds forming the hollow space vnider windows for the sills, which are cast in place after dismantling, using wooden or steel molds. In our calculations for this work we had estimated that after each pouring the molds would have to be cleaned and oiled, just as on the previous small jobs. Practice proved that the only molds that needed cleaning were those that are accidentally soiled. Otherwise, the inner surface is clean and the molds can be used for the next liouse immediately. Oiling is necessary onlv every third or fourth pouring. The Concrete The concrete was a special, easily flowing, homogen- eous mix and was described in a previous article in Con- crete as follows: All essential is that llie eoiua-ele itself sliall flow very read- ily. To the usual eonerele mix, 1:3:3, using stone or'gravel, a certain quantity of clay is added by dissolving it in the water used for gauging the concrete. The clay so used is the definite factor, as the addition of it to the water is governed by means of the 'hydrometer. It is this addition of the clay that allows the concrete to be of siieh eomjiosition that it is very fluid and at the same time remains homogeneous and very dense. Tlie addition of the clay contriliutes to the density of the con- crete, for it fills the voids in the cement in a manner almost ])arallcl to the way in which the cement fills the voids in the sand and stone. AVhile this mixture is richer than is ordinarily used, it is worth while, for it has been found tliat the concrete produced is im]iervious to water. From tests made at a French labora- tory, by H. Mesnager, chief engineer of bridges and public works, France, this concrete gave very satisfactory results in both compression and adhesion. It crushed at the age of 7 days at 75 kg. per sq. era. (1.0G5 lbs. per sq. in.). This is equivalent to requirements in Paris for soft building stone. BuiLDiN(; Metiious on the Salindres Group Tlie Salindres group consists of 57 houses, each house forming two dwellings, entirely independent of each other, each ha\ing its own entrance, garden, cellar, out- Fro. 6 — Map of tjie CiRoi'P of CoNcitj-yrE Houses at Sai.indhes BJTTin >i' lo o o rm 'f m f it -iTLfri fS5] .^ m°i To \' jiSEfi^jenfi'liai ) o 7 o .1 XI im \ ®lT-',0 lOl Gi, 0^,1^1 \Q> Q>\ . Ol ^"^(T) fr, ^n. 58 CONCRETE HOUSES sii^!i2i \tfe --Sfe -4i-/'!r- h^ O I gr ;-^!'^^'.m.J CM't.yBe/Ei Fig. 7 — Plans of Type 1 HousF,, Satjxdhks This is tlio house on wliicli da'ja Id he given are particularly hased. Three different t^'pes of houses liouses, two l-room apartments houses, one .'5 and one --room houses, one 2 and one 3-room house with toilet, etc. were built, viz. : 19 Tvpe 1 — 8-room (Fig. 7J. 18 Type 2 — 5 -room apartment. 20 Type 3 — 5 -room apartment (Fig. 8). The general la_yout is clearly shown on tlie plan (Fig. 6), which also shows clearly tlie location of the workmen-city with regards to the factory- .and the vil- lage. The lowest part of tlie ground follows rouglily the little brook, traversing the jilot diagonally. Frcnn the brook toward the village the ground rvnis about level, also on the otlier side of tlie brook, between A\enues 1 and 2. vVbove Avenue 2 the ground slopes rapidly to- ward the road shown. We located the power plant, office, storehouses, etc., on the high spot, as indicated ; the jiower plant, inde- pendent of the other buildings, consisted of a 20 h. p. locomobile, driving a 2,1 h. p. dynamo, this being ample to furnish power for the large concrete mixer, traveling derrick, stone cruslier and some little auxiliary machin- ery. The blac'ksmith shop was located between the office and the power house, and the Hoor beams, were fabricated and stored where shown (Fig. 6). Our intentions were to start with house A and work down A\-enue t, move to house B, and work down Ave- nue ?i, etc., all the time working down and toward the freight station, the point where our plant and material arrived and from which it later had to leave. Unhappilj^ the foundry did not furnish the molds as quickly as prom- islicd, and after house A had been poured we had to juiiiji to Avenue 2, house C, having enough molds to build Ty|)e 2 houses but lacked some for the other tvpes. On reaching Street 3 we had received enough molds to build all the types of houses, .and since client desired very much to have the houses in main street. Avenue 3, ffnished .is quickly as possible, we again moved and started in A\enue 3 with house D. We then followed Fro. S— Plans of Type 3 UfM'SE, .SAI.lNltliES Tlie decorations sn<;-fresled liy the illustration were designed to be painted on. (8.40.^ L H<-lnacf: IF.-JnurS) m '4 D D w^ \3£LrwN /^Ifl y-A ( /^rr/i Y 3) Cloi -34-'-3f"(l0.fS„,]- CONCRETE HO I 'SES 69 our program, working down tliis avenue until finislied, skipping to Avenue i, house E, and working downward. Then we moved to Avenue '2, house 'id. and when this was finished started Avenue 1, house -F. We had also originally intended to i)our the out- houses and garden walls, with which each block is sur- rounded, at the same time as the houses, but lack of molds prevented us from doing so. and this work was executed separately, using a Smith mixer," electrically driven. No crane was used to hoist the concrete; the outhouses were onlv about 7' high and the concrete was poured with buckets banded to a man standing on a scaffold. Total area of building site is 1 1 acres. As stated, all the plant, etc., arrived at the freight station shown on the plan, from which we had laid porta- ble tracks, as shown, track 1 having a steep grade, (French railroad regulation prevented us from discharg- ing across the tracks.) We received our stone from the factor}' over track No. 2, from a quarry in the neighbor- hood supplying gas ovens ; they sent us all the undersized stone (below (Sl^")- ^^'^ crushed it to 1", using the crusher run and adding necessary river sand. We gen- erally added gravel, because the quarrjf did not supplj^ us fast enough with the neeessarv stone. We had planned to work with i sets of molds and 3 gangs, each with 14- erectors, eacli set of molds to be so composed as to enable us to construct any one of the three types of houses. According to our estimates, we would build with this organization seven houses per month. On account of difficulties in securing Tucn, we were never .able to have uu)re tlian oiu- gang of crcetcu's ; nev- ertheless, we lia\c had months in whicli eight houses have been ]«iurcd. I'.xperienci' taught us thai i'or houses of this kind (ground area not exceeding 1,000 sq. ft,), the number oi men in the erector's gang sliould not exceed 24, who will erect molds in less than 1 days. The work should be organized in such a manner that the various gangs follow each otiier regidarlj-, the whole scliedule being based on the speed of erection, starting with the cellar diggers, fourul.ation builders, etc., each gang doing but one special kind of work, as much as ])ossible on a bonus or piece work system. Our superintendent at Salindrcs, an Italian, intelligent and capable, grasped tlie spirit of orders given and was able to have them executed. It may interest contractors to know the make-up of our diff'erent gangs: Erection Gang — 1 gang boss, 6 erectors, 8 helpers. Pourinrj Gang — 1 derrick man, 1 mixer man, 1 gang boss on roof, 9 men. Dismantling Gang — 2 dismantlers, 2 helpers. As stated before, the time indicated for the erection comprehends : Normal transport of molds, representing at Salindrcs on an average 7% of the erection time (70 hours for house T_vpe 1 ) . The time indicated for pouring includes normal trans- port of mixer, derrick, etc. Also placing the ffoor beams and placing of shores under beams (left in place for 4 days), neeessar}' cleaning of machinery. Abnormal transport of molds and machinery — Certain allowance for abnormal moves must be made. At Salin- drcs we had 5 general displacements of 200, l6;5. 16.5, 220 and 330 j'ds. As the ground was not brought to grade, moving of derrick and mixer molds was diffncult, took more time and cost more money th.an if the ground had been properly pre|iared. Tlie average time of these moves was: Molds (200 tons), 500 hours; machines, 17a hours. Fig. !) — MoLBS of Wixdow (Door ix Background), Showing Steei Pi \tes FOR Closing Oi'Kntsg Bet^tiv Moids Fig. 10 — Cored Space Under Window, WITH Mold Lying on the Window t^'t( 11 1 Hi! id CdNtRITI FRDIl MlXFR I'll. LING 11\\. Bl.CIO^TS Fig. 12 — Duuiping the Bfcket ox Roof Over a Partition Opening Img 13 — The Position of Crane and MixFR IN THE Center of the Street to I'orR T«ii HiirsES froji One I^osition Fig. 14 — .Vvknue 3, Looking F'i'hill Laying concrete gutters and sidewalk. GO CONCRETE HOUSES Plant and Machinery Various improvements have been made on the molds, but the war prevented tlie ordering of new material. These improvements will inerease the speed, which will also be inereased by liavinp; '2 or ;i ereetiurr gangs work- /Va^m/s n^i3H !•• 15 — Detau, 01' liiinv L'oN's'ntrcTKix ing sinuiltaueously. E\en without a premium for record time, the gangs would race against each other. Our machinery at Salindres consisted of a large trav- eling derrick of l,n(l() kilos ('2,^20i lbs.) capacity; height to foot of boom. 10'; reach of boom, '26', turning through 270" . The great capacity of the crane permitted us to hoist 11 eu. ft. buckets at a speed of 80' per min. Tliese buckets were of the V type, and two buckets were used, one being filled while the other went up. We started work with a mixer, supposed to be of 18' capacity, dry materials, but later poured even the large houses with two and sometimes only one electrically driven Smith Xo. 00'', with special outer blades. To tlie mixer we had adapted an easily removable door, permit- ting us to get 6 to 7 cu. ft. per batch of perfectly mixed concrete. We deem it unnecessary to describe the pouring meth- ods used on the first small jobs. Our installations worked well, but would have been costly and not prac- tical for large work. For the Salindres job we had asked bids for a trans- portable chuting plant, installed on a flat car. This machinery, being entirely unknown in this country, the price was so great we fortunately abandoned the idea, and later experience taught us that the proposed plant would have been uneconomical. We had at that time the idea that large mixers should be used, but found out that it is far more practical on this class of work to use small size mixers, easily ))ortable. The most practical equiiunent on a good sized job will be a portable chuting plant, installed on a flat car, using a 10' tower with quick-shift boom jjlant, flrst chute and second counterweight chute, each .SO' long; a 12' bucket installed on the ear, an 11 eu. ft. mixer with loading hop- per descending to ground. Further, half a dozen light, portable derricks, (similar to Sasgen steel derricks), arranged for power hoisting by )iortable electric or gas- oline hoists, for placing floor beams, hoisting rooHng material, etc. The transportation of the chuting plant will be much easier than it would with such ;i derrick as was used at Salindres, since by the quick shift arrangement the boom and chute can be lowered, after detaching the counter- weiglit chute, if necessary. Xo special plant was used for the transportation of the molds from house to house, ^^llile dismantling, the molds were sent down with block and tackle, the block fastened to a counterweighted plank on the roof, or wherever possible by simply sliding the molds down on inclined planks, with some straw at the bottom, trans- portation being done by wheelbarrows or little flat cars. Considerable time could be saved by using gravity con- veyors. On imjjortant work these gravity conve3'ors could be advantage(Uisly used for imloading and loading plant and material from cars, reducing labor to a minimum. Floor Beams Tiie principle of our system was to i)our all of the liouses in one single pouring, including, tlierefore, floors, roofs, steps, etc., and while absolutely possible, the pour- ing of floors, roof, etc., oft'ered the following difficulties; a. Practical Difficulty — To jiour the floors it would be necessary to use molds underneath and above. The erec- tion of these molds necessarily would be slow and thej^ would require a vcrv solid shoring. h. Economical Difficulty — The dismantling of the floors could not be done at the same time as the walls. The undermolds would h.ive to be left in place for at least 11 d.ays, while the wall molds are regularly taken off' after Zi] to 18 hours. A great number of molds would therefore be idle, requiring a great number of extra sets of floor molds. This would be poor utilization of the molds, and we tiierefore soon abandoned the idea of pouring floors and roof and used on our flrst house pre-east floor slabs. We I'lG. 10 — Ciii^ixEY Tops now use hollow beams, the form of which I invented. Hollow steps are fabricated iu a similar way and floor beams and steps are erected at the same time and with the walls. On pouring the walls, the supports for the beams and steiis are poured at the same time. The beams, arc 10 cm. ()' .'!-'4") wide. 1.5 cm. (()") thick, the hollow being 11 cm. (i-);,;"). The shape of the side of tlie beam is such that it touches at the bottom and leaves a space at the top for filling joints. Once the joints are filled, the filler forms a ])erfect key and all the beams practically form one slab. The beams rest on the inside cornice or co\-c (protrtiding 8 cm. — .S .)/.S2") aiul extend 2l;{. cm. (1") in the walls, also bearing on tlie solid wall. Flat Roofs The general roof construction was as shown in Fig. 1,). I am an ad\()Cate of absolutely flat roofs when using composition roofing of the rubberoid type, but the French architects insist on a certain slope, wdiicli we made by jilacing on the flat roof beams a sloping cov- ering, made of poor concrete, ))itcli 1;10. Flat roofs have the disadvantage in hot climates that tlie ujiper stories are rather warm on hot davs. We reme- died this by using (uir hollow roof beams to create a forced ventilation. We further noticed that the roofs as constructed at Salindres caused cracks in some of the walls, opening and closiiiir with the sun. It was onlv after Ions: re- CONCRETE HOUSES C,l searcli that we discovered tliat it was the roef that was the cause, by the expansion of the beams, whicli actually pushed tlie walls apart. We reinforced the walls by a diagonal reinforcement against these stresses, and had no further difficulties. It might have been suf- ficient to replace the solid connection between floor beams and walls by a flexible joint of some elastic filler, but we were afraid that these joints might later cause infil- trations of rainwater, especially in the liot climate of southern France. A^'e had not noticed this defect on houses built around Paris, although the same roof con- struction was used. Gexeral Finish At Salindres all the finish floors were of tile, laid in cement, as is generallv used in this part of France. The walls were painted with an ordinary water paint in two colors ; light for the walls proper, and dark brown for the washboards. Electric light, running water (each house having its own meters), were provided. Houses on low ground were without cellars, and for those tlie outhouses in the garden were built somewhat larger. These outhouses, one for each family, contain the water closet, separated from the storage part of the outhouse b_v concrete walls. As Salindres did not have a sewer system, the grou]! was provided with an independent sanitary system, consisting of concrete cesspools for ev- ery two families, and each cesspool was connected to a Porsain concrete filter system. All rooms have a ventilating hole in the ceiling, com- municating directly with independent conduits leading to the roof. These holes can therefore be used as chimnevs. Chimneii Tops — As already explained, the chimneys above tlie roof were poured in regular molds and the tops with special molds, having molds for tops for 1, 2 or .'? hole chimneys (Fig. \6a). The tops (Fig. 166), as constructed for Basses-Indres, proved more satis- factory. As to the general aspect, we can truthfully say that the houses are very pleasing. All visitors of our works were agreeably surprised. American readers should not forget tliat concrete is still in its infancy in Europe, as compared with America. Labor for Touchixg Up and Finishing In our calculations for the bids we had taken into consideration that tlie w.alls would be vcrv smooth on dismantling, but the results far surpassed our expecta- tions, as will be easily seen on examining the data just given, which show tliat time spent was about ,S6% lower than estimated. The surfaces, as left by tlie molds, are so smooth that it is sufficient to wash the walls down with a thin cement grout to obliterate any marks. If done while disman- tling, before the surface has had time to harden, plain water does the trick if ap]jlied with an ordinary soft brush. This operation is superfluous if the walls are to be papered afterwards. The floor beams are even and smooth underneath, and it suffices to ai3))]y a thin finish- ing coat of plaster to obtain a smooth, neat and white ceiling. Under finishing is included touching up, filling of holes left by stay bolts, washing down of interior walls, easting of window sills (cast in ])lace with special molds of steel or wood), leveling off' of cornice and applying a neat-cement coat on it, pouring beam joints and point- ing np underneath, preparation of floors for flooring by leveling them with a thin layer of cinder concrete. Construction and placing of chimneys above roof and chimney tops are not included. The chimneys were first cast in place on the roof, using regular molds for the centering, but afterwards we cast the chimneys on the ground, in ordinary molds and placed them on the roof ready made. The chimney tops were also poured on the ground in special wooden molds. All this work was done under the jiiece-work system, by one man and his helper, paying him a definite amount per chimney top and per flue. [Editor's Note. — The costs as given by I\Ir. Harms were stated in francs, and all measurements were metric. For the convenience of readers they have been transposed to Englisli equivalents. Since the costs given can be used for comparisons only, and since exchange values are not stable, the dollar has been taken as equal to 5 francs. This may result in some slight apparent dis- crepancies in the figures, whicli did not exist in Mr. Harms' manuscript.] How Floors Were Built Walls — Hollow precast beams for floors and roofs were cast in molds designed by the writer, made partly of rolled steel, partly pressed steel and partly east iroii. The price of each unit was in 1912-191 i $2.10. The experience at Salindres proved that the output per unit easily represents 23'^ .sq. ft. of floor beams per day, or 65,1 67 sq. ft. per year. It was demonstrated that a typical plant could build 120 houses per plant year. Allowing each house about 1,800 sq. ft. of floor beams, a total of 40 units are re- quired, representing $8,000.00. Amortising this in ten years, the molds represent a charge of about a half cent per sq. ft. of beam cast. Cost of Beams — At first beam easting was done as time work, paying the men a certain bonus for produc- tion above standard. Later the men preferred piece work, accepting .O.SI cents per sq. ft. for all labor, in- cluding bending rods, moving beams to storage yard, etc. The cost of the beams in 1914, including amortization, was slightly over 9 cents per sq. ft. The only cheaper floor is built of cheap planking, nailed on tliin joists, with no ceiling underneath. Cast Iron Molds The disadvantage of cast iron molds is that they must be made in large quantities to be economical. Our com- pany placed in 1912 an order for 1 ,400 tons of molds, of about 80 difl'erent patterns. This order permitted^ the foundry to organize for series work and machine molding. Bronze patterns were made, which were ac- curately finished, jiermitting minimum allowances for finishing. The foundry made a splendid job of it, the outer surface of the molds, which was to come in contact with the concrete, was left unmachined ; was smooth and true ; accurate molding permitted finishing the flanges in one single unit. No special machinery for finishing was installed. When war broke out about 650 tons of molds had been delivered, about 200 tons more had been cast and were waiting at the foundry to be finished. The foundry being at INIaubeuge, occupied by the Germans since August, UOI'i, all material not delivered was lost, also drawings, patterns, etc. Breal-ar/r — To make iiroper allowance for breakage, we believed the molds should be amortised in ten years at the most. Our fears were not realized; the breakage on the first job, with all the drawbacks of a new organ- ization, was less than 1/. of 1% in the first year. Break- age will be still lower in future. Very few molds were really broken on the job or in transportation. Alost breakage on the job was caused by the use of pries for the adjustment of the pl.ites; all those breaks occurring 02 CONCRETE HOUSES at tin- lonji- liolcs in the flanges, ^^'e have cliaiiged the design ol" the heles, Samph' jihates were east in June, I))! 1-, and it was found inipessihle to break the phale at the point, e\en whi-n using exeessively hing ])ries and api)lying abnormal I'orees. Cast iron molds are not iiea\ier — in faet, are ligliter than steel for a gi\'en rigidity. Mueli has been said against the use of metal molds ou aeeount of their weight. We never have claimed luir molds can be used advan- tageously for building a small innnber of houses. Cost of Molds — Our first order was filled at an average priee of ■■f^()8 per t(Ui. In I|)l t we asked priees for an- other big order at the sauu; foundry. I'rii'e ;it tli.at time was ^77 at the foundry, wliieli found its first priee had been too low. Time studies, undert.aken with expert machinists, pro\-cd that a finishing shop would pay for it.self with the first 1,()()() or l,'20i) tons of molds. Special milling machines would be used with long benches, to take the widest plates and null both sides at once, with verv little planer work. The total cost, taking in con- sideration the amortization of tlie finishing installation on the first 1 ,'2()(» tons of molds, would be about ^60.00 per ton of molds. CoxsTRUCTiox Cost Kkepixg ^Methods The construction timekeejier kept the regular time book, coi)ies of which were sent, with iiayroll, to the head office twice each month. Further, he noted on special sheets the work at which each man was occupied during eacli day — one sheet ))er day. Cost of Labor \\'e had hoped that unskilled labor could be used, but the experience gained with the first ajiplications on a small scale was not very encouraging. In fact, tlie av- erage price iJaid for the labor, as calculated from the time sheets and payroll, was as follows; First house at St, Deni.s,: $0.18, or •28'";; higher than local price for common labor. Large St. Denis house: $0.22, or i7% higher than local price. We experienced on this job great difficulties with workmen: bad will, strikes, etc. Houses at Caen: $(1.1.), being .50% higher than local price. On this job we had great difficulties with the men on account of large works being executed in the direct neighborhood by a steel plant under its own manage- ment. Being pressed, high wages were paid, and we had to follow suit, or lose the few men we could get hold of. Further troubles were caused by drink and an incompetent foreman. At Salindres we had better fortune; Total of payroll S'^l" '•"" Bonus ssl.fls Insurance, 6% 4(II.:jj Total paid St, 1511.51 Total number of hours ;is shoHii by the time sheets, -rl.iwn. Average priee. -sd.ons per hiuu-. This figure is only :'>'/( higher than the local price for ordiuarv unskilled labor, which was at that time ,it Sa- lindres $O.0J)5 per hour. In the hours and average labor price the following arc not included: Superintendent and his assistant, time- keeper, engineer, etc. These are taken care of under the item: general expenses. For eslimaics and bids, tlie Jiibor price .should be taken 15% higher than local price for common labor, thereby leavinfi more than 10%, for coiilinf/encies. At Salindres we used mostly Italian labor. None of these men had ever before done similar work. The first Iiouse was erected under the jiersonal direction of the writer, assisted by an assistant engineer, who had ac- tually worked previous jobs. Our superintendent and his .assist.ants did actual labor on this first house, to be- come familiar witli conditions. Ordinary unskilled la- borers made excellent erectors in a few days. The T.\sk and Boxi's System After ])oiiring the first two houses we started the erec- tion under a bonus system, paying double time for all hours saved on a certain limit time, wdiicli limit was fixed by a committee consisting of the writer, his engineer, the superintendent and the gang boss. The results were sur- |)rising, and after some time the system was changed, paying only simple time for the time saved. As a gener,al rule we had the work done, whenever pos- sible, under a bonus or piece work system. Both worked out to entire satisfaction of ourselves and the workmen. Wc also piaid the erectors and dismantlers one hour ex- tr.i per day, since their work was dirty and quite hard. This avoided raising the standard local labor price per hour. Night work w,as paid double and from tinie to time bonuses were accorded. These supplementary hours and bonuses are all included in the cost tables. Tvpic.iL Job Costs The data secured on a typiical job will be given in hours, which will enable an estimate of costs to be made for any locality. Molds — We assume the use of 300 tons of molds, with which 120 liouses per year, counting 2 fO working days, can be built. Since during the first year the breakage of molds at .Salindres was less than 1 ^ of 1 '^y , we can safely amor- tise the molds in ,"0 years. The molds cost ,$68.00 ]5er ton; scrap was sold for $12. We must then amortise $56.00 jjcr ton of molds in .50 years, or, for .'iOO tons, ,$660,00. The plant should con- sist of; One 11' mixer and one t' mixer, with chuting ])lant or fr.avcling derrick, storage sheds, portable track, small plant, etc. Total, say, .$7,200.00. Amortising in three vears, cost per year is •$2,1'00.00. Grxprai. E.xpfnsrs as P,4in at S.vlindres .Supt.. per year S 720.00 Asst. Supt., per year fido.oo Timekeeper, per year IHO.OO Enfrineer, per year 480. oo Repairs of machines i oo.oo Oil and t^rease for molds, etc 000. oo .Small supiJlies for oflice 200.00 Coal, firasoline. kerosene, etc 000. oo Sundries 420.00 Total S4,200.00 INSTATI ATIOX a. L'liloadinj; and loading :i20 tons of molds and small plant (-allow 5 tons per man per day of 10 lionrs and a total of 040 hours at 13c) S 84.00 b. Unloading and installation of power plant and cnisher — total .30 tons; 150 hinirs at 20c, 500 hours at 12c 90.00 e. Changing electric lines and a!)norinal moves of machin- ery — 200 iKMirs at ISC. OOO hiuirs at He 102.00 d. Al)normaI moves of molds, cleaning, etc. — 1,500 Itours at 1 Oc 150.00 e. Dismantling and loading of machinerj" — loo hours at 2(lc. too hours at 12c 68.00 f. Construction and dismantling sheds ,and shanties — 100 iKuo's at 20c. 200 hours at lOc 40.00 g. rlacing and changing portable track — l.ooo hours at 10c 100.00 Total S634.O0 Tu.VNSPORTATION OF PlAXT ^^'e .assume that a job will only be charged with the transportation one wav, the following job to support the charges for the other way. We further assume an av- erage move of L55 miles, at an average cost of 12,8 cts. ])er ton mile, and a total of 350 tons, or ,3;)0 X 12,8, about $670.00. CONCRETE HOUSES 113 Fic. IT — GEXKHAr. \'ii:\\' of Bea.ii Yard, Siiouixd Stmiks (u- Fahuication XoU' storaji'c of lioanis on sidt- lo ]iiv\fnt hiiiiu'ini^-. Part of slored licaiiis with oiuls filled, at A. Also hteps, at 1!. Also note that five men are fahri- eatinji- an avevafi'e of lidll sq. ft. of beams |ier da). One man and helper, not .shown, are fab- ricating- neeessar\- reinforeing' miits. s-i «s^5tt=-a««aaii0r I I ii T \\ 11 !§ ■" / tK' ^ Recapitulation For purposes of estimate based on tlie fore^n-oiuii' costs, we can assume : Amortization Sii.iiiiii.dii General expenses Lono.dii Installation koii.iiii Transports 700. mi Plans, estimates, etc 2.4(iu.(J() Total !.\nisoN OF Cost \\'itu Other CoNSTuue tion \'ery exact costs were established before the war, with prices of material and labor then prevailing. Prices were figured for houses constructed of concrete as de- scribed, and .at the same time from the same plans, prices were asked from well known architects and contractors for ordinary coustrnctiou, without their knowledge that these bids would be used for comi)arisou. Such investi- gations were made in various parts of Fr.ance, as methods and materials vary a good deal. For instance, for the southern part of France the ordinary construction uses 18" and thicker outer walls, built of poor limestone, laid in cement and lime mortar. Partitions are very poorly and cheaply made of jjlaster, applied on lath, and only for better houses on jilaster or lime blocks. The outer walls are generally finished with a cement coat, but are not impermeable. For the northern part of France the ordinary construction Un- workmen's houses is with thin brick walls and block jiartitions. We found that a typi- cal house (Fig. 1, p. 1-2, l'"cbru.iry, ]<)1S. issue), cost .i'1,700 built of concrete. This price includes the $100 for ainortiz.ation of plant, gcuer.il expenses, as calcu- lated. The ])rice of exactly the same house, constructed by ordinary methods and calculated .as just ex))laiued, was in the most favorable case $2,100. A^'e contracted the houses at $2,200, thereby giving client the benefit of an economy of 10% o^'er ordinary methods and leaving for us a profit of $500 per house. The houses in question have an area of 88,') sq. ft.; the jjrofit S>6 Jicr sq. ft. of ground area. We have made similar calculations fm- Holland and Belgium, and found that working 10(/f cheaper than with ordinary metliods, wc make about 25% profit under normal conditions. This is gross profit, and has to be diminished by general oHice expenses, .'idministration ex- penses, etc., to arrive at net jirofit. On the last works undertaken during the w.ir, the actu.al gross ])rofit varies from 25% to W/,^. Wood construction might be cheaper, but is absolutely prohibited for 'dwellings in most European countries. 6A CONCRETE HOUSES >1 Fi,;. IS - I'r.AC- 1 \«; l''iiisi' I . \\"l:ii II' l'i>M.iiiyi'i: IN I'^i.iKiu l>i:\:\is Fu;. 1!) — Tin: l->i:A:\t C'oi{i;s i n' Place What Experience Shows Temperature — At Salindres, during two years, accur- ate tlicrmomctcr records were kept under supervision of our client. Self-registering thermometers were used. One of tliese was placed on the roof of a house^ open to all winds, but ])rotected against rain and snow. The other was placed inside of the house, which was kept carefully closed. The numerous diagrams prove abso- lutely that: Concrete houses are cooler in summer and warmer in winter than ordinary houses with much thicker walls. The houses are easier and quicker to heat and hold the heat better. Sonority — The houses are practically sound-proof, as well from inside to outside as from floor to floor and from room to room. The houses are more sonorous, that is, when hammering on floors or walls, especially in an empty house, more noise is produced than in brick, stone or wooden houses. Vermemhility — The outside walls were not absolutely watertight at Salindres. Watertight walls might prob- FiG. '-'3 — J^ETAiL OF Typical Form Plate ably be obtained by using more cement or making thicker walls, but we overcame the difficulty in a cheaper way by using integral waterproofing compound. What Others Say Concrete is not yet so general a building material in Europe as in America. Concrete roads and sidewalks do not exist, and we are pioneers in concrete house building, therefore most of the people who visit our works, espe- cially the areliitects, come witli apprehension. That their fears were not realized is evidenced by contracts awarded us and by numerous favorable reports written, as a result of their investisjations. ^'-yf/-fC£^ I-'l(l. i\ I'l.AX IIF '1'\S-|1-1''amILV (Jdisks Brii.T AT St. .Viiiiax. KnANCi: Fid. J2 — lii;\R ^'IE^v of Houses at Salinorks, Fiiaxce COXCRETE HOUSES Fid. 1 Ix ' '7 ■/! I 1 ; Fill. -' — I.AvouT 111' A I'Aii'i' OF I'lin.i.ii'sEnu; Horsixc. J)l\i:i.op,^ii:nt, Sirowixc Giuiri'ixi;, axd a Unrtiii Ski:tch TO Snow Jlon- So.de Ilorsrs W'it.i, Bk tluori'iii) ix 1'aiiis AND " l^Ai m: l.r isi [ i:n'' this will be effected by eoniieetint)- up pairs of houses bv suitable jalanting of trees and sljrubs, by pergolas aiid lattice-work, and by two or three different designs of entrance hoods. The site of the Phillipsburg work is beautiful toi)ogra(iliieally. Many of the houses are on a side hill, so that the rear entrance to the basement is at ground ]e\el. It has l.)een decided to take advantage of this situation and to ))ut a pergola o\'cr the door into the basement, giving access to the kitchen Through the basement, rather than from a high flight of outside steps. Basement walls are S" thicl';, and upper walls «i" tliick. The four-room houses are Ki' x -i' in plan, with entry w;iy, or hall, front and rear, two rooms and center stair«a\-. L'pst.iivs .ire two bedrooms ,and a well-equi]ipcd batiiroom, besides two closets. In the kitchen are closets and cnjjbo.-irds, as shown by a detail. Exterior walls ;ire ]i.iiiit((l inside with bJbonol waterproofing,^ and then furred .and co\ered with Bishopric l.ath^, and ])lastered. The w.ills .are finished with cement plaster, sand finish, .and the beamed ceiling in white plaster. \\'ood floors are Laid o\er the concrete on wood sleepers tasked to blocks set in the concrete when the floor was sereeded. Exterior w.ills .are being finished with a good thin coat of stucco, in some cases the finish being ,if white cement put tm spl.atter d.-ish, .and in some eases graj' cement with a flo.at surf.ace. 'J'he outside wood trim is ])ainted green. In the construction of the first six of the concrete houses (the sta^-c of the ojicration on December 1.'.!), it had been possilile to .achieve a complete C3'cle so far as the concrete shell w.as c(nicirned in less than six working days. A st.art to rtanme the forms from one house which h.ad been i>reviously cast, was made Monday morning, and at 10 o'clock ,Saturday morning the next house had been completely poured. That these operations may be clearly understood, a description of the use of the sys- tem is briefly summarized from the article appearing in the August number of Concrete, as follows: The fngersoll sy.steiii is the nearest apj)roach which has Ijeen made to the tlieory of lioiise construction advanced eiglit or ten years ago by 'J'hoiuas A. Kdison. The outstanding difference is tlie fact that in tlic IngersoU system no top form is used for tlie floors. The hydi-ostalic pressure of the concrete in the walls, the pouring lieing eontiiuioiis for the complete structure, is disregarded. A(l\;nitage is t;iken of tlie fact that concrete of a proper consistency allou'cd ;i fe«' uiiniitcs in wliich to eougeal, ceases to How e\en uiuler cousiderahle pressure later aj)]ilieil. I'oiiring is first done ou one side of the house till the concrete flows to jiroper floor level aud then iiouring is done on the other side, returning later to the first position. The wood forms are liuilt out of 2" stock cros.sed at right angles with liest grade %" liunber, creosoted to preserve them and thoroughly painted. They are oiled before use and cleaned after use to such an extent as may be necessary and oiled where the surface requires it. The excavation is first made: 2" x 4" side rails are staked down; footings and floor placed in one jiiece. From this basement floor, vertical corner posts 6" x 0", are first set u]i on wedge blocks, the jiosts extending to a story height. These are lield ]iluml) and true liy trusses made of t x I's and y^" ■bridging. ,\djustuient to true lines is virtually autornatic. ,'\ll p.arts are carefully made aud jiennit no varia- tion greater than f/lti". The trusses are held to posts by iron bands made on each part and driven rigidly home bj^ wedges. The form members proper, inside and outside, are supjiorted by the trusses with bolts passing through from outside to in- side with wooden washers for sjoacers, these being covered at each cud by round iron washers strung on over the wooden washers to leave the round piece of wood well inside the wall when forms are removed. Outside forms are held further to line by horizontal 4" .x 4" strings which may Ije seen in the illustration. The floor forms inside are also sujiported by the trusses, as also is the entire weight of the false structure and of the concrete ,as placed. Trusses carry the load to the 6" x 0'" corner posts, ten of which are used in each story. The ou^er forms support brackets for staging, from which the upper forms are handled in erection and in stripping. The cornice and parapet forms are held by braces to outer forms, each ]uece having its precise location. In fact, every piece used has its unit number and a definite place in the erection scheme. Keen with common labor, after a few operations, it has been ]iossible to take a piece down from one house which has been poured, aud set it in the proper position on the next house without rchandling. (.\t Phillipsburg a runway between two liouses made this shifting very rapid.) When a certain stage of erection is reached the plumber and electrician are sent for and the conduits and pipes which are pre-fabricated are set iu the walls with very few lost motions. Reinforcing rods and metal flue linings are then jilaced and nailing blocks are set. Blocks arc placed ready to hand for embedding in floors when they are sereeded. The coiuu'ete used is one part cement, two parts sand, .and four parts cinders. The steel used is as follows: In each corniu' of building i/o" rods; a y^" rod each side of eacli ojieniug; %" rod extending entirely around the ^ ^ A^\',^ f2^{/^T/0A/ A-Dt riLVATfOA/ r/^T flCO^ FLAfJ :>c^L^- .^'fai/AL:. f'-o' • 51C0.VD riOOK. A/I A/ Fig. 3 — Plixs or Six-Room Coxcrete Houses CONCRETE HOUSES 6'} Fig. 1- — FiRTiiKu Koriiu Sketches to Show 1''.-\iiiei.i,isii3u:.\ts — Lattice Work, Petiooi.as and Ar/iEnxATK J)]:siv V" J Fio. fi- -Details o|- Kitciiex (.'l-phoakds .^xd Ci.os;:t (7? CONCRETE HOUSES Table I — Avf.r,vge Costs ox Int.krsoi.i, Expkhimental Houses Material, etc. Material Cost Building permits § 2.00 Compensation insurance Excavation, 26'xl8', 6"x3' 6", 65 cii. yds.. Grading Water Sewer (this includes onlv the pipe laying, no septic tank) Concrete, 63 yards — Cellar lioor, steps and liatchwav. . . . Cement, 400 ba^s 240.00 Sand, 33 yds Cinders, 65 yds 48.00 Labor Erecting forms Cleaning forms Oiling forms Repairing forms W'reci^ing forms Moving hoist and mixer Spreaders Reinforcing 67.00 Waterproofing walls, 17 gals. Etwnol at .40 o.ho Lathing — 600 Mason lath, at .70 4.20 1,050 ft. Bishopric board, at .32.... 33.60 Labor Plastering — 55 bags Adamant, at .50 27.50 20 bags Tiger brand, at .45 9.00 ^4 bbl. plaster of pans, at §3.H5. . . . .96 Labor Flue lining, 100 lbs., 26 Ga. black iron, 150 lbs., at 7.8 cts 11.70 Latwr Outside Stucco, % ton Monument Stucco, at $28.00 21.00 Labor painting walls, etc Stucco Furring lath for groovings. 600 lin. ft. of 1 X 2, 50', at .04 2.00 For furring 1,040', 60' at .04 3.60 2X4 14/16' — 150', at .05 7.50 Labor Window and door frames — 4 frames 7'4 x 4'6, at .?2.50 10.00 5 frames 2'8 x 4'6, at $2.50 12.50 1 frame 2'10 x 6'6 1.00 7 frames 2'0 x 6'6 14.00 2 frames 2'4 x 6'6 2.00 1 frame 2'0 x 6'6 1.00 1 frame 3'0 x 6'4 1.00 Roofing, 17 gals. Ebonol, at .to 6.80 Lattice, 8 %x8" bolts 80 Lattice, at .64 6.40 Front and rear hoods, k s^xh" lx)lts 33.71 Roof paint .30 Bathroom tloor 6.00 Hours labor Floors, regidar, 225' 1x2 furring. 40' at .04 1.60 730' flooring, at .07 51.10 Labor Stairs, two flights 42.74 Inside trim 62.59 Cuplward 27.05 Labor Sash, 12 2' x 4' 6 X 1% gl., at 2.04 24.48 5 2'8 X 4'6, gl., at S2.58 12.90 Cellar, 5 2'10 I'll x IVg, at .84.... 4.20 Doors, 1 2'10 X 6'6 X 1% 6.18 7 2'6 X 6'6 X 1%, at 82.35 16.45 2 2'4 X 6'6 X 1%, at $2.35 4.70 1 2'0 X 6'6 X 1'/^ 2.38 1 8'0 X 6'4 2.35 Labor Rails 10.00 Outside painting 2.00 Inside painting 6.00 Tinning, leaders, etc 15.40 Plumbing, roughing 34.90 Fixtures 90.00 Labor Electric conduits 12.65 Trucki ng $997.36 .\vera ge Labor Hrs. Cost $32.31 33 16.31 9 ■l.(M) 27 17.55 1 HI 59.10 1 99 123.79 22 7 153.39 38 14.87 12 1.50 199 1 17.70 30 18.0(1 5S 130 36 10 14921/2 30.40 50.00 9 4.50 48 24.00 28 10.50 40.00 15 8.88 30 13.14 Tabe 2 — Costs for Labor on Three Principal Operations on Ingersoll HorsE Work Concreting Erecting Forms Wrecking Forms House No. Hrs. Amt. Hrs. Amt. Hrs. Amt. 1 I871/2 $137.90 261 $109.80 210 $119.55 2 2301/2 171.85 360 197.90 176 109.05 3 240'/: 143.70 260 181.15 124 87.05 4 154% 102.05 155% 181.15 180 124.10 5 I871/. 115.80 179 161.75 193 101.85 6 216 137.30 211 145.10 252 140.90 7 216'/. 136.65 208 128.55 108 114.90 8 lOlvI 102.90 ISOVz 128.75 218 115.80 9 . 191 106.15 197 129.35 216 129.40 10 . . 140 100.35 212 156.55 252 157.88 11 243 134.65 332 177.85 175 99.86 12 215 96.16 170 82.79 222 111.37 Average 199 $123.79 235 $153.39 199 $117.70 FlCS. 7, S .AND <) PuOGIlESS "\'|L\VS IX CONSTRUCTION OF HoT'SES BY JXGEKSOLL SvSTE."M (1) Corner posts set u]i on wcilfi'e lilocks; (-^) truss-joint with post; (:i) Ijrackcts on which trus.scs hang-; (I) outside 4 x 4 strings to align fnnii sections; (,5) framework on whicli con- crete ski]) is raised; (6) window frames in jilace; (7) forms for flower hex brackets. Abstracts From a Subsequent Article Descriptive of Phillipsburg Work^ Thirty-four liouses are substantially completed. Six- room fireproof liousesy with full basements and with con- crete floors, walls, stairs and roofs, are being completed for $2,, 500, not including overhead, lot, or royalty paj'- ments on the use of the forms. An idea, however, of what tins amounts to is gained from the fact tnat it is jjroposed to sell these houses, which are being built under an agreement with the Ingersoll-R.and Co., for its em- ployees, at $3,250. A real contrast is obtained from the fact t'at the Pliillipsburg corporation has also erected 25 six-room frame houses on concrete foundations — houses that are more attractive in plan and general architectural treat- ment than the average house of its type for an indus- trial development, but nevertheless not in any way per- manent or fireproof — at a cost of $2,300, as compared with $2,500 for jierinanent fireproof construction. iProm CONCRFJTE, .\ugust, 1919. cox CRETE HOUSES on Figs. 10, 11 axd 13 — Coxstuuctiox ^'JEws of Work at Piiii.- ursiiuRC. Bascrnent floor being struck ofl" in top view, and tower frainc- worl-c by which concrete is hoisted in big dipper biieliet; center view forms set up to second floor level, with posts and trusses in place ;d)o\c; at bottom is a general view of the houses in progress. Costs of material and labor item.s entering into a six- room concrete house are sliown in the accom)3anying tabulation. jNIr. Smith jjoints out that these figures do not include overhead, wliieh mounted rather high in a period ot dela,y in getting the forms into action, due to organiza- tion which was necessary to maintain in a difficult labor market in order to have sufficient crew available when operations could ])roceed at maximum s]ieed. Excessive overhead, however, is not normal and does not represent the figure at which these houses are now being built, when the work is running more smoothly. Nor does the $2,500 figure represent what it is ex^ pected would be achieved if other sets of forms were available and witli crews more thoroughly familiar with the operation of the system. With a system of this kind rs— a— J^'ro. Hi — CoNS'nu'CTioK \'rE\vs SiiowiN' I oR^is Sri \ sn (on- cuKTi:, Poria:i), I'iuitkcteu ox 'I'oi' « ii u \I\ntiii- (Cold \\'eat]ii:r) ; Window (_)i'F:>riNt;s Ci.hsed axd Sai.a:*iaxdehs In- side; Center A'iew Shows Sttcco Work Under Wav; Bottom \'lEW, HorSE COMI'I.ETE I'.XCEl'T KJR CJrADING. StEPS, DoOR HoOD^ Lattice, Etc. the most economical results are possible onlj^ in an un- dertaking of considerable magnitude, jiushed to tlie limit of tlie possibilities of the IngersoU idea in the operation of tlie forms — tliis involving maniifactiirinr/ methods and a thorough standardization of a few simple op- erations. It is pointed out by jNIr. Smitli that witli the crew at Phillipsburg it is possible, not merely as a single record, but as a regular performance, to erect tlie forms for a six-room house complete, [xnir the house and be ready to move to the next job :n a cycle of five working davs with eleven men. Economies have been eft'ected in mill work through the standardization of everytliing entering into the house; also in plumbino- the rouali work comino- onto the job assembled ready to be put in the forms in a short time. Further than that, the cost has been reduced considerably as the plasterers have become familiar with the treatment of the exterior surface. The forms leave tlie walls fairly smooth. The snrf.ice is iiuished in two spatter-dash coats of Monument stucco, applied with CONCRETE HOUSES *"*«'-^ « .4I?> Fn< 1 — T'^l^.\^Ll: Di/iail ui' lNbLRS.(ir.I. ()-Ku0.^1 rioLSE liriislics 1)) llircc men in two days, using only 1,600 llis. (if |)i'()iav(' xi:t, l^'dit.Ai lo W'liKiL T'j'itKiirr I'uiois Am: l'n»E'n;i> througliout tlif tirst uEoup of Iiousos. and with 1 ainbie steel foriiEs in cliaiuul units ]'2" wide and a stoEv in liciglit. TIk eoncEete is a niixtiiEe of 1 ])aEt eemeiit, '2 ))ai-ts sand and t jjaa'ts cinders, mixed in a Smith mixer, deposited from wlieelbarrows wliieli are dum|)ed from rmiways against splasli boards into tlie forms for foundations and lifted by a liglit derrick and tackle for filling tile forms of tlie ujiper walls. The walls ate rein- forced with -'x" round rods, 1,S" o. e, horizontally and \'erticall\-. t'u;. 11 I'a.EVATTON AM) SECTION. SeCOND GhOUP OF 3^ CoTTAGES The surface of the concrete on a few cottages was gone over on the outside with stone cutting tools and with air liammers, exposing the black cinders and giving a very pleasing surface result. ^Most of the houses, how- ever, were rubbed down with carborundum brick, rub- bing in at the same time a neat cement grout. The in- side walls are furred with 2" x '2" furring strips and covered with lath and plaster. Illustr.ations sliow the interior arrauo;cments of the CONCRETE HOUSES . '.»-^i:"- A'sT'ii I. in. ^oi>. ?^,.^/v ro/? Af/7^:^' Vui. \2 — D()(jii Axo W'iNDOAV Details of JNIaxhattan Beach CllTTAGES houses in tlie first grou)) and of the second group now being built, in whicli tlie ])]an was slightly changed, although the over-all dimensions remain the same. Floors and roof are frame, tlic roof being covered with asphalt shingles witli a green-gray slate surface. ^^'ork was started ou the first group of thir;,\--four houses March ;!, ;nid they were turned ()\er for oceuii.aucy .lune 1. Heiore this d.ite tlie iii.atter of rental ii id been turned over 1)\' the ]''irst Ap/irtcot corporation to .Joseph V. Dav. real estate operator, \\\\(\ ;i(h-ertised tlie houses with full ]iage ad\'crtis(anents in two \e\v York p,a])ers. About l.ODd aj)])licatious for the cotl;iges for ;i four n)ontlis' season, on a rental (d' .t.">()0, were received. Tiiese weri' sifted down to ^-IM desir.abh' ,a|)plieaiits — so that it would have lieeo possilile to ]ia\-e rented ihe first group full\' se\'en times o\"er. J,-,,. 1:3 ClNDEIlS AkE DelIVEKED 1!V BaIII.E AM) CoST S.JC A l''lGS. It AND 1,5 ClIAmiE AND DlSClIAHCE !iXDS OF fllE CoN- Ya'iuj ox TiiE Job ^hete Mi^eii COXCnETE HOUSES / D Fig. 16 — P'oundatiox Pi. ax of Co'rrACES Fk;. 17 — l''i,(i(iii Pi. Ax (»i- StxoM) Ciitoii' oi' 'A2 Cott.vc.fs Xow I ' X DKll Cl I X STU I CTK I X Preparations were made iniuiediately to build the sec- d.iy, tlii.se lieiny carried from one liouse job to the next end group 'of houses, and if tlie demand contiu.ies the l)y laborers and merely dunqjcd into the trenches. These construction will also eontimu- indefinitely. I'orms are iUustr.ated. The low cost in eoirstruction was attained in spite of In handling tiie steel forms the sections arc just too labor difficulties. heavy to be iiandled readily liy one man, and m.-ulc rather The excavations for the low foundations were roughly ■' "s'^^ l"'"' ^'''l *""• '^^^ 1'"'^^, ■■"'^ k^'-^''^ '^^e set by car- i , ■ ,1 1 -1 c- 4- i I- , penters accordintr to union rules, scooped out in tlie sanci^- sou. >Six carjienters set up two. ' -^ sets of the wooden forms for the found.itiim walls in a 76 COX CRETE HOUSES i*. ,«• ^^X"**'^"^ # Build 20 All-Concrete Houses; Plan 20 Bungalows' Twenty modern tireiironf Ikuiscs. si\ rooms and bath eacli, from a practically identical plan, hut «itli exterior variation in roof and porcli treatment to make an attrae- ti\'e row, are being built bv thi' Craiii-C'urtiss Co.. con- tractors, Cleveland, in what is known as the C'ranwood allotment, for employees of the Hydra\ilic Pressed .'^teel Co. Plans are by Edw.ard B. Smith, .architect. Tlie major constructicui features in this work are in- volved in the use of a newly perfected set of forms, tlie details of which are shown in the accompanying illustra- tions, and in the employment of .a concrete ele\-ator de- veloped by D. S. Humphrey, of The Humphrey Co.. Cleveland, and used on work in the construction of cot- tages for The Humphrey Co. It was tirst planned to build '>0 of the two-story, six- room houses in a row. I.alf of that row being shown in a perspective drawing, which is reproduced in Fig. 1. This gives an excellent idea of tlie \'aried treatment ot a single ))lan. Tliis feature is further shown in accompan\'iug ilbistratious from pen drawings. The phaus used are also sliown. .Subsc(jUeutly, the nature of the de\ehi])uient was som decided to ,-idd still further ■\\'li.'it eli.auged \".ariet\' to the and it was scheme hv ■\ ;T*'®sJ''si*&#?» '%. 'Jit . .Am^. —^>^r- ].-|,;, -1 ■■Ih'DHAI-t.lc" HlirsKS I'nijdu Coxstructiox U-- 1-1, 111 t'"Ni iiF-Ti:. .Iiiiiiiary, liilO. 1^'nis. S, t. .VXD .> (Top to BoToi^i ) Con-stto"Ctiiiv \'n:\\"s. .Vv Tor. f'i)ii:\is Vv to I''uiS'r b'r.ooit avd "Pan" I-'ihims ix Pl.vcj::. (iiN'n-at AM) I.(i\\i;i{ N'irws .Sirow l^'niois roii C I'laat AA'ali.s (l)l'an fiiians for lieaiii .■iiul slab flooi'; (J) vertical pressed steel rills liokliun" fiinns iind suiiportinsj; structure; (3) hori- zontal eliaiuiel iron keyed to rilis for alignment; (4) corner forms; (.)) form plates between rilis; ((>) "U" har locking de- \iee, with slotted key and wedge to tighten against vertical rills; (7) Cni\ersal clnni]i for tie rods, making e\ery other house of the bungalow type, all of these also built to a single plan, but with variations in treatment as shown in sketches. The six-room and batli. two-story liouses arc being built first. The present contract involves '20 of tliese CONCRETE BO I 'SES te&^-js W^ -iii> pig ^'fXim""^'^ Z..,^m:imm mMM^^ Fig. 7 — B u x g a l o w Plan Fig. S — Eight Houses 1H03I A Single Plan (See Fig. 9) F'iG. 6 — Six Bunga- lows iT!03i a Single Plan /^■.t:S/^/''>?^^- .^-.^.'- .i^^.i^^v- /I:,- CONCRETE HOUSES dwellings. These will luulnuhtedly be followed immedi- ately by the construction on intermediate lots of 30 bun- galows. The estimated building cost of the houses was originally fixed at ^f.SOO, but the work thus far indi- cates that there is likely to be a saving under this figure, which is unusual on a joli employing relatively new equipment and on something of an experimental under- ■iU= -x / H f ;i ) ^sSf ■I .^j I Si mv ^ooAf ; ^f^zbzf m ;'^- 5W SI? I. A^JjIA^tyVT . fl/^AJ- 3=^ r/fi5T flVOK. fL/!N- oh Fig. !) — Floor Plans of Hydraulic Pressed Steel Houses (See Fig. 8) F— Flat E— Pitch Roof S 70.00 $ 70.00 1,469.04 1,725.01 120.00 130.00 082.44 507.65 .312.00 312.00 .IS.S.?.') 35.3.75 110.00 64.00 93.00 20.00 .310.00 813.00 240.00 225.00 28.00 28.00 450.00 450.00 116.00 116.00 140.00 140.00 $4,494.23 ?4,454.23 taking in the handling of forms with which the contrac- tor was not familiar. The figures in the original estimate by the contractor cover two types of house, one with a flat roof^ all con- crete, and the other with a frame pitched roof over a light concrete ceiling slab. The items of cost are noted under two headings — E and F, Type E indicating the house with the pitched roof and Type F indicating the house with the flat roof. rieneral oondition.s and .supervision. Concrete and masonry Reinforcinjr steel Carpenter work Mill work and grla^s Oj-psum partitions and furring Rigiit Tiilv Are Nearly Compleii:, Stucco Being Applied CONCRETE HOUSES sr, «iK< '*^^''^i-^^>S.»t^ ^ I I, 15 — i:)i:- 1 UI OF CON- ^^ ( ui rv: (iu'i-n:it \ N 1) W (I II i» 11(1111' FitAiii: Fu. Iti - Oxi: o! Tin: P()Ut']ii;s Interior Dciail.s — Hoi-izont.il nailiii<;' strips arc altixcd to tlu' forms of tlie inside wall, which provide a nail- ing for vi'rtieal furring- strips on which are nailed Sackett plaster board. The ceiling is also co^■ered with Sackett plaster board nailed to furring, which is. in turn, nailed to the strips provided in the Hoor beams. ^^'llile principal partitions are of concrete, some wood stud partitions are used which are covered with Sackett board. This construction is believed to be a rational com- bination of the good qualities of concrete and the easily workable qualities of other materials to achieve a result that will appeal to the popular taste and still go a long way to impress upon the residents the value of concrete as a house building material. The interior work is plastered with gyjjsum mortar, white coated, while the exterior walls are covered with Oriental stucco. Varied shades of gray, buff', yellow and pink are used. Ili-dlinij Si/stcii! — Hot-air furnaces were cliosen as (lie Ijcst means of heating houses of this character, espe- cially where tiie lie.ating plant is in tln^ h.-inds of ten.ants. J'>xperienee has shown these Iniilders that the running of heating ducts in concrete walls is not entirely satis- factory, as the tendency to conduct away the heat in the walls is considerable and in case of ri-pairs being needed the work is reiulered very difficult. A modification was therefore mad(- by arranging the ducts so as to come in inconsjucuous j)l.aces and running them in chases wliicli leave them partly exposed. Till- Concrete Cornice — One of the exterior features which has attracted nuich attention is the cornice, whicli is shown in tlu' detail drawing. This feature was given much study to eff'ect a light cornice in harmony with the work. To further lighten the effect, the soffit of tile cornice is i)aneled. The cornice construction is readily understood from tlie details in the illustration, Tig. 17. It will be seen that wood brackets are liooked to the steel form and on these wood stringers are laid which support the cornice form. Panel forms are plant- ed on top of the main form. The cornice and roof are run continuously and the gutter formed as shown in detail in Fig. 1C>. Steps and Porches — It is needless to state that all porches and steps are of concrete ; a color note is, how- ever, produced hereby forming the porch steps as shown in Fig. 1(1, so ,as to take ,a brick on edge, giving brick treads for the finished work. Door and Windoic Frames — Much study was given to proper door and window frames, which sliould be abso- lutely tight and yet capable of being easily placed in accurate position. It was decided not to attempt to place the frames directly in the forms themselves. A rough buck is used around each opening, giving a slight adjust- ment for accurate jilacing of the frames, which are set after the rough jiouring is completed and made tight by corking and by exterior and interior plastering. [Tlie work, which was well under way with steel forms, as described in this article, was completed by the Aber- thaw Construction Co., Boston, who did a part of their work with wood forms. — Editin-.] Fig. 17 — Cornice Details, Showing Form Arraxgemext Note pressed steel floor cores and tlie way forms are tied by the reinforcing steel. ■PLANK Fig, 18 — Details of Window and Door Framk CoNs-nu'CTiD.N WlNtrOW FraHE. My Own House— How It Was Built Plans, Construction Details, Costs of a Dwelling' with Concrete Walls. Floors, Roof, Stairs^ By C 1). GlLBERT" ^^'all^ built with di)ublt' wall luacliiiies. as on tin.- fol- lowing pages, lia\"e the achantage of providing eontinuous air space insulation without furring and giving good exterior and interior surfaces for the direct a])]ilica- tion of stucco and plaster. Houses built with such wall machines have come to be designated by their originaotrs as "thermos bottle houses, " This machine consists essentially of a box-like |)iece of equipment about 5 ft. long, provided with a collapsi- ble core, and in use is placed in (jOMition on the footing; then the wall chambers are tilled with concrete of just such consistency that it will not s,ig when the inaciiine is released. Having filled the machine, a single move- ment ot the lever releases it from the wall and it is instantly pushed ahead and again filled. This oper.ition is repeated around the wall, when it is generally found that the first course has hardened sutHciently to bear the weight of the light machine and another laj'cr can be im- mediately placed. Suitable provision is made for rein- forcing and for placing window and door frames and for all other construction details. The walls as left by this process are rough, no attempt at finish being m.icle dur- ing their construction. They pro^■ide, however, an ideal surface for the application of plaster and stucco. The decision to build an all concrete house was reached after several years of close association with concrete work, during which the writer designed and built a number of houses in which concrete was used tor all exterior work except roofing. It was decided to keep in view a mental picture ot the house five or ten years hence, to accept the fact that there would inevitably be a period in its raw newness when the lunise would stand out somewhat stark and cold by coiujiarison witli the warm color tones and softer lines assumed by its neighbin-s in brick and \voocl. 1 was reconciled to be for a time, il' necessary, the sub- ject of some criticism for lia\ing d.ired to introduce a new note into a neighliorhood of "cozy homes." The house as built is intended largely to form a backo-round for future work. Shrubliery will soften lines that seem too uncompromising; vines will be invited to cover the larger spaces of wall and the two-storied ])orch overlooking the garden from its five large arches was planned essentially as a mass to be covered with vines. and with foliage trailing over its top from the garden on the roof, Anvone inclined to criticise harshly is invited to con- sider "the work not as it is, but as it will be under the softening ministrations of n.ature. The problem was to provide an 8-room house, con- sistino- of good-sized living and dining rooms, a kitchen Fig, 1 — Tin: Xortiiwest Corxkr or Tin; Githert Hoise Fig. ■- — -V Df.t-ml of the Front Exteaxce iFrom Concrete. January, 1918. ^Associate F.rlitor of Concrete, -April, 1!)1S, until his death in (Icto- ber. 191S. large enough to be a real work room, a study or den on the first floor, and four bedrooms and bath on the second floor. An am])le jiorch at the rear, opening on the gar- den, and abinc it a sleeping [lorch ojiening from two COXCIiETE II()l\SES hedrooms. were -wanted, -ind tor areliiteetiiral reasons a fairly inipressixe eiitraiiee eoiisidered essential. To se- cure this witli the amount of numey that eould be spent made it necessary to exchule e\"ery nou-i'ssential, to forego expensi\"e detail, and to reduce the plan to uncom- plicated lines. To build this in fireproof construetion in 1!)U). in a locality where >;ra\-ei cost nun-e than :^-2.00 per yd., and where the common labor a\'ailable consisted chiefly ot "bums" at .'U)e })er luuir, and still to keep within the cash limit of $6,000, required "some" calculation. 'J'hat the job, including certain minor additions not oiiginally contemplated, was actually conqilcted, in the face of a fast rising materials market, within a $6..J00 cash outlay, is largely to the credit of frank F,. AA'yland, who, as foreman, took a personal interest in the success ot the job, and personally did uuist of the carpenter and con- crete work, with the assistance of a job-trained handy man. The plans and the owner's spare time are not included in the cost figure. F I G . 3 — T TI T. CoxcRETE Hood Over the Gr.\i)e FXTR.VNCE (see Det.\il I'lG. t-) ting off the laundr\' and \\'ork room, while the space un- der the rear |)oreli is a cold cellar. C'o.XSTUri Tiox Following the ])lacing of footings, the wall machines were started and all w.alls carried to the levels of the under side of the floors, then an extra <)" course was run on the outer section of the doiiljle wall (Fig. 13). Against this f" wall S" planks were set on edge, wedged away from it 1 o" "'K^I carefully leveled. These planks served the double purpose of covering the air space and continuing it to the top of the lloor, and as a screed for leveling. Skeleton floor forms were placed consisting of five lines of '2" x 8" bearers on each side of the center wall, supported by shores about ,3' o. c. On top of these bearers 10" planks were laid from wall to wall to form beam bottoms. The (J" clay tile were then placed, and the steel followed. Reinforcixg Most beams were of a[)])roximatelv 1 I' sj)an. l6" o. c, and were reinforced with two '-" bars, one being bent up. The bent-up bars were well la)Ji)ed o\er the center wall to take up negative stresses. Temperature stresses were provided for bv ^ \" rods 18" 0. c. crossing the beam steel. The walls were rein- forced by I4" rods placed in the centers of each wall at floor level and above and below windows. Window lintels are wall sections placed with especial care and properly reinforced. The wall ties were Xo, 6 gal. wire, hooked at each end and used about one tie to each sq, ft. of wall. Corners, the chimney, etc., were rein- forced with Xo. () wire and ^4" rods, as seemed de- sirable. CoXCRETE Concrete consisted of screened and washed sand and graA'el mixed at the pit and locally known as 60-4-0, re- ferring to the proportions of gravel and sand. Walls consisted of a 1 :6 mix .and reinforced floors of a 1 :."> mix, with 109c hydrated lime. The consistency of the concrete used in walls was such that when tamped water would be flushed to the surface and water ridges appear on the machines being released. Concrete for floors was used mushy, but with no excess water. The concrete was mixed and hoisted with a .laeger mixer, equipped with loader and hoist. Above the first floor it was handled in wheelbarrows and buckets on an elevator running in an outside tower. The concrete for the first floor was placed by wheel- ing it up an incline. M'ith th.it floor in |)lace. its top and the outer walls were substantially level, while the floor was carried entirely by the inner wall. The plank screeds were removed and the walls continued upward. The second floor was placed in the s.arae way, and the elevator made tlie labor cost for the second floor concrete less than that of the first floor. The Plan The plan was arranged to be included in an outline aporoximatelv .'!'2' x ,';o'. .and the room arrangement is shown in the accom|)/niying illustration (Fig. .")). Spe- cial attention is called to the very com]dete use of the basement, which proxides, in addition to the usual heat- ing installation, nuich stora.ge and working space. A hopper bottom bin under the front porch holds the coal supply and deli^'ers it to a convenient point. A ma- sonry' wall encloses a closet speciallv fitted to store safely screens, storm sasli, etc. There is a small store room. The main bearing wall forms a dnst-iiroof barrier, shut- F I G . 4— T EI e SocTiiwEST Cor- ner Xote tlie chim- n e y and a glimpse of ttie two - story liack porcfi; aiso the concrete hot loed in the sheltered corner. CONCRETE HOUSES Work Shop !,'■<}' ,n: 5 0' iJ Fig. 5 — T n e Fi.uor I'i.axs -COMC RITL-rLCOP, fy Rtsr- ,„,.-<■, .' ■ T.V The roof and cornice presented the most difficult problem, since the supply of form lumber was liuiited and it was undesirable to purchase more. The cornice overhang is 3' 9"; its construction is similar to the floors; it has a 6" beam around the edge. Shoring from the ground would have required much lum- ber, and it was decided to sup])ort part of the roof and the cornice forms on the walls. This was done by cor- ing openings in the last course of concrete at points where bearer lines came, and jjrojeeting the bearers through the walls, forming cantilevers on two sides of the house. On the other two side cantilever beams were balanced on the wall and were carried back to the first line of bearers about V from the wall. Cornice forms were built up on these outriggers as shown in Figs. 13 and 15. The soffit of the cornice was recessed l-)4" to allow for plaster and a drip, and to secure a better appearance. This metluul of form building not only eliminated all outside shores, except for one at each corner, but it greatly reduced the number used in- side the building. The pitch of the roof toward the cen- ter from the cornice edge is 6" and was provided for in building the forms. In placing the concrete for the roof, care was taken to have it deposited inside the walls in an amount equal to that contained in the cornice before placing the cor- nice, and no appreciable detleetiou of the cornice forms was noted. The day following the eonii)letion of the roof slab a mortar coat averaging 1" thick was applied to the care- fully cleaned and wet slab, and in spite of the fact that it was a hot, windy day, and that the mortar cheeked be- fore it could be covered with water, there has as yet been no sign of leakage. As soon as tlie mortar coat was in place, the sump was plugged and the roof basin kept filled with water for 10 days. The Pouches The porch floors are flat slabs ,0" tliick, reinforced with V2" rods transversely, 9" o. c, and with 14" tem- pjerature rods longitudinally. The front porch wall is double to the rail level ; above that the wall is solid, with a concrete coping. The porch roof is frame, carried by hewed 8" x 8" beams secured from an old building, and is covered with red concrete tile. The ceiling is metal latli and ))laster. The back porch consists of double walls to the level of the first floor rail. Above this the piers are solid, 8" thick. The second floor is sup])ortcd on light concrete beams between piers. Tlie roof slab over the second floor porch is surmounted by a light, solid wall and is covered with 18" of earth to be planted with flowers and vines, which will trail down over the walls (Fig, 12). The balustrade of the second floor porch is formed of ribbed metal lath set in the pier forms and embedded, then plastered. It has ,a liglit cast caj) and a deeply recessed panel, as seen from the outside. The coping above the main roof is the same as the house walls and is capped with concrete and relie\ed with brick inserts at the corners. Details Chimneys — The main chimney was cast as the walls were built, by the simple method of setting a vertical plank on each side of the double wall and using two plank panels which were clamped in place by long bolts and raised as required. The main chimney carries an 8" by 12" heater flue and 12" x 12" fireplace flue (Figs. 9 and 13). A small flue lining set eutirelj' within the wall forms the ventilating duet from the kitchen. Entrance Hood — Over the side door is an ornamental hood (Figs. 3 and 12), which was cast in place in a wood and metal form made on the ground and set in place after the walls were up. The concrete hood is se- curely tied by steel bars through the wall, and the brackets are cast in chases left for them. Fireplace — The fireplace was cast in wood forms with the regular concrete mix, with the exec])tion that a quan- tity of screened pebbles, from 1/4" to %", were added. Concrete of this mix was placed to the level of the man- tel. The mantel itself was east of a rich, fine mix de- signed to be rubbed. Forms were taken away from the fireplace within 12 hours, and the face scrubbed with a stiflp brush under a stream of water, leaving the stone aggregate prominent. When hard, the mantel shelf was rubbed with a carborundum stone and water to a per- fectly smooth surface. Small decorative tile of dull green and blue shades were set in the fireplace panel with mortar that, wdien washed, presented the same ap- pearance as the rest of the work. The hearth is bordered with smooth, red brick. Stairs — The cellar stairs are of concrete without nos- ing, reinforced and laid on eartli fill. Reinforcing steel CONCRETE HOUSES sri // '^Mi -mi ¥ic.. ( -T u 1-. Base M r, N T Nearly CciM- PLETE T h (■ d a r Iv coiirst's are tlie worlc ( (me llic clay tlic pieliires were ta ken. Fig. 7 — Staiit- I N G a New COUKSE Note the aii^iie i r a n corners, which keep the lines true. Fig. S — Detau. ^^ or W T X D o w ^M F n A ]\r e s ano Scaffold The scaf- fold horses and extensions a r c eacli 3' high and are ample for ordinary story heialits. W'liia, Under Way Note the cor- ner irons raised, 'i They arc se- cured hy ^\ires hnill inlo tlic wall. Note liou' window franus arc scf higii, so .sills can later lie filled in nndcr tlicm. Note, too, the lines of flasliing built in for tlic porch roof. Fig. 10— Co II- XICE V It r\i s D O W N, AlIOUT R E a D Y' F O It Stucco Fig. 11— Put - TiKG OK Stucco Note the easily moved scaffold; also the location of mixer and tower. fur the main stairs was ))laced in position before tlie floors were ponred, and also ancliored into suit.ilile de- jiressions in the walls. Steel for the landings was wired to the steel of tlie flights, and wdien the lloors were com- jilete^ forms were l.)iiilt under tlie stair steel to foiaii the soffit. The main stairs (Figs. 12 and 17) eonsist of treads iii.ade by laying .a \ery smooth, hard burned liric'k Hat on to|i of a ii" riser form. The riser was shorter by the thickness of the brick than the height of the stair rise, and concrete was tilled le\el with the riser top. The brick were then set and show a wide mortar joint and a border about 3" wide at the back and the ends of the stej). When the forms were rcmoyed the riser and ^yalls were finished ^yith a sanitary co\'e, so that there arc no sharp corners in the stair. Because of the restricted s])ace, the .s'tair rail, which is continuous with the closet partition below, is of plaster 2" thick on H^^-rib. The newel post and rail were east about the metal lath and are of terrazzo. A flight of concrete stairs with simjile nosings worked on them lead from the second floor to the roof. Electric light and water connections are pro- viued on the roof. Partitions — The main bearing partition is of thiuble wall, 13" thick, including plaster, and the partition en- closing the stairway is of solid concrete (6" thick), but the minor partitions are varied in construction. The more important ones are of 6" tile, which were left from the carload purchased for floors and roof, while closet jiartitions on the second floor are of frame, in order to utilize some of the lumber on hand. The second floor ceiling is of lath and plaster on wood oyerl.ays, and pro- vides an air space for insulation under the roof slab. I'lastrrinr/ — The plastering was done with mortar, con- sisting of hydrated lime, cement and sand, of pro))or- tions ^'aryiiig somewhat according lo the rooms in which used. All rooms except the kitchen and bath, which are smooth, were left in a very rough sand finish from a wooden float, and in the princip.a] rooms the w ills are coved into the ceiling. Arises were kept true and wall surfaces reasonably flat, but any atteiii)5t at extreme finish w.as a\'oided. In some rooms mortar colors were added to the mix, and while the result vras not an entire success, due to bad drying conditions, the amount of ])aint needed to co\er the walls was greatly reduced. Finish Floors — The iihaster coat was carried to the rough floor and when jil.astering was comi)lete the rough floors were thoroughly cleaned and soaked and the finish floor laid to the to|) of a e's" screed, leveled up to clear the high points, giving an average thickness of slightly over 1". The method used for haying the finish floors was to lay down screeds about '2' from the walls of the room and to fill the s])ace between the screed and the wall, at the same time turning the mortar coat up the wall to form a smooth base, finished against the plaster w.all and about 3" thick. The floor was leveled bv working a long straight-edge across the screeds, depending upon them to level the 2' border accurately. After the border was ])l,aced it was a simple matter to fill the field, which was done as soon as the border had set sufficiently to act as a guide for the straight-edge. The concrete floors were treated with a liquid hard- ener, to ])revent annoyance from dusting. A local scarcity of sand, at the time the work was done, prevented the use of the ideal mixture. It was necessary to use a very coarse, almost gravel mix, to approximately the floor level, and to use a very light coat of fine mortar placed immediately following the lay- ing of the coarser material, and thorounhly worked into PO CONCRETE HOUSES ]''iii. i;! -I) i:- TAILS OF FciH.MS FOR P'lOORS, CoIC- NTCE AXD Chi:M- N i:v Fig. 14. — How COI'IXC. 1'" K ^t s Were Sitpporteu Supports "A" were built into the wall in a joint. V\i.. 15 — T ir E COHXICE FoRiis Note that shor- ing is used at corners onh . it, to form the smooth surf.ice. Tlie base mix was 1 :3 '/-j and the fine top mix 1 :2, witli about 10% of hydratcd lime. Tliis has given a pleasing gr;iy color, wliich forms an excellent background for floor coverings. Tlie kitchen ,and l;uindry floors are })ainted with a ce- ment paint to faciiit.ate cleaning. The bath and lava- tory floors are of tile. The Stui CO It is the general im])ression that to stucco a rough con- crete surface i,s very expensive, but the use of proper methods does nuich to make tlie cost reasonable. The finish desired was a moderately rough texture, with a gray ratlier than white color. Tlie mix was 1:.') cement and sand, witli the addition of about '20% hydr.ated lime, which produced a \'ery easy working mortar of desired .strengtii and color. The stucco was a|)plicd as follows (Fig. 11): ScnfJ'old — Two Iiorses were built, 18' in height, which enabled the soffit of the cornice to be reached and bear- ings were provided on them at ()' intervals for staging ])lank. These horses, in connection with a eou)ile of upright poles and ledgers at tlie windows, were all the staging required to carry the planks, and were \ery ra|)- idly and easily liandled. When starting a side the wall was thoroughlv soaked and .a few minutes were sjient in applying dabs of mortar here .and there where, for some reason or another, the surface needed a filling greater than could be given by one coat of mortar. Straight planks were set at each corner to form plastering screeds. A moderately thick co.it of mortar was then found to be sufKcient to true the surface, and could be applied to the rough textured surface very rapidly. The cornice was first plastered .and because of the different suction in the concrete and the clay tile, this was done in two coats, in order to prevent difference in color. The walls were, how- ever, straightened with a single coat, over which a dash was ajiplied. The mortar was laid by one m;in, including roughly pl.-istcring reveals to window and door openings. Im- mediately behind him the finisher d.arbied tlie surf.iee true and with :\ short str;iight-edge to guide him .and ,a wood float, brought the edges of openings to true corners. This can be done very r.apidly and aecurately ,and at much less cost than bj' fitting screeds into each opening, as is Sometimes done. The method used prevents the formation of cracks that are often found wliere window reveals are plastered after the mortar of the wall has been allowed to set partly under a screed. As soon as a side was completed, before remov'ing the scaffold, a dasli was applied consisting of 1 livdrated lime, 2 cement, 2 sand and .'S pebbles, passing a Y^" screen and collected on a Vs" screen. The cost of ma- terials and labor for stucco was approximately l.jc ])er Fi(!. Ki —The Coxcri:te h'jRE- I'l.ACE C 'ON( HIJTIJ HO I \S-ES 01 sq. _vd. Till' stucco was macliiiic uiixid. wliicli enabled one man to tend two plasterers. Interior Trim — The interior trim is cliicHy ol oak, ex- cept that all doors and window casino's are metal. ^ The door jambs were set before plastering and |irotet'ted with building paper. The casings of all ojienings consists of a holKiw sheet metal molding,'' costing about Sc per ft. and ap|)lied in approximately the same time as wood window and door trim. The metal is readilv cut with a hack saw in a mitre box, and the mitre cut by a few taps of the ham- mer coped against the member which it joins. The trim is all in place before plastering, and filled in by the mortar, forming a rigid and jierfectly molded edge. Window stools are fitted around the metal trim, which is either painted the same as the plaster of the wall or in a contrasting color, as desired. Costs Exact cost keeping on a small job, without an office organization behind it, is notoriously difficult. The costs given here are from carefully kept records of labor, while material costs have been apportioned as exactly as possible. Xo charge has been made to cover overhead or depreciation, except as noted. The costs given deal in detail only with concrete work. Charges for lumber are admittedly arbitrary and unexact, since most of the form lumber was repeated!}- used in various ways, and a considerable amount finallj' salvaged and used for minor partitions, ceiling joists, etc., and some remains on hand. Probably only about half of the rough lumber bill should be directly charged to concrete work. Eaiin^rMENT Since the work was to be clone on force account, it was nec- essary to j)urchase new equipment. The 2'rincii)al item , were: A Bip:-an-Little mixer, with loader and material hoist, iru-Iuiliiiff freight to Detroit .$387.(1(1 One set of donble \\'all machines, including fioiglit 2(i4.(i(i 4 pes. 2^2 angle iron, to use on wall corners 9.(1(1 3 12" shea\es, witli pins r»,7(i 90' of >,:" plow steel calde h.S2 \Vz doz. gal. concrete liuclack porch tliiors. and ruof slab total 680 sq. ft. There were used lo^^ cu. >-ds. of concrete -f n.30 The lumber, steel and mortar top are cstim.aterl as L'n.oo Labor cost for forms and concrete 5.^.58 Total labor ami material $117.08 L-yBoR Costs of Details — The cost of small details is so large- ly in lalior, and the yardafje of concrete so small, that the fol- lowina; notes nun- he of interest: The Chijiney The eliinmey «ns liuilt along with the wall, and an amount e(|ual to the wall area displaced is included in wall costs. It is estimated th.nt :.!':,. cu. yds. of concrete and -f^O.OO labor rep- resent the c-\tr;i eost of chimney, exclusiye of flue lining and sjiecial work on li replace. FinEPL-\CE The fire])lace f(M-iiis were built by the writer and hie finish- ing was d(Uie by him. I'jxact time not kep^, but ifl.5.0() should about eo\'cr. Stucco There are Hi yds. of stucco applied. Material $1)0.00, labor tfli.5..58; total, .f IS.5.,58, or f.5c per sq. yd. (This docs not include the back porch, wliich will be finished by the writer personally to his individual ideas. Its estimated eost is, however, included in the total cost figure given earlier in this article.) St.airs There arc estim.-itcd to be al.)Out T yds. of eoiua'ete in all stairs. The labor cost was: Cellar stairs I no nosing and including landing placetl on earth fill reinforced) ' -520.80 Stairs to second flot)r (brick steps — Fig. 12 — terrazzo post and rail) 42. .30 Stairs to roof (concrete, with nosing) 31.70 Steps of front porch 8.40 Steps of rear porch 5.25 Total 8108.-15 MlsCEI.L.\XF.OCS Building and rigging construction tower and elevator ?21.80 Septic tank (single chamber, not including excavation) 26.00 Placing forms and finishing hood over grade door 7.60 Setting windoV\' and outside door frames 51.30 Placing window and door exterior molding. 0.65 Concrete window sills 18.23 Concrete door sills ■ 4.65 Total .?140.13 Finish Floors Fabor and material for concrete finish floors and liase cost apjiroximatcly 10c 2)er sq. ft. 50 Double Wall Houses for Carnegie Employees' Fiftv fi^e-and six-nmni houses, with doulilc, f" con- crete ^yalls, arc liciiii;- liiiilt l>y tlie Carnegie Steel Co., elose by its Steeltoii |)l.iiit, Youngstowii, Oliio. [Since this article ^vas jiublished, in If)!!), the comi>leted work was found so s.atisf.aetory as to warrant the construc- tion of a still larger number of houses of the same type of eonstnietiou for Carnegie cm])lo3-ees. — Editor.] Ground w.as broki u August .30. The first concrete footing W!\^ ))oured Septtniber 6. Rains, inclement weather, and holidays held up construction for '2,'7 days, vet when the eoncrete work was stopped for the winter, November '2f), tlie y\';dls of '2.7 houses were up .and a start made on H) others. This work was handled under most interesting condi- tions from the eoncrete man's standpoint. An a]ipro- priation for the work was made by the Carnegie Steel Co. Juh- -.7. Pre\ious housing work had been chiefly in frame construction, and plans and specifications for frame houses were given to contractors August 5. Bids iprom CoxcuLTE, Jan., 1010. were received from \ .irious contracting comp.inies August If) for frame houses, and all bids were rejected on ac- count of high cost. In the meantime, one \ ;\n Guilder type double wall concrete house had been built near one of the Carnegie plants, and on the basis of that experi- mental house the type of the new house group was changed by the company officials from frame to concrete. It was decided to build the houses with the steel com- pany's own organization, under J. H. Grose, district superintendent. A contract was let to the Van Guilder Double Wall Co., Rochester, X. Y., covering merclv the labor on tlie foundations, walls and footings, using double wall machines in the work. The plans are practically identical for each size, yet are reversed for variety, and some built with the short dimension facing the street and on others broad side to the front. There is also a considerable varietv in roofs and in porches and entrance detail, as shown by the accompanying illustr.itions from detailed drawings. The \yalls of the structures are two 4" walls with a '2l 2" ail' space between. Brick work has been entirelj' CONCRETE HOUSES 93 tlimiii.'itcil. TliL' Hue lining is carried up to the top of tile cliiumey in eoucrcte. All couerete in walls lias been placid by ordinary labor, witli tlic exception of one uia- einne o])eratin' in each of six crews of ei£!;lit to nine men each. Ilerewitli is prestnted tlie estiniati.al cosl (v^' these houses, as made by the C'arnenie Steel Co. ori^anizatioii. The figures ha\e all been cheeked with the lamtraets let. These contracts include I'xcaxation, concrete walls and footings, plastering and stucco, rooting and sheet metal t'le. 1 — I'liocuiDss A'u.w ( Hix'. Ill) oi Van Cirn.DKU Svsnoi Hnrsi:s I'Oit e'viiNixai; Si'Kia. Co.. '^'orN(;sa'o\^'X. Oiiio work, painting, wiring, plumbing, heating, Car|)enter work is being done under Carnegie super\isi(ui, and will be below the estimate gi\ en. Masonry work is by the Carnegie Steel Co. m-ganizaticui also. It will be noted that the total I'ost ol' a (i-room house appears in the esti- mate as •t.j.7a!).(i t ; the total cost of a a-room lumse as $3,.'>.'0.00. The work on these houses has been standardized to a very great extent. There is ,an economical and uniform bathroom layout : uiininnnu .amount of labor and material used. Staircases are all framed in the mill and will fit any house, either oi' a or (i rooms. There is a built-in kitchen e(iui]iment the s.ime for each of the y.irious tyi)es of liouses. t)ne dimension of every house in the group is the same. By way of com])arisou it is interesting to consider the Carnegie com|).any's tabulation of the estimate sheet on the original frame house jjroijosition. There were nine bidders and six sep.irate types of houses bid on. The average cost of the six ty))es of houses under the highest bidder would liaye been ^t,.V7(). The low ,a\'erage was .IfjlOt. The .aver.age of all the bids on all the houses was ij 'A § O :.^- fe f^ 06 CONCRETE HOUSES I'u'.. S — Sd.^ii; AiTLUNA'n: 1-', i r\"ATHtN^ of C'Mtxiicn: Horsiis (if "^'2 that I liave never liad bur])as.sed. I was at no time able til put nii einlit crews, as iirigiiiallv intended, bnt have liad six crews do mure work tlian was planned origi- nally for eight. \\'c paid off e\"ery Satnrday an.-i never succeeded in getting more than half the men back Mon- day morning." Eijiiipment used is not extensi\"e. Four Jaeger mixers* were em])loye(l. i'.ach of the six crews, which was the niaxinnmi working at one time, consisted of eight men whili' the work \\as going on at the first stor\', and nine men in a crew \vhen it had been raised to the second story Ie\"el. Concrete «"as carried in pails, four pails to •a -wheelliarrow, on runways, but jiassed up by hand to the higher le\els. In order to sjieed ii]) tlic wairk. Dr. Santce offered a bonus of ..'ill cents a course tor each course in excess of four courses put in by a crew in a day. The record made was nine courses in :\ single day. It was possible to put in only two o\- three courses on one house, and then go to the lU'xt one. Sixteen lunises were kept under construction in this way at one time. The last of the concrete for the season was put in Xo- i-embcr '26. It wa-, necessary to Jiay common- labor as high as :f-l.(ll) and -f.").!)!) ;l day. Occasionally ^7. (to ma- chine mierators were used to \vheel coiu'rete. The op- erations and progress are shown in the acciunpanying illustrations from ]iliotograplis. /^'oy-yj- &fi/^T/OAJ ■ T \D1 E 1 — ESTI.M \TED C( ST ts, layiii atioii. 1) irary bu mee on \isian — t f mill a v\ .... s: out III lektill, K ildings . labor . . Exc;l\ rading 110 00 Temp 10 00 In.^ur. 2 00 imekeepi t MeDon I'se 1 Masiii aid... 8.00 100 00 \'an iiiiliK-r ial — cem up: friin riiiff an vare . . . ■i anil > iter lal) II- ilalH nir 'mat ialior ei ent. slaj; MeDon 1 stucco leet met ntract , sand lid .. 496 64 .MatL-i Truck I'laste 360.00 60.00 430 00 Haril\ KoiiHi Cariii' I'aint 00. 00 214.00 r) 95 00 I'.iint ei'ial) . 25 00 W'irln 47 00 riuinl inix . . . 365 00 Heati 150 00 C'arpe iter in.i Total Total dim teiial . . co.st of eost of rence ii six-JOl ive-riK size. 111 house 111 house, 735.00 hj- all )\\ in K S2I1( for T \RI F ' — Tadi 1 \TIiiN 1 1 Bids R -.(IIVED UN ^RA.MK H oesK \ii 1 Hi 111- Diililer. Hiililer. Dirlilcr. Hiil.ler. Hidder. Bidder. Hidder. Bidder. Bidder. e ITan— mill 1.2 111 10(12 $1,208 .■!,899 4,002 3, .342 4,100 4,129 1,097 1,21.3 1.230 1 003 ?t,294 4,005 4,272 4,071 4,14.s 1,17 1,100 J. 372 1,102 1004 ?4,fl20 4,231 4,025 4,894 4,529 4,0 OS 4,537 4,731 4,492 1005 ?4,661 4,373 4,052 5,312 4,571 4,432 4,01,1 4,937 4,55 1 1006 54,651 4.293 4.647 5.301 4.504 4,002 4,589 4,797 4,533 \i'. i \o. :! \ii 1 1.195 Xii. •) \ii. Ii \o. 7 \'o. K \d '1 1.116 1,155 1.10.3 1.1115 i I'Tl CONCRETE HOUSES ,1 1 Fic. 1 — lti;sii)i:\tK or F. I.. \\'i ii.i avisos' at Kansas t'l'i'v, Mo., "Walls. STHUCTEI) AVLIII A Ddl'llLL A\'all .M A c 1 f I X E lUS, AND S'lWIlis TIIL W'alI An Example of Fireproof Residence Construction at Kansas City, Mo. The .subject of thi.s article is the residence of F. L. Williamson.- It was inevit.ible that Mr. Williamson's close contact with the cement industry should have im- pressed upon him the value of concrete as a residence ma- terial. The plans are by Shepard and Belcher, archi- tects, Kansas City, and the concrete structural features were designed by the Trussed Concrete Steel Co.,' whicli furnished the reinforcing material. Study of the plans shows the house to be ()8' wide and 63' deep. The basement is fully utilized, containing a fireproof garage, man's room, laundry and work room, besides space for the heating j)lant and for general stor- age. A reinforced concrete cistern occupies the entire space under the front porch. The feature of tlie first floor is the large living room,, with its heavy beamed ceiling. The first floor also contains a library, dining room, kitchen and two spacious porches. The second floor ])ro- vides two large sleeping porches in addition to slee])ing rooms. Construction Details It is obvious that in a building of tliis kind details must be very carefully planned in advance or considera- ble annoyance will occur. yVII electric wiring was located in conduits whicli were placed before pouring the slabs and walls. Chases were left for vertical pipes and con- duits and such pipes as are subject to variations of tem- perature were carefully wrapped with asbestos ])a|)er and then insulated before the wall was jilastered with cement mortar. The first and the second floor finish in 'From CiiNCRETE, Jnn., 1916. =Vice-Pres. nnrl Gen. City, Mo. M;?!'.. Dc\\A'>" rortland Cement CiL. Kansas the principal rooms is n.;" oak nailed to strips embed- ded in the couevete. The kilelien and the ser\'anls' room, basement ;iiul third floor slabs are given a granolithic finish, iLs are also tlie basenieut stairs and the stairs from the second to the third floor. The enclosed porches are floored with Adamantile^ and the open porch at the front is floored with red concrete tile ))" x ,Q", set with black mortar joints. It will be noted that this porch is really the roof of the HV x .'i'2' concrete cistern. The water from the cistern is pumpe/y CONCRETE HOUSES 99 floors are of flat slab construction reinforced with ribbed metal and vary in thickness from 4" to 6Vs", according to area. The concrete was of cement, sand and IVj" crushed stone. It was mixed in a Jaeger mixer, with 4'/o h. p. engine located in the basement. A wooden charging hopper was filled through one of the basement windows. I<'rora the mixer the concrete was handled in wheelbarrows which were elevated on a lift operated by a hoisi on the mixer. The lift was located in the stair well of tlic rear hall, the stairs being omitted until all other concrete was placed and were then built from the top dowTi. Details of the stair construction arc shown in Fig. 5. Cost Data As competitive hids were not taken, exact comparative data are not available. It is the owner's belief, however, that the building cost less than it would liave, had the wall construction l)een of stone or of brick. Unit wall costs are given as fol- lows by George K. Lewis: Crushed stone, .fl.50 per cu. yd.; sand, ^-iJH) pi-y cu. \(l.; ceiucnt, i'i^\,2:'y ])er libl. The machine o))crators wci'c incx|iericnci-(l and were broken in on this job. .\U concrete w:i!is taken logclhcr, including the heavy base- nu--nt walls, cost 1!) cts. per s(p ft., including supervision. The [" double wall (ignred se|iaratel}' cost 151/; cts. per sq. ft. 'I'his is exclusi\'e of the stucco fniish. Kui. 1 — Rksiuknce 01 I.. AVn,i.i.\MS AT Waco, Texas Concrete, Boulders and Casements, Features of Waco House' Tlie attractive residence of L. Williams at Waco, Tex., which was de.signed by Edward H. Reed, architect, Waco, and built by Harris & Hewitt, contractors, Waco, i.s far from looking severe or cold. Construction Its walls were built with a double wall machine. The exterior of the house is finished in portland ce- ment stucco, and tlie interior is plastered direct to the iprom CnxcRETE, .Jan.. 1016. concrete wall, without fear of dampness, owing to the double construction. The builders have itemized the cost of the house, ex- cliisive of the slate roof and oak floors, Avhich were fur- nished under separate contracts. These costs are base"^' on the following wage scale: Plasterers, 87 Vi; cts. per hour; painters, 50 cts. per hour; laborers, 25 cts. per hour; carpenters, 50 cts. per hour. DET.\n.s OK Cost Excavating .; 258.40 Concrete walls and footings 1,088.80 Brick and ooljblestone 50(t.0(} Plaster, stucco and eoaci'ote Iloors 1 ,102.00 Tile for Ijathroom :>4.00 Iron 38.00 Wiring 187.00 Tin and lieating 480.00 Hardware 200.00 Labor on carpenter \\ork 1,465.00 Mill work and laliiir 1,. 100. 00 Lumber 1.2,15.00 Painting 700.00 Plumbing 000.00 S9,588.20 D -t* 1 ''''r' I I Vw. 2 — Floor Pl.vss, "Waco, Texas House mn COX CRETE HOUSES A Concrete House at Glen Ridge By Kdhard !•'. Washbi'RX ARnilTl-CT Tlie very attractive Glen Ridge. X. J., residence of "Wilson 1). Lyon — an example uf Americanized Italian arcliiteetiir( — was designed and its construction super- intended by Edward F, \'\'asliburn, architect, New York City. It stands at Ridgewood and Linden avciuies, set ^ini) ft. hack from tlie former, wliieli is the town's chief residence tliorouglifare. (Seepage rr.'r). The concrete construction by tlie double-w.ill Van CMiilder system, was liy the .Schonler Cement Construc- tion Co. The house was built of cinder concrete, ] part ))ortLind cement, '2 i)arts of clean, sharp sand, and i ))arts of cle.in, steam washed, liard coal cinders, machine mixed. 'J'he exterior walls are double throughout, with a '21 ./' air sj^ace from the top of the footings in the cellar to the plate .at the roof. There is no connection between these two w;dls, with the exception of 1,4" tie wires, which are placed 2' apart horizontally across the air space, on every course, the courses being 9" high. Stucco w;is ajiplied directly on the w.all, outside, and the plaster directly on the inside surface. The foundation w.ills are ()" thick up to the top of the hrst floor beams, where the outside shell changes to a l" wall, the 2" forming a water table, and the inside shell continues 14) at ()" thick to the under side of the second floor be.-nns. resting on the ott'set. so that the wall from the second floor to the plate at the roof is formed of two i" walls with a S^V' ;iir space. The house has a red Ludowici Spanish tile roof, with a fire flashed finish, giving .a mottled effect, colors rauij- ing from a terra cotta red to a blue-grav tone. There is a 3' overhang at the roof, solid cypress gutter, sawed rafter ends, and the exposed sottit under the over- hang sealed with ()" c^'press boards running parallel with the gutter, and the joints covered in between the rafters with 2" x 1{." battered strips of Italian detail. The exterior .stucco is a little off the white, a buff tinge, with a fine s]iatterdash finish, and the base, up to the water table, is finished smooth. Window sills, copings, exterior steps and architrave around entrance door are of the s.ame finish. The railings antl flower baskets are of iron painted black, secured into the con- crete with lead. Tlie small tile inserts in the 2" recessed arches over the first floor windows are formed with -t" x i" faience dark green tile. On the pedestals of the front terrace wall .are Italian urns of concrete of a terra cotta color, to carry the color of the roof, with the copper leaders also painted terra cotta. Trimmings and sash are of a neutral gray. The little spots of color in the tiles and the fine iron detail spots which are black, give the exterior a very interesting appearance. CONCRETE HOUSES jni l*"ni. 2 — Second l^'r.ddii Pi, as, Iaon Uks DKXC'H Dktaiis Kiiis. ,)-8 — WixDow, DooRsiLi., Uaiteu End, and Moke Window Details 75 Dwellings of Monolithic Concrete at Claymont, Del/ I'm;. 1 — PnuTHAiiY Fimsiied Groi-i' hf Coxckeit W.m.t.eii DwKiiixcs nil; (li:xi:ii.u (' ii i:>rii'Ai. Cii.. C'r.AVMoxT, Dkt,. Sf^-ciit_v-fi\c {Iwflliiios, -walled witli monolitluc con- ci'fte are iiieluded ia ;i 1 NT-house groii]) for the General Chemical Co. ,it its Ahireus Hook (dant, Claymont, Del. The .site is on the hiiih land overlookine: the Delaware River, 7 miles from A\'ilminoton. giving the community its name — Overlook Colony. Tlie jiroject is being car- ried out under the direction of Robert Painter liid Dr. C. F. Ford, of the ser\ ice de})artment of the chemical company, and T. V. Fowler and W. H. Anderson of the engineering department. John Xolan, landscape architect, Cambridge, Mass., laid out the property. The houses were desig-ned b}- H. Enol Coffin, architect. New York City. Part of the property has been laid out for detached dwellings. For the less expensive houses the grouping plan was adopted, building several houses in a block. The 7:') concrete houses have been jjut up in solid rows. Types of Construction The different types of wall construction used at Overlook Colony are, as follows : (Ij reinforced concrete with stucco finish; ('2) T. C. tile with stucco finish; (3) metal lath on metal lumber with stucco finish; (i) brick veneer over wood frame and sheathing; (5) stucco on metal lath over wood frame and wood sheathing. The party walls between dwellings are of terra cotta or con- crete. The exterior walls of all are of fireproof or at least fire-resisting construction. Part of the concrete walls was jnit u]i by the use of wood forms and part of the work was done with steel forms. Data comjjiled on the various types of construction showed that concrete walls cast in steel forms cost con- siderably less than for the tile walls. The concrete walls made in wood forms cost slightly more l!-an tile walls. The floors in the bath and toilet rooms are of concrete with a cement finish. The floors of the living room and kitchen are of wood, laid over cypress sleepers, which are bedded in a cinder concrete slab. All of the houses have the second floor construction of the usual wood type on wood joists. "From Concrete, Jan., 1919, The House Plans The reader will note that the houses are all planned to be but two rooms deep ; the}' are simple and straight- forward ; tlie houses as well as the rooms are nearly square. One chimney serves for two dwellings. One plumbing stack also serves for two dwellings. There is a mini- mum of hall space. Fig, S shows the plans of the four- room t3'pc of house — the first floor has the living room in the front and a combination dining room and kitchen in the re.-Lr, Fig, 1 shows the plan of the concrete houses, of which type there are 7.0. The living room is at the front — the kitchen is at the rear — the bathroom adjoins the kitchen. The houses as built have the range located next to the bathroom, so that all piping is reduced to a minimum. In oi-der to save space, a short built-in enameled iron bathtub is used. This tub is only 3' to 4' long, and is built in the space between the bathroom walls ; the plaster finishes down on the rim of the tub. The second story h.' s three bedrooms, making these five-room houses. rj EDi f 1 e 1 n^apfjf'f^-f^<{ 1 Q\W\5J:^\< COLQ^IY- rKY 1=118 r mB:ssms3 -t-g-T' gu^V -'?=<3- -17-^ *,i;=^ Fig. 2 — Layout of "0\terlook Colony" at Clay'mont, Del. ( ONCRETK HOVSES 10-'. J! t-- LIVIMQ vr\ 1 3' X 1 3-4 i (■3 A >3 BEP-4?O0n 13 )^ q-a Figs. 3, 4, and 5 — PiIaxs Top to Bottoji or Four, Five axd Six-Room Houses at Ci^wjioxt Tlie largest of tlie houses in the Colony group are of the six-room t_vpe, shown in Fig. .). In the firr.t story there are living room, dining room and kitchen. In the second stor}^ are three bedrooms and bathroom, which makes a six-room house. The concrete houses are built to fill the nr^ed for housing the families of the unskilled workmen The rent for a four-room house is $20.00 ; for a five-room house $25.00, and for a six-room house, $30.00. In or- der to make the rent as low as possible, the four and five-room houses have been built without cellars, to be heated by stoves. Concrete boxes for keeping fuel .arc located just outside the kitchen doors. For the heating of the bedrooms, double registers are located in the ceil- ing of the first story, which connect with rooms above. Stucco Finish After pointing up the walls the finish was applied in a single coat of stucco, mixed one part Atlas White ce- ment to two parts white sand. The average thickness of this coat is V^' ■ It was applied with a trowel in the usual way, and was followed by going over with a trowel, dragging the edge so as to leave the surface with a FlC. (i Lu'.HT. HaxDY SCAITOLD BliACKKTS ^IeDELY LeAXED AiiAixsT AVai.i, and Staked at Bottom ; Stac.ixg Plaxic Xaiijid to Pre\'ent Side JIovemext I'"ics. 7 axd 8 — Snow How Frames Are Set ix', witm Steel Forms Extexding Over texture somewhat like ta))cstvy or wirccut brick. The result is a souiewliat rough finish, whieli afl'ords consid- erable variety. This single coat of rough stucco makes 104 CONCRETE HOUSES perliaps tlie least t'xi)i'nsi\'e, penuaneiit. fiiiisli wliicli can be given to a concrete ^vall. The reiio-li texture does away with the ditticiilt_v from crazing, wliicli is ahiiost sure to show in a smooth trowel finish of rich mix. The rough finish also eo\'ers any sliglit twist in '(\,v wall surface. A'.\KiF/rY IX Slait. Roofs The roofs are all eo\ere;l \\ i[h random width s.a green slate of variegated shades. 'I'iiis gives eonsiderahh' life and color to the rool's ami ta]^ii TT~]nF C/^.'-.^' ,",;/.- Fig. 11 is carried across the bathroom in the shape of a hollow reinforced concrete beam. All flues have terra cotta linings. Cinder Acjejregale — Concrete for walls has crushed cinder aggregate; the loads are extremely light in this case, the maximum being 102 lbs. per sq. in.; whereas samples of the cinder concrete were tested to stand 1,300 lb5. per sq. in. when 90 days old. Here, as in many manufacturing sections, cinders are a waste product and the only cost is that of hauling, whereas gravel and crushed stone cost ^'2.50 per ton on the job. The cin- der concrete has a slightly porous surface, which gives a good bond for the one coat of white cemenV stucco finish. All interior furring and finish has been nailed direct to the cinder concrete wall, thus eliminating the need for wood nailing blocks in the concrete or of plug- ffina; the walls. The mix used for part of the work was 1 part Atlas cement, \^/-_i parts sand, 3 parts cinders. This was changed to 1 :,'>: 1, which proved amply rich for these light house walls. The Wood Form Work — On that part of the work on which standard steel forms were not used, panels were made of ■%;" square edge N. C. pine sheathing, nailed to 2 x i's, 2-1" o. c. These jianels were set up two sections at one time and wired together. The concrete was jioured in anv section, 5' in length, and allowed to set before the top section of forms was filled. They were then removed and reset and the second story walls poured. The concrete was mixed and spouted by a .laeger outfit, as shown in Fig. 12. The mi.:er and spouting outfit was set on a high platform, so that \y the use of rollers the whole outfit could be moved a'eng as the work progressed. The Steel Form Worl; — In the work done wit^ the steel form outfit quite a different procedure was fol- lowed. CONCRETE HOUSES 105 Figs. 1- axd IS — CoxsTitrtTTOx Using AVood Forims and AJixi:i 'l{(ii.li!;ss (tx r\\lri- OF A\'( I'll SporxixG Oc'iiiT Tile walls were made by a eoiitinuiuis jirocess nf mold- inn; concrete blocks in ])lace on the wall. One tier of steel forms only was employed. In from t^^■o ;o tliree hours after each course of the forms or mohls w;is filled tlie concrete had set up sufficiently so tiiat the forms could be removed and reset. Kaeli pair of forms or one mold, as it miffht be called, uiade ;i block '2'2" high by 21" long. The forms were set across .11 doors and windows. The frames were built out to 'be full thickness of the wall and those frames v.ere dro])ped in between the forms and the concrete was poured around so that all fr.ames were built in .as the w.alls wei^t up. The concrete was mixed to a uuisliy but not i .sloi:)][)y consistency. The forms were filled with wheelbarrows from an inside movable scaffold. The )5osts of tl'is scaf- fold were 4 x i's, witli lioles bored 1 '2" o. c. T>edgcr beams were siq^ported by ])ius through the posts ,at any desired level. This moving scaffold was desiguid to be carried to such a height .above the lei'el of tlu l'(U'ms that the concrete could be dumiied into the forms from the barrows. The pouring was carried on so that wall stepped up one course every 16 feet, so that the ••alls of ten houses were under construction at ime time. At one end the walls were just starting arul at the other end they were plate high. In this way the job was paid out so that the work could be continuous in operation. AVliile one crew was putting in foundations, another crew up the line was setting second floor joists and a third crew was putting on the roof, while a fourth was installing parti- tions. One n-ew would be plastering, another trimming, and still another crew would be hanging doors and sash. And so on to p.iintiug, cleaning and locking the door of the tinislicd house. It was intended to standardize the U(U-k of eaeli crew, .and .allow it to continue doing that s.auie work iiu house .after iionse, so ;is to make a sub- st.iiiti.aj s,-i\iug ill till' l.abcu- cost ;is well as speed up the job. j\s the w(n-k w.is origiu.ally laid out, it was estiuiated tli.at .after the work w.as well started the houses should tiiiish out at the rate of one house every two days. I5y this metliod of biiildiug concrete w.alls, the mixing ,aiul pl.'ieing is m.'id'- ,a eontiiiuoiis process. The size of I-' V V GS. 1 \ AXI) 1.5— IR3I A\'(II(K OX C G. Pi— mktai, r. (T sxn t'i:xTiai) ;\I i »X( lorn; II(M'si:s '."Miaat IIndmii C'gxstim' ci;r 1' Til IX I.AX-l AXD Stee L 106 CONCRETE HOUSES tlie outfit of stit'l forms or molds, ,is tlitv arc called, depends onl}- on the size of the crew and the speed of construction desired. As shown in Fig-, l.j, tlic process includes the reuio\al of -|)lates on the finished wr.ll and resetting .and refilling the iilates in front. If a stiff mix is nscd. and tam|)ed in place, somewhat like that used in the usual concrete bloclv, the forms can be removed at once, but with "(jnaking mix." which produces a stronger concrete^ it is found to be neeessar_v to leave the forms on the wall from two to three hours, according to weather conditions and to |)rotect the newly cast wall from rain. Fig. 6 shows tlu' light scaffolds which WLre used on the short runs of' «-,ill and wherever the hea^-y scaffold and wlieelbarrows c(udil not be used to ad\antage Coal hods were used to place the concrete in the forms, four of these carried in a b.irrow. The concrete cannot be placed at ,is low a tost ,is where wheelbarrows or spouts can be used, but the cost of building a tower and moving the chutes tm- this w.ill wan-k made it more expensive than the h.and placed material, owing to the small yard- age involved. Window ]''r,\mes and Other Details All frames were built up on the job. In Fig. 17 is shown a vertical section through the window liead. A strip of tin is tacked to the yoke and extends up into the concrete. This makes a joint that is airtight as well as watertight. A plan cut through the .side of the window frame is also shown. The sash weight box is formed by tacking a channel shaped metal strip to the pulley stile. The sill and the yoke are cut long, so that this metal weight box has a secure nailing top and bottom. On account of the channel shape of this metal weight box, it makes a very rigid frame and is at the same time lighter and less ex- pensive than the usual wood frame. (See Fig. 18.) The frames were m.ide up with a reveal strip tacked on in place of the staff, as shown in the detail. These temporary reveal strijjs built the frames out to the thickness of the walls, so that the frames complete were set in the steel forms at any point desired, and the con- crete poured around these frames, making a weather tight joint. By the use of this simple metal weight box A'/a'jXwj /^Vr?'/,^^//: _?/j^/z/9;s Via. 17 the wood work, which is sure to shrink, is reduced to a minimum when the concrete is ))oured around the win- dows. The temporary reveal stri])s are removed and the staff stri]) is applied. This serves both as a finish and forms the sash runway. The stucco was finished up ag.ainst the staff. The repeal strips were made of ^/4" cvpress. so that they were used over and over again. " A sill detail is shown, with a drip under the sash. The temiiorary n \'e,il strips extend down below the wood sill .aiul form a recess. The finished concrete sill is .ifterw.irds molded in |)lace. Wires are left project- ing in the sill recess, which furnish a secure bond (Fig. 19). The outside wood sill is applied after the concrete sill is finished and is so arranged as to extend down and cover the joint between the main wood sill and the con- ereti-. This outside wood sill is set with a white lead Vk. 1 joint. While time is tlie best test of new structural details, such, for instance, as this window sill, it seems quite possible that it will eliminate one of the difficulties in concrete hou.se building — the making of watertight window .sills. The brick in the usual wall are .so porous that they absorb any water that beats in under the sill, but the concrete does not take the water so freely and this accounts perhaps for the fact that windows in some Tiy/zzjirff-'^'" >t • -, Fig. 19 of our concrete houses have given trouble from leaks. As a rule the frames are much more nearly weatherproof in a concrete wall tli.an in a brick wall. Flush Trim — All of the interior finish in these concrete liouses is set flush with the plaster, instead of project- ing as is the usual custom. This reduces the woodwork to a minimum and the flush finish largely eliminates the dust catchers. The woodwork receives the first coat of stain before it is put in place. It was the original in- tention to eliminate all grounds, as plaster boacd was used, applying the sand finish flush with the casing. The trim would without doubt be smeared over with plaster to some extent, but it was proposed to follow the plas- terers up, cleaning off' the trim, then to apply a second coat of dark stain, which would cover up any stained parts, and finally to apply the band mold, much as a picture mold is put up in finished condition. Tee wood base is also put uji flush with the plaster, and the band mold extends along the to]i of the base and mitres up and around the doorways. The usual projecting stool at the windows has been omitted. All exterior walls were furred with 1 x 2's, Ifi" o. c. Furring strips were secured by nailing direct into the cinder concrete walls. ( 'OX CRETE HOUSES 10 : Fig. 1 — AV. F. Paysox's Coxcrete House, Xeau Darif.x, Coxx.- Tiri: Arcititkct's Coxcepitox or the Fixished Work Concrete Walled Houses on Long Island Sound' By IMiltox Dana Morrill Just ■west of the Long Island Sound shore develop- nunt of Tokeneke and in the township of Darien. Conn., a most interesting group of concrete liouses is under way. On the first two just now the finisliing touches only are lacking. They were designed by New York archi- tects, who have come to know what great possibilities concrete offers in the building of more permanent and at- tractive country residences. The first of these houses, for F. Raymond Holland, the painter, stands on the rocks close to the water's edge. It is a rambling pile, having been planned in the style of a fisherman's cottage on an Italian shore. The architect is F. H. Bosworth, ,Tr. [The Holland house com]i]eted is illustrated elsewhere in this book. — Editor.] The walls are of a 1:3:5 concrete, mixed wet, with ,5% hydraded lime added for density, and to m,.ke the concrete flow more freely in the spouts. The first story walls are 9" thick, and in the second they are 7"; •Vi;" reinforcing rods are spaced 2' o. c. both vertically and liorizontally. A small portion of the floor is of con- crete slab construction, but most of the interior work is of the usual wooden beams and stud partitions. The roofs are covered with green mat glazed tile. The ex- ^From Concrete, .I.iniinry, 1918. -HowAnn tJm -Ni.LV, .Via jinr.cT--l it()-\i v Cuiuk DiiV'\iNG of terior walls are being finished with a one-coat stucco made of 1 part portland cement to 1 part sand, with ,5% hydraded lime added. The arched loggia is an interesting feature. To take advantage of a natural vista toward the sea, the builder was called upon to make an archway directly iu the corner. An illustration shows the ingenious way in which this was accomplished. The second house is for W, F. Payson, New York Citjr, president of the x\tlas Advertising Co. Howard Green- lej', who is the architect for this house, has adapted his plan and design distinctly for concrete, and in its char- acter has studied the material carefuUj', Some of his details are of especial interest. The construction of the walls was similar to that of Mr. Holland's house. They were poured in steel forms by the Morrill system, involving the use of steel pan-like forms i'- sq., clamped on the flanges and usually raised in an entire 2' tier at one operation. The walls were ))ut up and the building completed to the roof in fj' working days, advancing on an average of i' each day, placing the concrete with a .Taeger spouting outfit. A force of 12 men raised and set the forms and poured a 2' course of concrete eacli day around the building, a total of 216'. The average labor cost of lemoving, cleaning and setting up steel forms and placing window frames was 2c ])er sq. ft. surface measure. The labor cost of mixing and pouring the concrete in the forms was $1.60 jier cu. vd., or about tl oc per sq. ft. of wall. To tliis must be added something for the use of the mixing and hoisting outfit, as well as for the use of the steel forms, but as these can be used over and over again, it makes a small item per s<|. ft. of wall. This has been estimated at V-^c, which covers the interest on the invest- ment and the wear and te/ir expense. The avails are S" thick, vt in forced by "i^" rods spaced 2 1" o. c. li()i-izniitall\" and \crtieally, like the Holland JOS CONCRETE HOUSES Fig. 2- — Floor Pi.axs and East Ki.kvatiox. Mr. Holland's House, Wiikii Was Oiugixally Designed for Hollow Tile AND SuiiSLQUENTLY ChANOED Edit CoXCltETi; '■ TO ATTACH SKETCH ^HOVIMG METKOP OF riLUNG fire Hoi£i. in V/ALLS Fig, I — Fii.Lixc KoRir Spacers Holes in Wall Left ba' I7ETMIL Or- DODD - DETAIL or V/ALL- riNIDH-THE DQ53E3 COVnmKG PiPEHOl-D AN!? THE FOETl rwn'.S AKT: UiEJ7 A3 J7ECCJK- ATIQM Fig. 5 — Ax Idea for the Decorative Treatment of a Morrill System Wall, Suggested by the Architect^ Howard C'REEXLEY '1 tie SlIELL BoSSI:S BeING Particularly Appropriate for a Sea- shore Dwelt, IN'G 'r^puf-inEj^ ^rCT10H°^JAnB It Fig, G — Window Det.vils, Paysox Hoi'Se liouse. Pi])e .st-jjar/itors were used between :be steel forms. iVs these were driven out, 1^4" holes were left through the walls, and these were employed to secure light steel scaft'old brackets, wliieh were raised as the work went up. Into tiiese lioles, wliieh were spaced just '24" o. e., wooden plug.s- were driven, '.o which furrino- strips on the inside of the wall were spiked. The holes were then filled from the outside by an ingenious plan, which is shown in Fig. 4<. A piece of pii)e about 1.)" long was fitted with a plunger, rod and handle. This "o-un" was filled with a cement and lime mort.ar by dipping the jiipe well down into the pail of mortar and drawing up the handle. The end of the pipe was then inserted in the hole and the plunger used to force in the mortar. As a slight pattern is left by the steel foruLs on the walls, and the ))ipe boles come just where these squares join, the architect, Mr. Greenley. proposed to adopt this pattern as the basis of a decorative scheme by cov- ering the holes with small prc-e.ast ornamental bosses. Fig. ,'j shows how, in this way, a decorative effect may be obtained. The owner in this case preferred a stucco covering. Fig. 7 shows the method em])loyed to put in the second story floor joist, as there was no offset in the wall at this level ; 2 x 1 pieces were bedded in the wall as the concrete was placed. To these nailing blocks a strip or ribbon was spiked at the proper level to catch the bot- tom of the floor joist, and the furring strips are nailed up under to give support to the ribbon. Wall anchors CONCRETE IK) I \SES lO'J ■% ior and M;:ilerial, lt2 sq. vd.s. of Stucco — Vz day, 3 ma.sons, at It. 80 for 8 liours .57.20 V2 (lay, 2 lielper.s, at S3. 00 for 8 hours 3.00 '2 (fay, 2 carpenter.s, at ?4.50, .'^caffoldinf^ 4.50 Total labor 2 l)bls. cement, at $1.02 ... 1 yd. sifted sand, at $3.00 $3.82 3.00 $14.70 $21.32 Total materials Total ■ The total cost of finishing these walls was lluis be- tween l.'jc and l6e per sq. yd. :,_T-Tr ^cc^ <5" t ZLyjf.irJS. 110 CONCRETE HOUSES An Architect's Own House — Concrete Walls and Floors' Bv Milton Dana IMorrill William A. Boring, architect, New York Cit}', selected reinforced concrete constrviction for his country resi- dence at New Canaan, Conn., although a majority of the important works of the firm of Boring and Tilton have heretofore been carried out in brick and stone. El H B i M j^j^^p a ^^^'-j.-X^^^ ■^' Pip, 3 — Fro^-t and Side Elevaiioks axd Section M'. G. ^^'ood, a progressive builder of Xorw.ilk. Conn., had launched out into poured concrete for r 'lidence work, as he saw in this type of construction the .:',reatest future. Mr. Boring watched the work going on and visited the concrete houses after their completion. He had to he "shown" and did not adopt concrete without due thought and consideration, and from cellar to garret in winter and summer he went through the houses which Mr. Wood had put up. He decided that poured concrete was the construction which he wanted, and as a result he has a permanent, fireproof house and he built it at a cost little in excess of that of the usual wood construction. The plans here shown need little explanation, and the illustrations from photographs give one a good ;dea of ■From Concrete, Jan., 1916, p. 19, Fig. 4 — First and Second Floor Plans, Boring House CONCBETE HOUSES 111 ¥lGi 5, () ANU 7 CONSIIIUC- T TKIN N' 1 E A\' S , ]-l(ii(iX(i n(trsK At top, lifMn,!i' ji tiei- oF wnil ]i],Ttcs; center sh(i^\'s frnme.s >et in fornis; b o t t (I ni view shows offset for s e o n d Hoor beiirinu'. the exterior design. As time goes on the house will be- come more and more attractive, as the trees, shrubs and A-ines, "vvhich jMr. Boring included in the archi'ectrual design, mature. Tlic house is of concrete throughout. The walls arc \)" tliick in the first story, 7" in the second, and 6" in the third, with reinforcement, generally of '■''f^" rods •2-1" o. c. The partitions are of concrete 6" and V in thickness. Both walls and partitions were poured by the use of steel forms r the floors are of reinforced con- crete of the floor-tile construction.'' The slab thickness between the concrete beams is "i" . Beams are 8" deep. spaced '-iO" o. e. The house has a shingle roof, which would appear to be the onh' vulnerable part. The walls were furred for lath and plaster. There are many individual touches about the house wliich must be seen to be appreciated. Living room, hall and dining room are all finished in chestnut paneling, which extends from floor to ceiling, stained a deep brown. For the second floor construction the forms were made of heavy chestnut plank laid over heavy wood beams all rough-sawed ; the concrete floor slab was pat over this, but the wood framing and beams were left as a finished ceiling, all stained a deep brown like the side wall paneling. The eff'ect is very pleasing. Wherever in the house there is plastering, a sand finish has been given and the tool marks and trowel marks have been left to give texture to the finish. Hardwood floors have been laid over the cement slabs, except in the kitchen and the servants' quarters, where the floors have been left with a cement finish. The exterior walls have a rough stucco finish of white portland cement and sand. Besides the house there is a garage and cow barn, all built of poured concrete inside and out. The cost of the concrete in place, including all form costs, was about $6.. 50 per cu. yd. Fig. 8 — Livixo Room, Boding ijj House i|^ ,.^ Xnte beamed eeiliiig. Mr. bou se IS a mas terpiece of its kiiid. In its simplicity perhajjs lies its greatest charm. One can picture how beautiful it will become as the years take off the new look and bestow that indescribable coloring and texture wdiich time alone can give. DETAILS or DOUBLE HUMG- V/inDOVV3 OCT \r-i CO/SCRET& y/ALLj' ->eiqV.tL reveal jinp' l^J ^-' S&CT I 0n°''WI/^i7OV/-liCAP - JAZlDMniOylii^ldG NOTE- fra.mf5 3bouM be made full thickoeii o^■UJall reveal itripi to be atterujareli removed and 5ts.ll bead applied ^' -? NOTE- Iniicle CQiing to be applied alter the luoII forms have been removec_ \n i\X IM W AIL ^PKOJKTin^ r^cfe^ied coiioq ' 3CALir3irH= 1 FT (lAiFULLOIZC) ' rTTAiLorv/oop TrL«iPiATr, CUT CHJT JO TOKr\ Dooe 511.L, ryTnTicg POOF :S()3iE Simple Dooit and Wixdoav Frame Details SutxiESTEo ba' ]Mh. ^Iorru.l i-or jMonolithic Construction" ]!:. CONCRETE HOUSES Kicis. 1 ANu J — T;\'() \'iE\vs of House of ^Ih. M'assey at Middi,:; iurg, Va. Two Houses of Poured Concrete at Middleburg, Va.' The accompanying plans and illustrations of houses at Middleburg, Ya., with data as to constructiyn, are presented through the courtesy of INIilton Dana Morrill. The construction is similar to the work on the Thomas estate, described in another article. Plans and illustrations from photographs shown here are of residences for G. Gordon Masscy and fov E. W. Murphv. The ])0ured concrete walls of these houses have a thin stvicco finish. Tlic floor and the roof con- struction in both eases is of frame. The house for Mr. ^Nlassey was designed- by Milton Dana ^Morrill and built by Claude H. Haga, contractor. The foundation w.alls are of concrete wtih field stones bedded in tjie mix, the thickness of tiie walls bei.ig 12". The walls above the second floor level are 8" thiek. The reinforcement is horizontal only, with but from 2 rods to i rods of -Js" size put in over oiJcnings in the wall. ^From CoxcRpn-E, .Jan., Hflfi. The concrete used was a 1:2:1 mix, the stone used being obtained from field stones crushed on the job. The walls are furred for lath and plaster, and in order to have nailing ])laces for the furring, small wood nailing block were dro])ped in eacli day as the work progressed. Each of these block had a nail driven into it part way, and the block were dropped in 16" o. c. with the nail projecting down into the freshly placed concrete to hold them in position next to the inner form. The exterior walls were covered with a thin coat of stucco mixed with Atlas white cement" and sand in equal proportions. The porch is set in concrete tile. The entire house cost ap- proximately $7,000, The liouse for !Mr. Murphy designed by Claude of Mr. Morrill after Mr. Haga's death. The walls, as in the case of the Massey house, arc 12" thick. Here tlie partitions arc 8" tliick. The only reinforcing is 1/;" rods ))laced over windows and doors horizontally. Rein- forced slabs were used over the ])orches at each end of the house. Elsewhere the usual wood joist construc- tion was used iu the floors. This house was £i;iven a stucco finish, tliin like that on tlie Massey job, but after this had been jiut on it was washed down w'th white cement and water, which was tinted with ochre to give the walls a mellow tint. There was an old stone house on the Mur[)hy house site and the old stone was crushed and used in tlie new building. Field stones were also r'iG. 3 — First Floor Plan axd B a s e- .-MENT Plan, JIassev House Fig. 4 — Second Floor Plan, Massey House CONCRETE HOUSES 11--. Fl(i, .; (AT LkFt) HOJIE 01 ¥.. \X . MlTi- I'lIY AT ;\lTnDLEI!l'RG Fig. () (Above) — Rear View of Wat.i, Cottage at Huntlaxd, Estate oi J. 15. TlIOJIAS. .MiDDI.EllUHG, Ya. utilized in making- the concrete. Interior walls were furred for lath and pla.ster and pipes were placed in spaces formed bv the furring. All radiators are con- cealed in recesses under the windows, this being possible owing to the very thick walls. A construction of this kind, while not ordinarily economical in such g»-eat wall thickness, was felt by both Mr. ^Slorrill and ^Jr Haga to be so in this case, due to the experience which they had had in building houses on the Thomas estate. It was found that with thick walls, where it was possible to bed a large amount of field stone in the concrete, it was just as cheap as thin walls which liad to be heavily reinforced. On both of these jobs the forms were handled m such a way as to use two tiers of forms, or a total form height of 4', and pour one tier a day. The lower forms were taken off each morning and swung up on a frame, so that they were handled together in long strips and in the new position were filled again. Thus the two tiers alternated every two days. The concrete was handled in wheelbarrows to V above grade. Above this height pails were used as far as the second floor level, the pails being handled in wheelbarrows four at a time and taken to different parts of the building and passed up to the tops of the forms by hand. Above the second floor level the pails were hooked to a grapple four at a time, and raised to the form level by a drum on the mixer. They were then carried by hand. No staging was necessary, as tlie floors followed the walls, nor was any staging or outside scaffold used in handling the forms. The av- erage labor cost for cleaning and fitting the steei forms was 1 ct. per sq. ft. of form surface, or 2 cts. per sq. ft. of wall. In both cases the exterior stucco finish was put on about 60 days after the walls were up. The stucco is very thin, in some places not more than Ig" thick. The illustration of this stucco surface, shown on another page, indicates slight crazing, but this view is from a photograph taken at very close range, and, owing to the rough texture, the crazing is not objection- able, in appearance, at least, and it is believed that the walls are so nearly waterproof in themselves as not to need the stucco as a seal coat. Stucco put on in this same way more than 3 years ago shows no jigns of peeling. It is only with very true forms and smooth cast surfaces that it is possible to use so thin a stucco to smooth up a wall. Two Cottages Near Middleburg' One of the cottages has li" walls ))oured in steel forms — tlie Morrill system, using shallow i)an sections 2 x The first storv has a ceiling heioht of 8' 6" and the second story is i' to tlie rafter plate. Walls and chimneys contain approximately 95 cu. The houses shown in the accompany- ing illustrations from ])hotogra)jhs and floor plans, were built hy Claude H. Haga at Huntland, on the estate of Joseph B. Thomas, near !Middle- burg, Va. They are a ])art of very extensive concrete work, the stucco surfaces in one coat being of sjiecial interest. Tlie houses are at the entrance of the Thomas estate, one for a lodge and the other for the residence of the gatekeeper. The front walls of both these houses are continued in the walls of the estate. ^From Concrete, Jan., iOl,"*. \ bxiccu Sinr\cL or Coit\ges Bin I B\ "\Iii Hu\ lU CONCRETE HOUSES yards, of concrete. The mixture used was 1 part ceuient to 1 parts sand, poured wet, and then tilled in witli Held stones — all that the wet mortar would cover as the work pro- gressed. Mr. Haga is of the o|)inion that 50':, of the' bulk of the wall is made np of tieldstones. The only reinforcing- used consisted of bars placed around openings and in the flreplaces and chimneys. Chimney flues are of terra cotta and the steel forms were used in part in building up the chimneys, the taper being given by a wedge-shaj)ed wood form section, moved upward as the work progressed. The fireplace was made with wood forms on which a steel throat rested. On tliis throat the flue lining was started. The fireplace was later lined with firebrick. o^.rTVfc.'i 7/kV- F,-I?:>T riOOP PLAN V\c.. t Ground floor joists have their bear- ing on a ledge of the foundation walls, which are !()" thick, except in the cellar section. The ceiling joists are fastened by joist hangers^ lield in turn by a i" x 8" timber, which is bolted to the walls. Mixing and placing the concrete were done by hand, but in placing the field stones they tv'o-vjir^ p — 1 , 1 1 a^z} ;ax>^ CLc:^ /.■'-a. /3-S'' ^ zxsfj-^ \-\% ,\ ) cu.o.'> TRXZ^ Sifcovz) ."looff THAN Pf,ANS OF ,$2,700 COTTAIIE WITH S-TX. WALLS, Xt:AR M'iDnLF.BURll, \'a. The other house has 8" walls of 1:2:4 mix, cement, sand and stone, and because of the thinner walls is much more strongly reinforced. It was also poured in steel forms. Both houses were built at about the same time r'lG. 3 — Concrete Cottace witil 8-iN. Walls Built at a Cost OF .$3,700— See Plans tx Fig. \ were dropped into the forms direct from wagons which and in ciuineetion with estate walls and variou.s small brought them in, until the wall was above a height of 8'. outbuildings, Mr. Haga figures the cost of the 12" wall Mr. Haga figures form setting and removing on this house at $2,i.'30 and that of the 8" wall house at $2,700. house at $60. The Easy-to-Keep House Designed by Milton Dana Morrill Architect, Neav York City r Xjn. ./--- ^,,. f^K :p: W^5^ ^ 'il £.' T-'^ ' Figs. 1-3 — Tiibee Treatments of Roof Lines for Sajie Plan A number of new and interesting features character- ize the house shown in the accouipanying plans and details. It is a house designed to meet the particular condi- tions in these high-cost-of-living times, its designer maintaining that the measure of happiness and content- ment people get out of life depends to a large extent on their ability to adjust themselves and their ways of living to the new order of things. This new order involves not only the high cost of living, but also the extreme likelihood of the servant class becoming extinct — that as a result, people will keep their own houses and therefore will want them simple. This is the main idea of the "Easy-to-Keep House." It is designed to be built with monolithic concrete walls by the jMorrill system and it is shown in the illustra- tions in three possible treatments of the roof line, suit- able for group construction in suburban development without sameness. It is in the interior that the prospective builder will find some of the most interesting features. The kitchen of the "Easy-to-Keep House" is planned to save steps. Almost everything is to be within reach — from the s])ice box to the broom. There are sliding racks in the space between kitchen and dining room, in which to set the dishes. Tliese are rinsed with scalding hoc water on the kitchen side and allowed to drain and dry, just as is the custom in hotels, and are all ready in the rack, accessible from the dining room. The designer of the house discards the idea that human labor in the home is cheap, and therefore time-saving devices are not to be considered. The details of the racks for silver and dishes, both of which slide from dining room to kitchen and back again, and other cupboard details illustrated, will interest any housewife, and there are a number of other features of this cupboard of special interest that are shown in the details. There is a swinging seat under the work table. There is a food pantry with an air-cooled closet to save ice in the fall and winter months. The drawers for kitchen and table linen are set on rollers, so that they work as easily as office filing cases. The stairway of the house, a central feature, is built more like a jiiece of furniture tlian a fixture of the Fig. 4 — FmsT Floor Plan, the "Easy-to-Keep" House un CONCRETE HOUSES Fig. 6 — Basemext Plax with Garage Fig. 7 — Stair Detail hoii.se. This staircase is specified to be made of cypress view; risers and treads are screwed together so as to and finished as shown in the details. It stands open in give a neat appearance on the under side. The spindles the room and the under sides or steps are exposed to of 1" square cypress are secured to a panel strip at COPiT Closet Docm pocie It/I DTP Cifl55 SILVZK \\t^^„ — — — - - — — — — - — TfiN Cl- fCTJU^fi-^ on T?Oi.l-E fe/ [^aDniinMJ0iic_i[ ii_j^j)ciP7?ifw. j Ijij-Vfl? psr/Jv.i:T? I " PISHE5 KiTCHtN Cd,- Pot/. Kitchen I '~STe\f «■, '' T11M1N& Fm 5iDe-' CHINA Ci^O/ET Fig. 8 — Details (-'l^pboards CONCRETE HOUSES 11. top and bottom, and the spindle panel on tlie living room side is removable, as is also the post at the foot of the stair — a help in getting furniture up and down. Aside from these features, there are interesting things in the general construction of the house. It will be noticed from the details that the excavation of the house is to be V below grade; that the first floor is to stand i2' above the natural grade. The excavated material is to be used in grading up the front portion of the lot in a terrace 2' above natural grade, while the drive at the side is to be graded downward to give ac- cess to the basement garage bj' an easy slope. The footings, foundations, exterior walls, including the face wall of the long dormers, the basement parti- tions, chimney, basement floor, floor slab over the garage and the garage floor and drain pit, are to be of concrete, as are also the porch columns, the front and back steps. It is in the specifications that the contractor is to be furnished with a 20-mold outfit of ^lorrill steel forms on a rental basis. The concrete walls are to be built up in courses gen- erally 20" high at a time. The top of the wall to be well wetted before new concrete is placed. The steel forms are to be lightly tapped with a hammer as soon as they are filled, to settle the concrete compactly into place. Aj the end of each day's work bulk head boards with a triangular bond strip are dropped into the forms to bring the course of the finished concrete to a vertical line. The next morning the board is to be removed, leaving the recess bond for the new concrete. Concrete walls are to he reinforced with %" steel a) Fics. 9 AND 10 — Front and Entraxce Side Elevations Figs. 11, 12 and 13 — Ciiijinly Side, Hear, and Sectional Elevations bars spaced 2' apart horizontally, except in heights where window frames come, and a vertical bar jilaccd on each side of window and door frames. In addition, there is to be an additional bar directly above all win- dow and door frames, these bars being at least 3' longer than the openings are wide. The porch and the kitchen are to have reinforced concrete slab floors of 1:2:1' cinder concrete 6" thick, with rods in both directions, as shown in details. The porch floor is to be finished oil' w ith a ' ^" top])ing of IIP, CONCEETE TTOZTSES SC H E D i)E:rpiPTioM ULE OF / :,PECIFILATI0N '\ATE RIALS WHERE USED EUBs © TOTAL 5CHEDI KIND JLE OF .MATERIALS SL-EC WHERE USED ® iTEr' Dpoe5 AMD FRAr'AE.S^s! /lAiix •-■: doo(?5 OPENini^ „■..,„ • FR'iAMES ' DETft V i^lAlERiAi 5 TOE COr CRET^ s leo uG, 1- ^ lumbe _R EXTRA TOTA. [C s TH-c-7r.. 5PEC. 2-(.x6-8 10 %■■ 1.S Spec v/i^tJ 5;4 pw.N 5 rOOTlNQS FOUNDATION A 10 PAHTS ., f^l* JOOCUTT 929 ■ ■■ 1% NO OF Wauls I211'' ■■ ° -4"x8xl4'-6 S9 EDQG SPRUCE 2rVD FL BEAffS 10 o 10 c \h l-o«b-o 2 Va 3/4 2«? FL COL^.FOR AR6 OR 80- ■■ ^ „ ,. X Ifc-O /O o 10 \'As )-6xb-5 1 ';^ HALU CL03 STEP FOUNOAT ON 150 ■ - a 2-0x4-0 4 j/4 CLOS CHIMNEY 111' ■ 2M3 OFT \% b^'.LMtMT Mo-) F-IME 2-tXfc-fc 4 2* 6 4 IN WALL BAST EL l-3-t 2 33 cu IT 2 X8 XI6 ftLOCklNC B«iOCINCi ETC 10 10 20 R& Slab. l-l-'i 1 HS clbt 3 X 8 xit. SPRUCE |ST FL BEAMS 22 1 23 P , \y% rirt:,M DOCR 2-3x7-0 1 SAE E W TH ViSH HOIl FLOOR FILL } fcCiN 5fc7 cu = T 2 X 8 xi*> vVALL PLATES 3 1 4 ► ^'% STORM DOOR 2-«x7^) 1 FRAME V-ITK 0£T '<0'0 2 Xfc X)fo-0 CEIL -J OVER. PROMT Kr-\ II 4 IS ^% REAR DOOR. 2-8X6-8 1 1% SCRTEN /-OPixvJHCi /joyo Cement in i li*5"^lix iM 1 ?V3CoFT^.ll t ifrpt BBL saLi 140 2x fc X 10-0 OVER BATHS ETC n 7 15 1 C,A 6xfex 13-0 SPLIT Rails CHEST HOT ARBOR. BEAMS 4 -'"fw^";: z-i^ / JpE^RlRq ' '"'" Noit 4X1 X 12-0 SPLIT RAILS ARBOR BARS 8 ATTI iS" 6..0 rni^B';^ 1-3- 2. WEiCHn 1 XI X i3-0 SPLIT CLEATS ARBOFt ClE^XTS 11 Sa4W 'r «"" M^'-c^''- 1-ATX 3-10^" to .1^. "of|»i'HS r^oi) FIRE BRlCt INE.C- 60 fISE PLACE 120 FORMS OVEBCAK, 400 S.^SH 'i' 8 1'" [Hj^jfatr 5-'«t 5 HO OPE^ :.i'-'" «( •) Tire clay TOLAy BRICK Sheathinq SPRUCE ROOF BM FT 6* ST PART 1218 210 SASH '^ ""■' MhE 3- Ix 3 IDi, ; rff:" NO"? TC F'-UE L NINQ 8xli 30 t4 3E T'OXS ATTIC FLOUR '^ Itbl- qjo^ SAiM 'i "" I^- ' 8i X 30:^ / 4 3 LBS SCR «iNq no'] HARDWOOD IV, FLOORINq ^ll ly 5T0Rr 4M 136 600 qsBi- '%■■ _/m. z ^s^.> , SAP RIETPINIL ^t'^ 2-? STgRT <^00 -1 SCHEDULE OF MATERIAL ^ g) SCHEDULE OF/^ATERIAVS (1) x ©I trRin EX' rERIOR . WHERt USED amt ^- DET OtSCRIPTlON ROOFINC specification WHERE USED NET WRA TOTAL 5 SCHEDULE OF n lATERL^^ ..FTEH FINliH WOOD ^S % X4 r 3 5. CYPRUS DORMER FACIA tO: IFT NOII Slate(Rj5inc Galv. slate ^ I-HELSONS), t^t AILS. A?l^»y 5EA GREEN RANDAD WiffTHS I2(a (I SO THIS LIST MATERIAL^ :ioes NOT I '"PLUMBirvG ^CLVDE TH (T06£ /A/C /a : FC sut / LOW INO E^ :^ ■i-i F.I 5 50FFIT OVER WINDOWS 40 isJOn slater's e:la >TtC CEMENT 1. ro H EAT t N G WiRlN6(ei.EUBic ) " •■ - ^^ % n- xF 3-S SPCt P IN F. ^5 ilr NO H SHEET METAL CONTRACTOR FURNISH ALL F[AS NG .. Painting ^ ^E X3 F 3 S 130 PLASTERI^ PLASTEIR BC ARD -f" 8-6 L MOTH 5 I X K S . SiMPIi: Arches, Plain Strfacks, axi> THE Draperies of Xatire — An Ihving J. Gill Hofse Economy and Simplicity in Concrete House Building By Reed Robinson The essence of art is simplicity. Only the true artist can aff'ord to be simple, direct and unadorned in his creative work. Art production consists mainly in the elimination of the non-essential. American architecture is a curious thing, since it is not distinctive as such. Indeed, the phrase "American architecture" is almost an anomaly, since to a consid- erable extent it is bound to conA-entionality. Irving J. Gill, San Diego, Cal., is an American architect who has no use for conventionality. His architectural crea- tions are practical art, distinctive and indi\'idual. He has boldly and broadl_y forsaken conventional architec" ture. ^Ir. Gill's specialty is the creation and erection of habitable homes. For a quarter of a century he has devoted his talents to designing and building beautiful homes in sunny southern California. And his work has been pronouncedly individual. It has been artistic and utilitarian. Mr. Gill has deliberately limited himself to the cube, the hemisphere, the rectangle and to segments of circles in developing a style of architecture which is not only unique, but beautiful and practical as well, in its sim- plicity. Possibly this is the American architecture looked for as distinctive of the country, yet found gen- erally only in towering skyscrapers. The plain surface, unbroken by cornice or window ledge, the severe arch without column as support and a rectangular skyline, relieved only here and there by the curve of an liemispherical dome, or the graceful and casual figures of a growing vine, are the contours and surfaces used exclusively in the Gill designs. ^Abstract from Concrete, Apr., 1914, with illustrations from Janu- ary, 1917. Another feature which ]Mr. Gill makes a distinctive point in his work on residences, is the effect of reflected colors u]K)n a white or a neutrally tinted, unbroken sur- face. To the discerning observer of color the plain white surface is composed of delicate and changing hues which takes tones from the greens of the lawn or tree, the blue of the sk}^ and the multiple shades of the varied flowers. The splashing warmth of crimson from a geranium bed, together with the varied lighting of morning or after- noon, clear or cloudy weather, produce effects upon these walls that are a delight to the eye. This idea of reflected colors is employed by ^Ir. Gill not only in connection with the outside walls, but in jilanning the lighting of interior rooms. The walls are designed with surfaces as flat and unbroken as possible. They are finished in a plaster surface slightly roughened. The ceiling is tinted a light neutral shade. The side walls are tinted likewise, though the color is a shade deeper than that of the ceiling. The result of this treat- menti is such that ceiling and walls take on the hue of the dominant color note in the furnishings. This makes the rooms especially delightful to the eye and extremely restful for tlie occup.ant in the matter of light and color. This idea is characteristic of every Gill house. From the standpoint of the owner it is eminentlv sat- isfactory to note that a Gill house is much cheaper than that of most others. The eom).)arative]y low cost of the Gill houses is largely due to tlie fact that concrete is the only material used and Mr. Gill's ideas of sim- plicity of line in architecture make the very most out of the material concrete. It is such use of concrete which is most characteristic of the material. Wood is employed but sparingly, and this for interior finishing of doors, windows, stairwavs, etc. Mr. Gill, bv the use 122 CONCRETE HOUSES of concrete, has been able to jiro- duce handsome and distinctive resi- dences. By the use of concrete Gill structures are built at a cost lower than corresponding construc- tion could be done with wood or oth- er material. In a general way Mr. Gill figures concrete in house construction at a])- proximately 30 cts. per cu. ft. in place (1911). He figures the walls at 10% of the building cost. In a typical Gill house wood forms were used for the entire con- struction — walls, floors, stairs and roof. The first floor and garden walls are 12" thick and second story walls 8" thick, with -^4" twisted rods for reinforcing 1^ -j" from bottom of slabs. The concrete stair slab is i" thick in net section and reinforced with 34" twisted rods laid full length of the stairs at the sides of the stair. The roof is a 6" slab re- inforced with Hy-Rib. The walls are reinforced with Elwood wire fencing, 4-" triangular mesh, placed ll,o" from outer surface. In gen- eral a 1 :3 :5 mix of cement, sand and gravel was used. It is Mr. Gill's policy, however, to change the mix from time to time, depending upon tests of sample concrete from the materials available. Concrete was conveyed in wheelbarrows. After the removal of the forms, the outer wall surface was smooth stuccoed with a heavy coat of a mix- ture of 1 part cement, to ] part sand, with a 5% admixture of hydrated lime. A special feature is that interior woodwork is finished flush with the walls in every part of the house. All doors, whether leading from room to room or into cupboards and closets, are built without panels and set flush with the casings, which, in turn, are flush with the walls. This feature makes a prac- ticallv dust-proof house and eliminates a distressing item of housework. Not only that, it makes the rooms more sanitary. Drainboards and backs of sinks are of magnesite. The magnesite slabs are finished flush with the walls. Corners where they meet the sink are rounded, eliminat- ing cracks in which grease or dirt may collect and doing away with exposed wood to become sour and decay from constant wetting. Bathtubs are boxed, then covered with magnesite up to the porcelain tub edge and finished lixAMPLES OF THE WoRK OF ilR. GiLL with rounded corners. Bathroom floors are of magnesite with all angles rounded. This construction in the bath- room renders it easy to keep clean and wholesome. In fact, there are no cracks, corners or crevices, projections or sharp edges in the elitire structure. The use of concrete in carrying out these ideas in house construction makes them practical because concrete as a building material is inexpensive, adaptable, reliable and lasting. Through the use of concrete Mr. Gill at- tains these effects at a saving of time, cost and labor, and with the certainty of satisfactory results. CON CRETE HO I ^SES 13S Vw.. 1 — FiiiKriiiHir KhsidiiNo; or CirniH.K H. 'I'accaht, Pout \\ ASH [^'To^' . N. V. ^: Fig. '2 — Detah, or' Rf.ah I^'x- TliA X CE Fireproof House at Port Washins^ton, N. Y." The house on a hilltop in the accompanying illustra- tions, with its straight lines, simple arches and broad white surfaces set otF by the trees which form its back- ground and whose branches stretch out over it at the sides, is the new home of George H. Taggart, an artist, and Mrs. Taggart, of Port Wasliington, N. Y. It was designed by the owners and occn)Kiiits in a frank appreciation of the work of Irving J. Gill, the California architect, whose house designs in a new con- crete architecture have several times been descrilied and illustrated in Concrete. The Taggart house, overlooking from an eminence a beautiful stretch of Long Island Sound, is in man}' respects unconventional. It has been worked out thor- oughly from the standpoint of the most liveable group- ■CoxcnETE, Septeiiil)cr, lUl'J. ing of rooms, enclosed in the simplest way by perma- nent fireproof construction, relying upon the restfulness and wearing qualities of simplicity and depending for relief of any severity in the newly finished structure b)' tapestries of nature, which time will add. The house has concrete walls, floors, stairs, and roof, the roof being flat, surrounded by parapets; the portion over the studio (onlv one high story) being reached from a stairway inside, making a most enjoyable outdoor retreat that is a part of the house itself. Inside, a great deal of tile and brick are used in floors, stairs, and fireplaces, and a minimum of wood trim. All angles of both w.ills, ceilings, and floors are coved. Plans and ele\'ations are shown. 'J'he group of little pic- tures from photograplis shows something of tlic work done by the owners to satisfy themselves in advance as to the final result. The plan was first worked out CONCKETE HOUSES l-ii;. 3— Plan and adopted — thin to rnclosc it in a way most pleasing, most economical and most in keeping with the site. A half dozen models were built, each with plans iden- tical, but witli roof and elevation details varying. Three of these models .ire shown in the pictures. At the top, at the left of the group, are three views of one of the early models; below it is .1 view of a second model; and below that, .it the right, ar<' six views of the style which was hnallv adopted. The finished constr\ietion followed this model \ery f.aithfully. The concrete construction w.is done by V. V. Wilson, a builder of Roek^•ille Center. X. Y.. who has been en- gaged in building suburban homes since IS.Ol, and who for the last four years has been devoting himself wholly to reinforced concrete. ■-laF--— — - ---■Sh _lLVjl-.fli "^jrrimi * m '-i- «-■ ffl mh -w ¥w. 5 — Ei.rv.M'ioxs T.\(;o.\rtT Uoi'SK — 'iiit: r'^taECT of Tri:i-;s \\'itu AiiCjiiTixTrnK Is Sei;tu;sTEii in Pigs. 1 asu J Seen Sijii'i.i; I'iG. i — -AIouLLs Maui: iiv Mn. Taggakt BsroKE Beii.Dixi; Hydraulic pressed steel forms were cuii)loyed and both floors and walls were cored with Sackett wall board domes. The location of the building was excellent and sur- rounding.? good, the soil, a gravelly loam, making a good foundation. The foundation walls are solid, 1'2" thick; floors are ()" thick over all, with domes 2' wide, 3' long, with a 6" liollow space, the beams thus formed between the domes being -i" thick, 9" bigh, with spans up to 15'. On top of the domes the concrete is 2" thick. The result is a concrete floor with a wall board ceiling on the under side. CONCEETK HO I \SIJS 1 2r, The upper walls above the basement have a total thick- ness of \"l" , cored, however, like the floors, with the wall board domes j" in depth forming studs VZ" thick, with air spaces between. At the corners, just below the floor, the wall is solid for a depth of 1', the roof is flat, sur- rounded b_v a ' parajjct, and the roof is of the same con- struction as the floors. KiGS. l-'-lt — (Top to Hotto.ai) Si:e(iNi) I'ljiiui, FiiiST 1''lu(iii, and Base.'Mfxt Plans Interior partitions are solid concrete of \'arying- thielv- ness ; some of them only 1 ' j"- AH interior walls are plastered with gypsum ])l;ister, with sand flnish. All necessary heating and ])lumbing ])i))es are concealed. This was easily aecom])lished by the domes in walls and floors. The mix on the entire job w.as 1 part Atlas cement, \i parts s.-uul .and f parts tr,i|) rock up to •%" size. An idea of flocu- and wall construction is given in the construction views reproduced from the ])hoto graphs. The form system used, jjreviously described in this magazine," consists of ])lates, ribs and liners, the plates being released usually a day after the concrete has been poured and the supporting ribs and liners coming down at a later time. luasuuieli as the ribs form part of the surface of the concrete, tlie lines of these ribs remain visible. All that was done to the exterior was to point u]i here and there, nib down ,a few slight pro- jections and uneven s))ots, and cover with a white cement wash. -CoxcUFTF., .Ian.. n)ni ((k'scrihoil elsewhere in this l)Ouk). Block and Stucco Bungalows at Riverside, III Tlirec good-lookino- bungalows (if stucco-covered concrete block are il- lustrated on page '2(). They are rep- resentative of fifteen such dwellings erected in the last building season at Riverside, 111., hy E. Conrad Carl- son, Cicero, 111. On this page are shown progress views of their construction, and on the following page are some of the more important structural details. In the last few years Mr. Carlson has built more than two Inmdred homes, a large part of them of con- crete. jMore recently he has stand- ardized on concrete block and stucco, and the materials giving the best house for the least money. According to Mr. Carlson's figures tiiese bungalows cost about the same as stucco on IkiIIow clay tile, but be prefers tlum as being mucli more substantial. He finds that the cost is about ten per cent less than com- mon brick with face brick front, and about twenty per cent chea|icr than common brick with face brick on three sides. In view of the fact tliat these dwellings are on fairly wide lots and spaced well apart, appear- ance would dictate the use of face brick on three sides, and as the ap- pearance of the concrete block and stucco houses compare favorably in every way with similar dwellings of face brick, it is with that construc- tion that comparison should be made. Mr. Carlson prepares most of the j^lans himself, and no two are alike unless the prospective owners — most of the dwellings being built on order — insist on repetition. While some people tell him that he could make more money building apart- ments and two-flat dwellings, he pre- fers the single homes — likes that way of solving the housing problem. The block for all this work are made by Cius Grant, Riverside, and he also does the mason work. He finds that stucco surfaces greatly simplify not only the block manu- facturing problem, but the matter also of erecting the walls. Instead 'From CoMTiETE, January, l!j:'0, p. 47 Figs. 1-3 — Progiiess Views ik the Cosstruction AT Riverside, III. OF Concrete Block Bungalows CONCRETE HOUSES I2r ol a lot (if r)(l(l-si/,c block and spe- cial i)iec('.s, Mr. Grant lias to provide only two sizes, besides lintels and water tables. Half block and jauib block are made on the job b}' cuttinp; the regular block. Ten-inch block are used for foun- dation, u]i to the first floor joists, and eight-inch block for the upper walls. There is a water table course at the ground line that projects two inches, A belt course, cast in place, at the window sill lines, obviates the necessity for separate sills, and gives attractive variety to the wall lines. Walls are furred, lathed and plas- tered inside — in no case is plaster ap- plied direct on the inside of the block. The stucco is three-coat work, tile first two are each about %'" thick, made of a proportion of one part cement, three of sand, with 1/10 part by volume of hydrated lime. Before applying the first coat, the block wall is thoroughly wetted and the first two coats are wetted before the succeeding stucco is ap- plied. The first two coats are roughened before hardening. One day elapses between the first two coats, but the final coat, dashed on, using a ready mixed stucco, Stouekote ap))lied a week later. The bungalows are well finished throuo;] Cemenf asbestos shjngles or Concrete tile ^ pitch f^urring, /o-f-h and Stucco Finish Concrete oncrete Block ^^" Lath-' ^Plaster VETAIL of WlliDOIV -J/^t-IB ^-i Furring strip ' lafh and piaster 2^ 2x0 '8 "Concrete blacl^ -Stucco D£ TA IL OF WiNDOyV ttEAD Fig. 1 — Det.mls of Coxsteuctiox on Riveuside Bungalows . ill tints, is floors and trim, with tile floors in bath rooms and kitch- ens, fireplaces, good plumbing, concrete porches and lout with oak roofs of concrete tile or asbestos cement shingles. I\[ii. Caiit. son's HoesE Plans Am: VAunn) to Suit Each PullCTTASEIt ] 2S CONCRETE HOUSES I'lG. 1 LiuOLl' OF C'ON LHKTi: Ht.dCK IloL'SKS, IIalIIAX Re-Housing in Halifax With Concrete Block Ross AND MaCDONALD, ARCHITECTS Tlie reconstruction of tlie de\'ast;ited areas of Halifax is of s]iecial interest in tlie field of concrete construc- tion^ because it invohes the most pretentious utilization of concrete blocks that has ever been undertaken. While mau_v cheaper houses were erected of frame eon- struetion. it was decided by the Halifax Relief Com- mission that the most economical and most satislaetory results could be obtained in a better tyi)e of dwcllin}.;s by using concrete block. The group of row type houses constructed with this material includes S^ili .separate dwellings, and in addi- tion to this several hundred sejiarate dwellings which come in that part of the Relief Commission's work desig- nated as "individual housing," involving a much larger area and more scattered undertakings. The type of block selected for this work is known in the concrete ))roduets field as Hydro-stone. These bloi'k were used abo^e grade, with monolithic foundation walls. OlTLINE OF HoUSIN(; PKO(iR-\M The Halifax re-housing problem differed radically from that presented by the usual industri.al town or Ikuis- ing de\elopraent, in that well develoiJcd streets had ex- isted in this area before the explosion, and the water and drainage service in the streets was still intact and nmst. if i)ossible, be taken advantage of. The former l/M'out, hoM-e^'cr, liad been most unsatisf;ict(n-v, in that the streets had been arranged on a hillside i)i reetang\i- l.ar blocks, so that the cross streets mounted straight up the liill at :i steep grade, with main tlioroughf.ares only ,it the top and bottom of the slope, with no convenient means of communication between them. It was finally decided to retain as many of the old streets as possible, preserving the existing water and service lines, and to introduce two new diagonal thoroughfares, so as to give communication at an easy grade between the top and bottom of the slope, that is, between (lottingen and Jlirringtiiii streets. [t was also decided to purchase a tract of land known ;is Ilennessev's h'ield, bounded by North Creighton, irtirle in Cu.vCRtTF;, Vi 'West Young, Robie and Kane streets, and to build thereon some 6(1 detached houses, entirely of wood con- struction, but with interior finish of plaster, so that these could be made ready for occupancy' at the earliest ))ossibIe date. In .addition to these two dexelopraents or groujis of houses, individual homes were started just as soon as the owners could be interviewed, and a type of house agreed upon, and these detached houses began to spring up all o\er that portion of the dev.astated area west of Got- tingen street. The work of rc-housing has tlierefore divided itself into three parts, whicli will be called "The Ciroup De- velopment," "The Hennessey P'ield Development" and "Individual Housing," each of which will be described in turn, with a detailed descriiition of block and trim stone manufacturing methods. As the purpose of the group development was to give shelter to as many families as ]JOssible wdiile their own ))ermancut houses were being built, and afterward to |)ro\ade dwellir.gs which might be rented bv those fami- lies who were tenants in the devastated area, it was de- cided to build dwellings of from four to six rooms each, with bathroom, electric light, etc., and to arrange these dwellings in short rows on each side of a series of large grass plots, which would serve a.s playgrounds for the children. Between each i)air of grass plots, so that the rear jiorches of two rows of houses would be on op- )iosite sides, ser\ice Lanes were arranged. After considering carefully the various materials .available for use f(n- the exterior of the houses, it was found that the cheapest would be wood, either clapboards or shingles; the next cheapest some form of precast con- crete block, the next stucco, and the most expensive brick, or concrete formed in ])laee. As a fireproof mate- rial was desired, it was decided to make use of a spe- cial concrete block called Hydro-stone, and to manufac- ture this block at a plant built for the purpose at South E.istern Passage, Nova Scotia, where a jilentiful supjjly of sand and gravel w.is a\ailable. It was also decided to roof till- buildings with sl.ite, but to eiuistrnct the in- terior floors and partitions of wood finished with plaster. CONCRETE HOUSES 129 Fig. 3 — Side-Rear Views of Two Block Houses at Halifax Plans — The buildings containing four dwellings each are of six types. P"or purposes of comparative cost, the local material and labor market were carefully studied and estimates prepared (using varying t_vpes of construction) of a detached two-flat house, having four rooms and bath on each floor, with outside dimensions '28' x 29' and two full stories in height. Each type of construction investi- gated is indicated in the following lable. in order of cost, beginning with the lowest. Since all interior finish, such as lath and plaster, paint, finished woodwork, floors, etc., is applicable to each type, and therefore practically unchanged as regards cost, consideration, for compara- tive purposes has been limited to the several forms of wall construction only. Considering the lowest priced construction as 100'^^, the comparative costs were determined as in Table 1, It was found, from actual comparison of cost after sevcr.al months of operation of the hydro-stone block plant, that tlie dift'erence in cost between frame building with shingle and hydro-stone was 5%-, instead of ?\C 1 "T Fig. 3 — Layoutof a Pohtiox of the Group Development in the I^EcoNsraucnoN of Halifax 130 CONCPiETE HOUSES ^^.asr-s-fffe?!^'-. Via. 4 — A CoriiT OF CoxcuiiTi; lii.ocK IIinai:s ,\'[' IIai.iiax taiuiiii,'- four dwellings caeli. The iTiuaiiuler of tlic de- \elopineiit is compostj (if buildings containing six dwell- ings eacli, and some buildings containino- two dwellings each. The buildings containing six dwellings eacli are of five different ty]ies ; these differ from each other in the same way as tlie T. 1 types, both as to arrangement of plan and as to treatment of elevation. There are in all, in the group develo])ment, 19 of these buildings, containing lli dwellings. The first floor ])lans of all these buildings are mneh the same, the four middle apartments being of the five- room type, with living room, kitchen and kitchenette downstairs, and three bedrooms and bathroom upstairs, and the two end a));irtments are of the six-room type, with living room, dining room, kitchen and jiantry on the first floor .and three bedrooms and bathroom on the second floor. In some cases the plans of these dwellings are re- versed in order to vary the treatment of the elevation. The elevations of these buildings, e.ich of which eon- tains six dwellings, .are varied in each case, but all are built of concrete block, in some cases from the grade line to the eaves, including gable ends, and in other eases up to the second floor line only, the houses being built with stucco and half-tiinber work above this level. The stucco, however, is in such eases applied to the surface of rough Hydro-stone concrete blocks, of which the walls are built. AVhere the concrete blocks are exposed they are faced to gii'e a mottled granite effect. The types of elevation in general follow the same lines as those described abo\'e for the houses of the T. 4 tvjie, having in some cases hipped roofs, in other cases gam- brel roofs, and sometimes double jiitehed roofs, with gables treated in block or stucco or half-timber work, and with wood-covered porches at both front and rear entrances. The roofs in each case are of slate. Scattered throughout the "group development" there are thirty-two buildings, each containing two self- contained apartments, one on the first floor and one on the second floor, each with its own separate entrance on opposite sides of the building. These buildings are known as "F" t.vpes, and there are three different ar- rangements as to ])lan and elevation. In Type F. 1 each flat eimt.ains li\ ing room, kitchen. l-'iG. 5 — Squake Type Coxcuktl Block House — Halifax I'.oii f: I. l^sTl^rA■| lu C(j.sts oi' the Various Types of Cox.stiu:ctic)n Ty|)c 1 h'ranie slie;ithiiit;, witli sliint,Me mikI st.iin. Deseription : Exterior w:l11s, 2" x i" .spruce studs, slicatlu'd mi tlie outside witli %" toiiKued and grooved spruce, covereil witli (uie layer of 1-ply prepared roofinK, and sliiiisled witli No. i clear shingles, dipiied and stained with creosote stain.... 2. Frame sliealhiiiK, «itli dropsidinp:, p.aiiited Constructicui similar to No. 1, replacinR sliiiiKles with spruce dropsiding, painted three coats of lead and oil ij.aint 3. Concrete pre-east hlock Exterior walls constructed of two lug conia-ete hlocks set in cement mortar 1. Frame sheathing, Bishoprii linl cement stni Frame sheathing, metal furring, lath .and cement stucco.. li. Brick Exterior walls, 2" x 4" spruce studs, sheathed on outside with %" tongued and grooved spruce Bishopric strneco board, and finished with cement stucco ' Exterior walls, 2" x A" spruce studs, sheathed on outside with ~'„" tongued and grooved spruce, covereil with one layer of 1-ply roofing, furred with 1" x 2" furring, linished with metal lath and cement stucco Exterior walls, 2" x I" spruce studs, sheathed with %" tongued and grooved spruce sheathing, co\ercd with one layer of 1-ply rooting veneered with brick Solid brick - Exterior \salls of brick, two brick in tliickn Monolitliic concrete Exterior wall poured concrete, 8" thick, rubbed to an even surface on outside face Value 100% 101.2% 10.'17o 101.2% 105.6% 106.9% 108.8% llC7o CONCEETE HOUSES ISi ^ i m irifi M ipra .y/i - foe ? 1 'J o I I FP.o.-ir risvAr/o/f "T62" Type House Shown in Plan, Elevation and Section 1" eciuals 24' "-] " • '■< " •■ [ 'v ) 7^. ^t ■ •■ |.--n r- " — _• h P: 12tlAlLJ?£ COXCJiETE HOUSES //rcaiZ' /^uic pl^ry c/A'^xo^y'-'iTrzp j^ iJ//^XC/^V.^^SO r T , /3- /" -^7- ^ " --— - + >3'-- /' ^ tat'*" "^T^ i^~" "•' ■ 4l >. Ms ^■: '' \ \ ' wv-^i ^^vyjr.'o T .•^-^■' i— T /T'^j;^ /zcjc^ Pi.'^N M'^jmi^A/r PM/v^ Plans of the "T4" Houses for Halifax— 1" Equals 24' COyCUETE HOUSES 1S5 t #• - f§* - avt^uA<»i ..m bathroom aiul two bedrooms^ but no diningroom. Each bfdi'oom is 11' square, the living room 11' x 11' S", and the kitelieu 11' x 11', with a batliroom Ci' x 8'. Closets are provided for each bedroom and a closet in the living room, together with a linen closet opening from the hall. The arrangement of the second floor flat is practically the same, the bathroom being directh' over the one below. Tile plans of the other F types are practicall}' the same as that described above, being in some cases re- versed; tile elevations, however, vary considerably, being of concrete block, stucco and half'timber work, with various tvpes of slate roofs. Type T. 1 is of faced block up to the second floor level, with half"timber and stucco above and with a sim- ple double pitched roof. Type F. ii is of concrete block from the grade level to the eaves, with a hipped roof and wooden cornice. Type F. 1/1 is also of Hydro- stone from the grade le\'el to the roof, but has a pitched roof so as to show gable walls of Concrete block capped with coping of tlie same material. Type F. 3 is similar in elevation to Type F. 1/1. The entrance 2Jorches, which are in every case rooted over and treated with wood ])osts and cornices, add interest to these elevations. Hexxessey Field Developmext The tract of land purchased by the Relief Commis- sion for the purpose of erecting this group of 70 houses in the Hennessey Field Development is a trapezoid in sliape. bounded on the east and west by Robie and North Creighton streets, respectively; two thorough- fares running nortli and south and bisected by Agricola street, another parallel thoroughfare. On this property and fronting on these streets are groujied -f7 houses of wood construction, with shingled exterior walls and roofs varied as to plan and treatment of elevation so as to produce six difl'erent types. Inuividu.'il HursiXG In addition to the "Group" and "Henesse_v Field" developments, nearlv 100 houses have been built, scat- tered throughout tlie area immediately west of North Creighton street and east of Gottingen street, on lots owned by individuals ayd intended to replace houses formerly occupied by these individuals. Many of these houses are of the t_vpes described above in connection with the "Hennessey Field Development," but some are of other types. Some of these houses are built with ex- terior walls of wood and others have exterior walls of Hydro-stone with slate roofs. Owing to the war conditions which made it very diffi- cult to obtain either labor or materials as required, the work has not progressed as rapidl_v as would otherwise have been possible. Hydro- Stoxe Coxsthuc tiox At the site of t!ie "group development,' where 88 buildings, containing 'i'l^ separatt- dwellings, constitut- ing tlie first development, are under construction, con- crete foundation walls have been jnit in place by the use of wooden forms, which are standardized and used many times. Tlie plumbing under the basement floor is flrst installed complete, then tlie basement floor and footings are jjut in place and finished, and after this the forms for the foundation walls are set in place and these walls poured. CJravel and cruslied stone carefully mixed so as to produce a strong, dense concrete, are used, together with portland cement, these materials being mixed in Jaeger mixers, with special sp(niting out- tits, which are erected for each group of foundations. The contractors for this work have worked out man}^ ingenious devices for erecting and removing the forms with as little labor and as little inj ury to the forms as [lossible, and excellent results ha\'e been obtained. The concrete foundation walls are extended just above tile grade line and from this level up to the level of the first floor hollow walls are constructed of Hydro-stone, consisting of an outer and an inner wall, a space being- left between the end of the webs so as to form a con- tinuous horizontal air cliamber, through whicli moisture cannot pass. This construction is made possible bv the peculiar T shape of the blocks, which allows them to be alternated on each side of the wall. The blocks are laid up with quarter inch joints, wdiich are juiinted up as near the color of the blocks themsehes, as pos- sible, and the wall closelv resembles one built of finely tooled granite. The fire-proof partitions wliieh sc]iarate the four or six dwellings forming each block of apartments from one another are constructed in the same wa_v from the foundation walls to the roof; the blocks are not faced; but are covered with plaster. The exterior walls above the first floor level are built of a single thickness of blocks, lia\ing two lugs instead of the one lug of the T shajie block. The stems or lugs of these blocks project into the building and form studs, to which wood furring strips are fastened, and Bishopric board and plaster are applied directly, thus le.a\ing a series of air spaces in the wall behind tlie plaster. The back of the blocks is thoroughly covered with a black, tacky, waterproof paint, similar to that used for backing u]) cut stone, in order that there may be no chance of anv moisture finding its way through joints; the block itself being so dense as to preclude dampness. On account of the large size of the blocks, 9" x '2i", they are laid up very quicklv, and remarkable jarogress lias been made since this work was started, a small num- ber of masons being able to handle tlie outjnit of the plant as fast as it can be delivered to the buildings. 136 CONCRETE HOUSES rpoNT aamioiv .'-.%«ti-,#(^*.V *H' -- - -^ ■ «J3iMfi^@@S^^ l-'[(i. 1 — A CoxcRETK Block Hami.et in' Doiisiot, Eng. It consists not only of cottages, but numerous farm buildings, such as silos, gi-anaries and barns. These have lieen erected during the last five years and form jjart of a scheme designed on the lines of a model garden village. Halsey Kicardo designed tlie farm and dairy buildings, and MacDonald Gill, who acted as resident architect of the project, is responsible for the design and general layout of the cottages. CONCRETK HO I LSES 137 Fig. 1 — House in YoxKKns, Buii.t of Concuk'i'?: Stone, James Hooper; Haiioi.d \'. A^'AI.sII, Arcitiiixt Fig. i — Details ok Porch, Bai,con\ iM) F ntraxce. Involving Precast and Pocreo-in-Pi ace \WniK ix Gi.ue, Plasti:r and ^\'ooI) Molds House of Concrete Stone at Yonkers By Harold V. Walsh Architect, Yonkers, N. Y. The problem of the concrete bhick liouse has been solved in an unusual experimental buildina; recenth' c^*"''l»«f!H FiCS. !> AND m (at LkIt) — \ViN'n(»A\' wrrii Dix'- OFiA'l'DIl P-SM;r, SrRF\tE (ir' I5ri)]vex (ii.Ass FuiS. 1] ANn 1^ FoTFN'- TAiH AND Decorated A\^At,r, Panee, Sieoaa'inc Use of Broken' Glass AND C'OEORE[) liEAD Ao- (iRlCdATE the new siirl'.icr coat jinured in bttwreii the mold and rough body. This was allowed to set well hel'ore tlie molds were removed. \^'hen they finally were rrmmed, the surface of tlje molded cornice had liecoine part of tlic solid mass of the ])orch. It Avas tiien rubbed in its more delicate portions with carborundum and tooled Avith the tooling machine in tlic larger ])lain surfaces. The corner pilasters and the architraAe moldings oAcr the little arches Avere cast on the floor in molds, rein- forced, lifted to position, thoroughly Avet and fastened to tlie rough structure Avith cement mortar. The columns are from plaster molds made from a turned Avood model. They Avere reinforced and set into position and tooled. Spandrel panels Avere then molded about l" thick, rein- forced, and the surface finished Avith broken colored glass so incorporated into the cement that the surface Avas entirely level, the glass particles giving the a])])car- ance of mosaic Avork. These panels Avere set up into place on the rough body of the porch Avith cement mor- tar. The ai)pearance of these panels Avith the glass aggregate can only be appreciated A\d)en seen. No pho- , tograjjhs can picture their brilliancy and sparkle and richness of color. They have none of tlie cheap ajijiear- ance of the glass work that is sometimes seen, in Avliich broken pieces of glass and potterA^ are embedded in the surface of stucco. These particles of glass are set abso- lutely flush Avith the surface. This same glass surface Avas adopted f(n- the ceiling of the porch, so that Avlien the central light of the porch Avas lit it Avould giAx sparkle to the entire ceiling. Usually the cost of roof construction like this is very high, on account of the forms necessary to build in its construction. This roof, although it is beautifulh' pan- elled and rich in texture, Avas set up Avitho\it one single form being used. Reinforced concrete beams Avere molded in the .shop in the forms of a T upside doAvn. As tlie )ilan ot the roof is square, one of these beams Av.as set at equal divisions on each side. Shorter lengths id similarly sliaped concrete beams Avere set at right angles to tlicse beams, forming square panel openings in the ceiling. The bottoms of these beams Avere set flush Avith the bottom of the others by cutting aAvav the loAver flange and permitting the vertical Aveb to rest on the flange of the large beam. With this arrange- ment of beams, the square openings Avere filled Avitli square reinforced slabs. These slabs Avere finished on one surface Avith the same glass texture as used in the panels of the spandrels. They Avere set into place on beds of cement mortar put on the loAver flanges of the beams. This formed the finished ceiling immediately, and a thin concrete mixture Avas spread over the top of the slabs to make the floor of the to]3 of the porch. After the roof had hardened, the balustrade Avas set u|). A ]iattern Avas chosen for this Avhich Avould shoAv tlie possibility of open Avork. The type of baluster made Avould cost a ince little penny to reproduce in any cut stone. This, hoAvcver, Avas produced at reasonable cost. Each circle and connecting link of this chain bal- ustrade is reinforced. To have used Avooden forms for this Avork Avould have been an expensive thing. A better ty]ie Avas adoi^ted. Pattyjian sand cores with a little cement for stiffening, Avere set out on a table at just the jdaces Avhere the holes Avere to be. Tn other Avords, Avlierever the round holes through the center rings came, and the segmental h(des around the outside of them Avere located, these Avere set Avith sand jjies of this shape molded from one standard mold and dum])ed out on tlic table. This made a series of small canals betAveen tlie sand (lies, Avhich ran the same as the pattern of the balustrade. The concrete Avas poured into these canals, uo CONCRETE HOUSES Fig. \S — Show- INT. Gutter in' I'oitNKF; Img. 1i— HcirsK I' N n K It Con- struction' P'lG. lo — CoRi;s IN' Cast Bukk and thus tlit- balustradt- was cast, ^^'llen set. the sand cores were knocked out. In building the ornamental balcony over the doorway, the ])latform was molded around the edge, using plaster molds, and the center was made lioHow by means of a sand core. Everytliing was reinforced. The balusters, which were molded in jilaster from a wood-turned model, were also reinforced, ^^'llen these were removed from the molds they were washed with cement grout .and rubbed with carliorunduin. In the case of the orna- mental brackets supporting the balcony, the model was first made in claj' and a double-sided mold taken of it in plaster. When removed from the mold and set into position it was tooled to bring out the sparkle of the marble aggregate. Two beautiful little glass joanels were made on the corner piers of the balcony. These glass panels diff'ered from tlie others described, in that they were rough cast. J'ure cement w,as plastered over tlie panel surface and finely ground blue bottle glass w.as embedded in tlie surface by throwing it at the cement. The underside of the platform Iiad a iianel worked in it with tlie tooling machine. All the architraves of the window were molded sepa- r.itely and reinforced so strongly that when they were set the}' were lifted and ])ut into position as tliough they were wooden bo.ards. Ornamental features with undercut work were also .added in jianels .and otlier forms. Tliey were made in glue molds. It is noteworthy that everything has stood the test of a se\'ere winter and not a sign of even a hair crack is visible in the entire building. One of the interesting features near the entrance is a small wall fountain which has the molded head of a lion standing out from a background of unusual charm. The background looks as thougli it were composed of fossil sliells of wonderful color. It is, however, made with cliildren's colored beads set so smoothly into the surface tliat it produces this remark.able texture, the white cement sliowing tlirougli the hole in each little bead, giving the curious shell-like effect. Another feature whicli is striking at the entrance is the concrete floor of the porcli. Tliis is made of gray cement, using a marble aggregate. A pattern is marked out on it by tooling certain surfaces to reveal the sparkle of the white aggregate. The result looks similar to mo" saic work and is very beautiful. The entire cornice of the building is made of the concrete stone. In the top of the cornice is a gutter, which does away with any tin"lined one. The roof is covered with red concrete shingles. These shingles were made !/■" thick, 18" x 21". They were reinforced with wire mesh and set up just as a tile roof would be laid. A special ridge tile was molded. This roof was an ex- periment, which has proved successful. It has shown no signs of leakage, and the tile are still undamaged after a severe winter's test. Different types of surface finish were made on many features of the building in order to supply examples of what could be done. Granite rough cast panels, marble dash, glass dash, smooth surface glass, rock faced, tooled work, etc. All this can only be seen on close inspection of the building itself. In the living room tliere is a large ornamental fireplace of concrete. A special feature of the dining room is the fact that a French window leads out on to a little balcony, from which steps run up to the roof of the garage, where a pleasant sitting porch is afforded. Corresponding to tlie gar.age. and a few flights of steps down and off of the kitchen, is the servant's bed- room. The garage connects by a metal covered door witli the cellar of the house. Its ornamental value is sufficient to add to the liouse rather than detract. The garage roof, as well as the roof over the servant's bedroom extension, was made without \ising any center- ing. This, of course, went far towards cutting down cost. This unusual liouse, with all the ex]5erimenting tried on it, cost, inclusive of jjluuibing. heating and electric work, painting .and fixtures, not more than nine thousand dollars. If tlie exces'-ive show work of ornamental cliaracter which was jnit on it for ;i purpose, were cut down to a more sober sclieme, the building could be reproduced for much less than the above figure. COXCIiETE HOUSES Ul Fui. 1- BlXtiAI.mV MF C'oNL'HKTE B 1! K" K ItV AlKHHU.r, ^FlKJltK, AT CUKSTON. loWA Fid. '2 — (At Rigmt) Ftikir Plax of ■Mi-iutir.i, Mooue lirxiiAr.ow Double Wall Bungalow of Concrete Brick Concrcti- brick dwellings have not been common, yet there is no reason why concrete brick should not be made attractive in color and texture and in such a way as to give a good, substantial building unit at low cost. The accompanying- illustrations show a bungalow built by .Merrill ^loore from liis own design, using brick which he himself manufactured. The bungalow itself is shown iu l"'ig. ]. the |)lan in Fig. '.3. showing tlie dimen- sions Ki' X ,!()'. Footings are 8" x 1()". reinforced with '' fi" twisted steel bars. Basement walls to grade line are built of [Mnired eiuierete blcxk, having hcn-izontal cores and reinforced with ■'^" twisted l)ars. Tile w.'dls of the house are {)" tliiek, made of brick, the brick being laid with a l^^" air space between the outer and the inner course, which are tied with metal ties. The ex- posed wall is of brick, faced with a mixture of 1 part ^ledusa white portland cement, ll^ parts coarse wash sand. These were brushed to give a rough texture on the face. The body jXH-tions of the faced brick and the brick of the inside wall are made of 1 part gray cement, 2 parts sand and .'J parts gravel. These are laid in mortar of equal parts of lime and gray cement mixed with sand. Mortar was raked out of the joints to a depth of ly on all of the exposed wall surfaces. Lin- tels over all openings are of 3" x S" steel angles. Plas- tering was applied directly on the brick walls. The house is roofed with red cedar shingles stained green. There is a firejilaee of buff granite faced brick. The interior woodwork is of oak. The house complete cost about .tK-'iOO. Hollow Walls of Precast Slabs' g t I I I I I »i Fig. \ — Si. Alls Cast ix liACKC.iiorxn; BiaNr. I'Jiiectkd ix Foiuxaior vi> iCoxcRETE, M;iy, 19 IS. Tile accompa.nying illusrations show a new system of wall cimstniction — the Harp system, developed and pat- ented by Charles B. Har]i, Los Angeles, Cal. The walls are erected with slabs set to form a continuous air space 1" wide and bonded for stifl'ness or rigiditv'. The slabs are of precast, reinforced concrete, assem- bled iu the wall, the metal ties used receiving the strain, .and in all eases the concrete serving only in compression. This system is co\ered by a basic patent on the method of ])rodueing rigidity or stift'ness of the wall without reference to ni.iterial used. sE Re.\i)v KIR Finish or Sxi IV.' CONCRETE HOUSES Mr. Jl;ir|) -.tatcs llic ;i(l\ ,■lnta^■(■^ of tile s\stem as I'dllnws : I'.asy a|ij)licaliiiii of i-cin foi-ciiif;- rods, or rat-.sh, in each unit; rastinn' flat wlua-f units remain until hard; permitting n.se of mix of })ro|ier consistency; rough cast on face of slali to receive the |ilaster finish, insuring a good hond; use of un- skilled lahor in casting the rougli slalis and erecting walls; flexibility permitted in the architect's ))lans; speed of erection; possiliility of decorative features; elimination of patented forms; low cost. forms are used as shown in left background. Fig. 1, 4" x 6", of a tem])orary nature. There was 150' of lumber, board meas- ure, wasted in casting the walls of the house shown. Other data bearing on this house job are: .J,5()U lin. ft. of 1.5/(i-t" round rods as reinforcing; gravel at .*1.70 per yd.; sand at $1.7(1 per yd.; cement at ^-2Aii) net on job; building 15 nnies out of I.os ,\ngeles. Fig. 'A — Hoi-se Coupi i;te ; Burrr Hollow W.ux CoxsiairtTiox lI.^Rp Svstl:\i of Featherweight Units for Houses The Sawyer unit system of construction is being de- \'eloped with considerable success by Klein Bros. Co.. Dallas^ Texas, for residence and otlier building work, as shown by the accompanying illustrations. This system of small, thin, featherweight units, lock- ing together in the wall and stiffened by reinforced con- crete ribs, has previously been described in this maga- zine.^ The details of the system .arc clearly shown in Figure 3. Of the operations with this system, Klciu Bros. Co. savs : l-'iG. 1— R):sri)i;xci: of .1. AV. KiMimorc.H. i;)ALr,As, 'J"ex.\s; lii'ir.T or ('ox(rn:n;. .Sawver SvsT?:Jr, iiv Klein' Bros. Co. hli;. i l-'oni- \r MM M);\T CONCRE-IE BlILDIXO OF R. H. ('ii;m. l)\riNs, 'ri:x\s; Saivveii X'xit SvsTint 'From C'oxibete, .laniiary, 1918. AVe have constructed about 20 biuldings here in this city, ranging from small office buildings to four-apartment struc- tures, and from a small one-story building to one covering almost a block, containing eight stores and 20,0(J0 sq. ft. of floor space. We lirmly believe that the Sawyer system products are far suj)erior to hollow tile, being stronger and more durable. A\'e have about $20,000 invested in a manufacturing plant; we first purchased a large coal oil burning engine of 50 h. p., co.sting $1,400.00; put in large concrete mixers and chutes, elevated so that the concrete would pour ridectly into the molds; we put in a large vibrating table at a large cost; also tracks, hand cars, etc. (see Fig. 4) The slabs are made in a plural mold system of several hun- dred at a time; molds .stand on end, the back on one mold makes the face of the other; these molds are placed on the car; the car rolled on to the vibrating table, and as the concrete is lieing discharged from the mixer the lafilc is in a ipuck vibrat- ^7>r:-s?z^ ^-£234«a^-2" C'.fVOr \'\i:.'i- Detail OK Sawi eh ('mt S>STE>I C'oXSTIirCTTOX TyxM ' i I Fig. 4 — (.'ox^stki ctidx With Flatjikkwlight Units in" Progress CONCRETE no I 'SES te '" III ■■! lEl Sf * ing motion, wliicli c.-nises the concreli- In sclllc inln ;i \i-f\ dfiise mass, shaking o\\[ all xoicls and air i)iil)l)li-^. \A'lii-n iniit^ an.- taken out of tiic molds, they ai-e |ihieed for .six days. I'he sialic are )iut u|i in the «al eonerete ke\.s made Fig. 5 — House Xk.mu.y Re-\dy fob Stucco eonerete lats (1 are held hy dove-tail si a|)e, s(i :iial I he hif^her the wall is built and more «'ei(;lit is |ilaee TvprCAT, OF Houses J^ni/r Fon ]Mix- XESOTA lSteel Co., wttii THE HvdHO-StONE TyPE OF Block 11', j?£Ccvz> /ioas.. Fig. 3 — Floor Plans, Conckkte Block House Costing $i!,500 Concrete Block House With Double Wall The 7-room concrete block house shown in the accom- panying floor plan and in detail in the drawing, was erected at' I,ake Geneva, Wis., by the Cement Stone & Brick Mfr.s. A distinctive feature of the house is the large wall unit, using 12" high block. All of the walls are of double construction, with an air space. The basement walls are 5" thick on tlie out- side and ;">" thick on the inside, with a 2" air space. Above the basement level the walls arc of .'>" block on the inside and t" block on the outside, also with a 2" air s|)ace. Tlie block iu the basement walls, both sides, are S" and 2 1" long, and the block forming the inner w-all above grade are also 8" high, while those on the outside are 12" high and 2i" long. All the block were made on a Hobbs machine. Plain block were, of course, used below grade, and rock face granite block were used in the exposed portion of the foundation up to the water table. Panel face granite block were used over the water table to the seond story height, with stucco on plain block from there to the roof. The porch columns, baluster work and other ornamental pieces were made in Simpson molds. In laying uj) the walls, wall ties were used with \\" round material bent at each end. Manufacturers, in figuring the cost of the house, added to the cost of mate- rials and labor a profit of 30%, this covering the manu- facturing end only of the concrete work. The miits required are listedas follows at tlie retail price (IDlt): !)tn solirl .stone. ,■;" x R" x 'n" *ltTnn \,5M\ solid stone. I" x ft" x 2 1" .■ .- , ' ■'"■"" 2IS .solid stone, t" x 12" x 2 1", usinK .-i faeitiff ol Kianite and _^ white cement , ■ ■ • ■ 'li'nn .•132 solid .stone, \" x 12" x 2 1". Kranite face ....... ■ «•<•" 10 window sills and caps, r s" Ions, 1 tinck, 12 Insli ij>-'_i^J 15 window sills • • ■ ■ ;■■ SO pier stone, 1" x 12" x 12 , Kiande face ]- ^^<^ ri poreli colninns .^^ -^ ^'^ ^ 28 cliimney t)lock, I" x K" x -""•■■,■•■-■■■;■•■:■,■■, o'oi-, so tjalnster block, I" x +" x 12", rock face, tw.i soles «•"" 202 lin. ft. water table, .V tbick, f. biRb ■■'|^-|;|_^ 25 lin. ft. hand rad _^^ S52S.()4 This gives a total of ^.028. ;5 t. The excavation cost $10.00, The mason work is itemized .as follows: CONCRETE HOUSES Mason and laborers at S5.00 and S2.2,') per day of 8 liours, re- spectively, laying block ?210.00 Pointing walls .'. 30.00 .Sand, cement and lime for laying block 28.00 ?268.00 This gives a total, including mason work, materials ,aiid labor, of ^TSG-.'S k Rough lumber and mill work cost $.56.0.00. Carpenters at $'i.r)() a day of eight hours, $360.00. 4,3.24 COA'CfPTC e 4./2.Z4 BLOCK JPOCff rAc£ <:il?/^D£ 'jof/D cavcpem ^-a "7-0/3ZS ^2 ^/C JO/:/D COA/CPiT£ JTO/^£ Z,.e TO/^TJ? ■u/^u r/£ ■370^/£ mmZ'^- 'Kroni CnNfRKTL. Jan.. nH.5, p. 41. Fig. 2 — W.M.L Section of Concrete Block House Tlie stucco on the upper walls is in two coats — one of ordinary gray cement and a finish coat of white Me- dusa Portland cement and silica sand, with a cost, in- cluding labor and material, of 70 cts. per sq. yd. The interior walls are plastered directly on the block, the air space being continuous. The roof is covered with shingles .stained green. It is understood that the house made such a satisfactory appearance that the same company has had to build four more similar houses since. CONCRETE HOUSES -14'' Omli Faci, Ci.a\ Dhjlk Concrete Block Used in Attractive and Economical House Construction^ Tlic accompanying- floor plans and illustrations from ]iliotographs sliow the residence and office of the dean at Mooscheart, III., being one of the many buildings with walls of concrete block which are being constructed in a large group by the Loyal Order of Moose, as a philan- thropic and educational institution. The manufacture of these block and their use in con- struction work, witli detailed costs, have been described in previous articles- by R. F. Havlik, wlio is in charge of the work. ^From CoNCRFTE, Jan.. Iftlj, p. 15. ^Concrete. July, 1914, p. Hi; Auk.. 1914. p. r and fiiiislifd in natural folor. Tln' maid's laxnn and tlic otiice are both Hiiored with tlie best n'radr of clear oak, "s" thick. All of the basement rooms are ]ilastered with two coats of plaster, sand-finished. Tlie in- side stairway hadiiii; to the first Hoor is of oak. The receiition room, li\"ing room .and dining roam are trinmied in oak. .and the wood wairk is fiihslied in old English. The w.alLs of the dining room are jjaneled in o,ak. The kitclien is trimmed with yellow ])ine. The refrigerator is so placed that it can be tilled from the ontside. ^■Vll the porch floors ,are of con- crete, but the inside floors are of wood constructiim. All the floors of the first floor, witli the exception of that in the kitchen, are of clear oak, yj,;" thick. 'J'here is a large fireplace in the liv- ing room, ,and elaborate bookcases are built in on both sides of the fire- ))lace. The dining room h.is a finely finished oak buffet, built especially to fit the room. I'rench windows open from the dining room on to the rear porch. The second floor contains four large chambers and a large bath- room. Each room is sui)p]ied with a large, comfortable closet. The two rear bedrooms open directly on the sleeping ])orch. All of these rooms are trimmed with clear birch and stained a m.ahogany color, wax-finished. In building this house it was felt th.at it would be more or less of a ]iublic building, because the Dean would be required eontinuall_v to entertain a large num- ber of visitors, so it was considered advisable to build as pretty and comfortable a home as possible. Tliere- fore, no ex)jen:«e was sjsared in this building to attain this end. For this reason total costs are of little conse- ipience in a consideration of the economy of concrete. The roof of the sleeping porch is covered with l6-oz. cojiper. The front porch and the roof of the main build- ing are co\'ered with Spanish red tile. Future residences of Mooselieart will not be so elaborate internally as this one, as a residence of tliis size is far too large for tlie ordinary family, but this is an excellent example of the character of work that can be done with the Mooselieart .^ • Fig. Fig. Detati, of Detatt, of i> a sjo m e n' t 1"', x 'it. a n ge Faced I^eociv Suuface .:>J concrete block and trim stone. In general tliis building- represents the type of building that will be put np at Mooselieart for residential purposes. All of the block used in this building were made by the Hydro-Stone (irocess, faced with mica spar crystals. Uni\ersal (tort- land cement is used for all the granite block .and for tlie backing of tlie trim stone. Some of tlie trim stone used at Mooseheart has been faced with Medusa white cement and some has been faced with Atlas white cement, both of which have proven satisfactory. The block used in the Dean's home arc of the two- lug type, giving a wall with a minimum thickness of about 2^/-j" ' -^"d two jirojecting lugs on wliich furring strips are .attached vertically by means of wall plugs or wire loops, held in the joints. The interior lath and plaster are then applied on the furring, giving a light yet stable and well insulated wall. All block used above ground on this house are faced, and washed and scrubbed while green to expose and brighten the facing aggrcg.atc. COXCL'ETE HOUSES "-rff^' Fig. 1 — The REsrnExcE of Rafael Fi;RiiEs. Mnto:\[.Mi. P. R. Fig. -3 — A Be'sgalow for James Xoi!ij:Sj JIiuojiar, P. R. Fro. 3 — The Henry Molina House, Condado, P. R. Fig. t — The Residence of Axtonio Xeciiodomo, Architect Sr. Xechodomo lias designed a large number of houses similar to those illustrated. The Construction of Small Concrete Houses at San Juan, P. R. By Earl K. Burton TiiescoN Stefi. Co., .San Juan Since the in;iugiir;ition of reinforced concrete resi- dences of the bungalow t_v])e in Porto Rico some five years ago, the_v have gained much favor among I'orto Ricans and American residents of tlie Isl/md. This type, which is exemplified in the accompanying illustr.a- tions, is the standard of construction in the residciiti.al district of San Juan known as "El Condado." This modern reinforced concrete dwelling is in m.'irked contrast to the type of Porto Rican residence formerly built and still in use to a large extent. The old struc- tures usually consisted of very heavy brick walls ranging in thickness from 18" to 21" and plastered both inside and outside with a mortar of pulverized brick and nat- ural cement. Occasionally one would find the interior partitions of the same thickness as the outside walls, although tliey su])]3orted only the roof. This tyi)e de- pended for durability and strength upon its massive" 'From CoNcnETE, September, 1915. ness only. The arrangement of the interior was very simple, usually rectangular in shape, with one hall or passageway extending the entire length of the building and with rooms located symmetricallv on either side of the hall. The modern dwelling, the construction of which is here described, is architecturally similar to the American bungalow. Its outside appearance would seem identical with bungalows in California and other parts of the United States, and essentially it is, but several features are included that make it distinctive, both from neces- sity and from local artistic temperament. For example, shutters are installed in nearly all window openings. They permit in'actically 100% ventilation, and at the same time diffuse the intensely bright sunlight. Also, the Porto Rican is a lover of tile floors and of colors that give contrast. Tile floors will be found in some parts, if not all, of the house, and faience tile panels are inserted in the outside walls. The living room and 14S CONCRETE HOUSES -A Groii' of Coxcrkte Holsks at "Ei. Condauo," PoETd Rich the dining room are generally thrown into one large room, there being either a wide arch or columns and grill separating them. These are customs that have prevailed in Porto Rican homes for years. Structural Features The footings and the outside walls are constructed of reinforced concrete, the latter extending to the full height of the building. Tlie footing usually consists of a solid course of concrete 9" to 1' in thickness and 2' 6" to 3' 6" in width. In some cases footings have been placed in filled ground below sea level and very close to the shore, in soft sand. This has necessitated the con- struction of a spread footing of unusual width and depth, heavily reinforced. Such a footing acts in the same manner as the so-called "raft" foundation. A footing wall lo" thick extends from the footing to the floor line, and is offset here to form a belt course around the building on the outside and a bearing for the floor joists on the inside. For one-story structures the wall above the floor has. been constructed of reinforced con- crete 1" thick or of metal lath and ]>laster on studs. In the latter, the wall is 6" thick. The footing and footing wall concrete is mixed in the proportions of 1 :3 -.6, nsing American brands of portland cement, river sand, if )30S- sible, but usuallj' sea sand, and broken stone (a blue trap-rock of ixcellent quality), ranging in size from fl>" to 1". The footing and footing wall are Jioured mono- lithic around the entire building, and the former is reinforced with from three to five %" bars- longitudinally and \.-/' bars trans^•ersely, spaced 21" o. c. The footing wall is reinforced with ^ '■/' bars spaced 12" horizontally and 21." \-ertically. The t" concrete wall has the same reinforcement as the footing wall. Four inches may appear thin for a wall supporting a roof, and it would seem that it would be hard to pour so as to obtain a smooth surface and to eliminate the "honeycombs." The latter objection is overcome by the use of a mixture of portland cement and screenings mixed 1 :'>. The screenings are the hard trap-rock mentioned above and rang(' in size from 1/4" to the smallest particle. This mixture gi^es a very smooth wall and little additional work is necessary after the removal of the forms. ^\'hile such a wall is dur.able, yet its coni|iressive strength is rather low, but experience has shown that it is amjily strong to su])port a roof of ordinary wood construc- tion, the type which is ordinarily used. \A'ith a roof of hea\y tile, such /is is shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the use of a t" wall would not, in the writer's opinion, be con- sidered good ))ractiee where the outside walls carry the entire roof. As an added factor of safety, and to prevent cracks that have occasionally appeared in the CONCJiETE HOUSES uo Kid. (i — CoxsTRrcTn_)x \'iE\vs OF Hoi'si-: FOR Bkiix l^itos., El Condauo, Porto Rico •i" walls, specifications that call for a solid concrete wall have been changed to a 6" wall. The chief advan- tage of the use of screenings is the pleasing texture of the finished surface. The concrete is mixed by hand to a wet consistency and the wall is poured in courses 3' high around the en- tire outside. The forms are removed 24 hours after ]3ouring the concrete, and the wall, while still "green," is rubbed down with a wooden float. In this wa}' the rough spots are eliminated without discoloring the surface. For such a thin wall special care is exercised in placing and bracing the forms to keep them true and plumb. Floors — The floor is usually con- structed of wood, using joists 2" x 8", 18" o. c, supported at the out- side on the footing wall and at the center on a girder set on concrete posts. One inch, sheathing is laid directly on the joists and the finishing flooring after the other parts of the building is com- plete. If tile floors are si)eci- fied, the tile are laid on a concrete base over a well packed earth fill. The floors of the bath room and of the kitchen are generally of tile and concrete respectively. The top sur- face of all concrete floors is treated with a hardener to prevent wearing and dusting. Partitions — All interior partitions are constructed of Hv-Rib and plaster, except where a center support is necessary for the roof joists, in which case the center longitudinal wall is of solid concrete. The partitions are 3" thick and are laid directly' upon the wood floor, the floor joists being doubled under the partition. They are reinforced at the corners and at the sides and the top of door openings with 1%" structural channels ver- tically, and y±" round rods, attached to the Hv-Rib, I^'io. T — Floor Plan of Bkiin Bhos. House 150 CONCRETE HOUSES ^^^ ^s/^/y'^i r /^oo/^ iiicnces of ;i modL-ru suburban American home, sufli as water service, electricity', t;as, etc. However, except in tlie busi- ness district of San Jnan, there is no sewerage s^'Stem. Sanitation, therefore, requires tliat each residence must dis- |)ose of its sewage. 'Die system consists of two tanks pLaced well underground, one of tliem constructed of concrete .[ud practically air-tiglit. The second t.ank is constructed of loose stones, tiiroiigli wJiich tlie sewer w.ater perco- lates. The solids .are retained in the first tank and the fluid is drained into tlie second, where it seeps out througli the ground. The airtight tank will re- (piire cleaning about once a year, and the outlet tank, if constructed properh', will never require any attention. Tliese residences are in the residen- tial park, "El Condado," which con- t.ains practically all the homes of this tvpe. The dwellings are designed by local architects and arc built by local contractors, eitlier under tlie supervi- sion of the owner or tlirougli Behn Bros., who are financing the develop- ment of this section. horizontally, 18" o. c. The mortar applied to these par- titions consists of 1 part of jjortland cement, ,'i parts of sand and a small amount of lime, usually 10% of tlie cement. The interior of the outside walls is also plastered to conform in color and texture to tlie ])laster partitions. All concrete and plaster are waterproofed with an integral waterproofing, as well as all concrete floors tliat are laid on the ground. Roofs — If the width of the building will permit, the roof joists span tlie outside walls. Roof construction is of the ordinary frame type and is clearly shown in the accompanying plans. The roofing material used de- pends upon the fanev of the owner, and is of asphaltic paper, metal tile, Spanish clay or vitrified tile. The clay tile are not used to a very large extent, owing to their exceptionally high cost. The |)itch of roofs is very flat and the overhang varies from ?,' to i', either ceiled or left open. If ceiled, special care is taken to allow circulation in tlie attic by providing at intervals screened openings in the ceiling. Details of Finish — The tendency of the Porto Rican is toward rather bright colors and ])anels of faience tile are inserted in certain parts of the outside wall, usually on the sides of columns and at the lower cor- ners of windows. These jiaiuds are sliown in the ac- companying views. The winchiws are a very important factor in the construction of tliese dwellings, as it is imperative to obtain the maximum ventilation and, on the other hand, not admit too mucli sunliglit. As before mentioned, this is ordinarily .accoiiqilished by the use of shutter windows. These windows are also generally placed in groups so that when they are open the room will practically be converted into a veranda. These residences contain nearly all of tlie conve- COSTS It is rather difficult to obtain unit cost figures. Very few contractors keep a cost svstem in a systematic way and consequently most of them cannot give the cost of a certain kind of concrete on the unit basis. However, the following figures are an average of most of the structures illustrated and represent quite closely the actual cost (191.5) : Labor and Material Costs, Concrete Residencf.s in San Juan, P. R. Materials (Cost at Job) : Cement, per bbl. gross (less 28 cts. for return of I saeks) SI. 80 Broken stone, %", per cu. yrl SS.-'JO .Stone screenin^.s, ^4" to fliist, per cu. yd SI. 15 Sea sand, per cu. yd ,'>(! ets. River sand, per cu. yd $1.(10 Rougli dimension and slieatliing lumber, per 1,000 b. ni -t^^S-SO Finislied Y. P. lumber for formwork, per 1,000 b. m S.'t0-32 (Juarter-sawed "V. P. flooring, per 1,000 b. ni $05-70 Reinforcing steel, per Ion base .$41.50 I^. R. mosaic tile for floors, per sfj. yd .85 cts. Red quarry tile for roof (U. S. mfre.), per sq. yd. of roof... $2.50 Holland clay tile for roof, per sq. yd. of roof $1.20 Metal lath for partitions, with studs, per sq. ft 2.5 cts.-3.0 cts. Hy-Rib or similar for solid partitions, per sq. ft 5 cts. -7 cts. Lal>or and Materials: Footing concrete, 1:3:6, lal>or and materials, per cu. yd $0.00 AVall concrete, 4"-6" thick, labor and materials, per cu. yd.... $18. 00 Floor concrete on earth fill, labor and materials, per 100' (5" thick), (no top dressing) $12-14 Hy-Rib partitions, 3" thick, per sq. yd $1.75 StiuUled partitions, 6" thick, lath and plaster botii sides, per sq. yd S2.00 Plaster and concrete, V4." thick, per sq. yd .15 cts. Rub finish, on outside wall (where not plastered), per sq. yd. 13 cts. Finished wood flooring, labor laying, per sq. yd 13.5 cts. Finished wood flooring. lai)or finishing and scraping, per sq. yd 10.0 cts. Wood floor joists, 18" spacing, labor, per 1,000 b. m $20.00 Tile floor, labor, per sq. yd $1.00 Peon latror. per hour 10 cts.-12 cts. Carpenters, per hour 25 cts. ■Average cost of buildings, complete, including plumbing, electric w'',y solution of Sig'. Cresol Coiiip. U. S. P., the fnrniula of wliieli is ;is follows: Cresol r.oii i:^ranis Linseed oil ."nm i,M-;ims Putassiuni ]i\-(lruxitle sii ^i-;uiis Alcohol ;iii niilliiitei-s W;iter suftioient tCoxtRLTE, Apri Fig. S — IxTEHioK, Showixg Arched Opexixg CONCliETK HOUSES 155 fy,!p Mffy ^ ^'-^^ ,&^y^ CONCRETE HOUSES K^fcip .-..ai- 4 Figs. '13 axd 14--Sectiiin-at. \ n:w of Horsi:, Sikiwinc \\'ai,is, Flcioiis, Coi.ujixs, Etc., axd a Detail of Stairway of Concrete ^J:cr:cv.''- This is a ratlicr difficult t'i)rraula to mix, so do not trv to malvc it \(mrsclf. If voii w.iiit a small quantity, your local ii • i i .] in n " ii • i druggist ;-au proliably furnish it; if you want large quantities - tl'>ck and tlic second floor 8 thick, from a gallon n])— buy it fr.)ni a wholesale druggist, or a rclia- scribed as cool and comfortable in t l^le pharmaceutic;!! manufacturer. Floors aia- mo|iped daily «iHi the folhn\'ing: Kerosene Good soap Turpentine Boiling water 11:11.(1 c. r. (HI.O c. The walls of the Iiouse for the first floor are 10" The house is de- tlic hot .season, and dry in the extremely r.ainy season. The exterior cinicretc w.as gone oyer with a steel brusli .as soon after casting ,as possible, and it w.as tlieii given a cement ^y,asll. The inside of tlie Iniuse is sand (1.(1 liters finished, the jiaint .and tinting being apjilied direct. The floor-, are swe]it clean and all dirt and dust removed. I" Still another respect the liouse is unique in tliat a .\fter mopping rjn alteriial,- days with Sig. Cresol Com])., p^rt-nt deal of natiye shell is used in windows, instead of U. .S. P., and hot water, t]:e alio\e mentioned solution is applied gl.ass. The sliells ,are wliite, tr.anshicent, .about ','1 .'>" hot, after emulsifying. This last solution is used several s,p,;,re, .and .are Inld in ])lace by wooden strips They times a da\- and well ruhlied in witli a iiiccc of lilankct in a mop ,,. ^, ,1; ,„ , 1 1 , • r ' 1 , ,.,' , I, ...i ., u .1 1 Jf IF, ' 'lie set (ii;n)ion(i sh.ape 111 t rallies .aiid aiine/ir not onlike liamlle, till tlie Hoors take on a heaiitjtul polish. ' '1 1 " ■"■ ""l i.iiio^e ground glass. These floors .ire so s.-itisfactory tli.'it no s|jeci.'il cov^ ' 'phe .Ctairs, of concrete, .are flnislied red with iron erings will be provided. l).alusters and ;i ii;itiye wood c,i|) r.ail. The -'ij^i.'iO g.il. concrete w.itcr tank on the roof of Much speci.-il iiiijiorted gl.-iss w.is .also employed. The the Iiouse «-,'is M.atcrproofed with ii''/', of mineral oil. house cost .^ l-'i-.'^OO, Aiiicricaii moiie\'. Engineer Builds Economical Concrete House With Simple Equipment The liouse wliicli is till' subject of this artirh is \;iluablr as an ilhistration of what can he done witli concrete h_v an individnal not equipped with commercial forms, who expects to huihl liis own residence only. ,1. F. llalni.' wlio lias for some years been engai;ed as designing- and constructing engineer on various classes of reinforced concrete work, was in the same position as many others ; he realized distinctly the advantages of a concrete house, yet was confronted with the im- possibility of securing a favorable contract price as com- pared with other materials, owing to the inifamiliarity of most builders with this class of construction. The house is from the owner's plans and was con- structed under his supervision. It is as shown by the illustrations, extremely plain in outline, but it is well jn-oportioned and well suited to its surroundings ; situ" ated on an elevation among statelv old trees, its simple, strong lines stand out in a ])articularl_v favorable setting. The house is '^5' x .'i6' in ]dan, the basement height from floor to floor is 7' 8", the first story 9' (>"■ the second storv S' (i". There are a front porch, a rear porch ;ind a sleeping ]iorcli. The house ccnitains nine rooms and .-i liath, besides the basement and the attic. -Civ. l'',ii-v., ,l:K'ks II.. Mini, 1). II, .Midi. .Vs will he seen by Ih'' pl.in, the li\ing room and the dining room occupy the intire fr Sin"- \ ]LA\ s (11 RLsiniNci. or T F H\n\ 156 CONCRETE HOUSES Fig. 3 — Floor Plans, Siiowixo STt:LT, Used All concrete above the basement walls was mixed ap- proximately 1 :-i-'/2! cement and pit-run gravel. The concrete was very dense and practically water))roof. Reinforcing — The walls were reinforced horizontally with %" twisted bars l6" o. c, and the same size bars were placed around openings. The reinforced concrete floors are supported on con- crete bearing walls except for short spaces carried on girders as shown on the plans. The floor slab was rein- forced with square twisted bars of size and spacing shown. Forms — The wall forms for the superstructure were sectional, 2' 6" high, made of 3" x 10" boards nailed to 2" xi i" pieces at about 2' 6" centers. Inside and outside forms were held in place b_v 5/16" bolts and spreaders. The inside of the outside forms was covered with a cheap grade of 2-ply rooflng felt having a rough grained surface. The roofing felt was used to avoid the smooth, glassy surface characteristic of concrete where smooth wood or steel forms are used. The paper also served as a gasket between the forms and the con- crete wall previously built, and in nearly all cases the form was watertight and made a joint that is barely noticeable. After the concrete work was finished, the forms were taken apart, the boards were used for root sheathing and the 2" x 4" pieces for fillers in second floor partitions. The rafters and the second floor ceil- ing joists were used for supporting floor forms and for staying. In tliis way all the lumber that could be charged to forms is the waste from cutting, which did not exceed ,500 board feet. Handlinr/ Concrete — The concrete was handled by hand and no hoisting equipment or runway was used. As the concrete was poured in sections about 30" high, the first section was easily handled with buckets from tlie ground. The second section was poured by a man stand- ing on a portable platform, who took the bucket as passed to him from a laborer on the ground. The platform was moved along as the forms were filled. The same procedure was followed by add- ing an additional m;in for each rise of the forms, up to the second floor, when the material was hoisted to the second floor by three men at the rear porch and the pro- cedure was repeated. While tjiis may seem a crude vv.ay of handling the concrete, wlien one considers the very small quantity that is required for a 6" wall, .30" higli. allowing for openings, and that this was an isolated job which would not warrant an investment for staging equipment, it will be found that this was probably as economical a )3rocedure as could have been followed. The light mixer used was easily moved from one side of the house to the other, so that the concrete had to be carried a very short distance. The first story required two days to set up forms and pour the concrete for each section, thus requiring 8 d.ays to build ;\ story height. The work was done by a superintendent, one carpenter and two laborers for the first two sections, tlirec for the third, and four for the fourth. It required 6 hours to 7 hours to set up the forms and 2 hours to .'! hours to fill them with concrete. Tlie work was so arranged that all forms were filled at the end of each day. This part included the concrete partitions. The second story walls, without partitions, were built in 1 days, or at the rate of a section per day. To pour the concrete, an additional laborer was emploj'ed for each additional section in height. The additional laborer was used only a few hours each day while pouring con- crete, the local labor situation permitting this arrange- ment. Surface Treatment The forms, covered as previously described with roof- ing paper, did not leave tlie surface in a glass}' condi" tion, and there was comparatively little streaking from leakage. While the house looked rather spotted at first, two years' exposure to the weather has evened up the color to a remarkable extent, and the surface, which is practically as left by the forms, is far from unattrac- tive. It has a sturdy individuality; it is an honest ex- pression of an honest material, and will continue to grow more attractive as the years pass. Roofing The roof frame is of wood and in it were utilized the jjlank which had been serving throughout the job as staging and supports for floor forms. Practically ev- ery scrap of lumber could be used in sheathing the roof, so tliat there was very little waste. As roofing tile was to be used, the roof was prepared by covering with wat- erproofed paper, which was held on by lath running uii and down the slope of the roof. These laths also act as furring strips for horizontal 1" x 2" strips, to which the tile are secured. The tile were made on a Brock roofing tile machine, which is a simple piece of equip- CONCRETE HOUSES 15 ment consisting mainly of an arrangement for molding on pallets which give the proper shape to the bottom of the tile and a troweling member running on guides which trowels and gives the proper form to the top sur- face. The tile were first made to an approximate shape and then a surface coating of red iron oxide was sieved over them and the troweling finished. This gives a very good color which seems to be fully equal to that of the burnt cla}^ tile, while irregularities in placing the color give variety in the depth of the shade, which results in a very pleasing roof. It is interesting to note that the tile were made and placed on the roof at about $12 per square. Construction Details Fortunately the mistake was not made in this house of attempting to secure a dry and thoroughly insulated building by means of a single concrete wall, and pro- f'lC. (') WlNUOW FiiAjiE Details vision was made for furring and lathing. This is done as illustrated in the sketch, by tacking V-shaped strips to the forms at proper intervals, to which vertical furring strips were afterwards nailed. The concrete partitions and first floor ceiling were not lathed, but the plaster was applied direct, with entirely satisfactory results. Considerable thought was expended upon a proper win- dow frame detail, which should be simple and entirely weather-tight, yet which could be used readily with a 6" wall and not interfere with the forms. The result of Mr. Hahn's work is shown in an accompanying detail. Study of the detail will show that the jamb, headpiece and sill could be separated from the rest of the frame and readily replaced. A false jamb was used outside, as shown, to act as a form for the concrete. This was, of course, removed and a staff bead put on after the forms were removed. Each frame was set assembled complete, then the jambs were match marked, numbered and taken off until the concrete work was complete. It will be noticed that this style of frame provides not only an airtight joint, and a form for the concrete, but also suitable nailing for the interior trim. The porches are of concrete poured in forms, but the panels in the rear porch are of stucco on ribbed metal lath over sheathing. The floor and roof of the sleeping porch are of poured concrete. The roof is colored with red oxide to match the roof tile; the iron oxide was troweled in as with roofing tile. The concrete sills were cast in place in suitable spaces left for them, it being considered easier to do this than to take care of the complications sills would involve in the form work. The chinniey is of concrete, poured with the house and provided with square vitrified tile flue lining. The use of concrete has been extended to all the surroundings of the house, as will be noted by the long flight of concrete steps, the retaining wall, sidewalks and even the concrete lawn roller and T-shaped clothes line post which can be seen b_v close inspection of Fig. 2. Interior Fittings Tile finished floors are of oak and yellow pine, nailed to 2" X 2" screeds laid directly on the concrete sub- floors, except in the vestibule and the toilet room, where ceramic tile floors are used. All partitions not indicated as being of concrete on the plans are framed of wood in the usual manner. The trim onj the first floor is of oak of a plain and tasteful design, and the second floor rooms are finished in yellow pine, enameled, and birch mahogany. A vacuum vapor heating plant has been in- stalled, which, together with the concrete construction, has reduced very considerably the fuel required for heating. The kitchen and the laundry are piped with gas and in the laundr}^ is installed a Diehl automatic water heater, which supplies hot water at all times to laundry, kitchen and bathrooms. The house is lighted by electricity and gas. The plumbing consists of toilet on the first floor and bath room on the second floor, with the usual equip- ment of kitchen plumbing, and an automatic soft water ))ump in the laundry. A clothes chute communicates be- tween the laundry and each floor. Cost In estim.ating the cost (1,015). the owner's time as superintendent is included .at .$ f.OO per day, but no con- tractor's profit is added in the total cost, although it is figured on certain parts of the work which were let out on contract. It may be added, however, that this work was done at an exceptionally favorable time, and that the figures obtained from contractors were probably un- usually low. The notable feature of this work is that, in spite of the) fact that this was an isolated building, erected by workmen who had had little or no previous experience in this class of work, a fact which was, to a certain extent, offset by favorable prices for materials and favorable labor conditions, the cost of the concrete work, which includes the basement and entire struc- tural part of the house, came to slightly more than $1,000. The remainder of the cost went into woodwork, millwork, plastering and accessories which would nec- essarily be figured at the same cost in any kind of house. It is evident, therefore, that not only this concrete house has not cost more than other types of structures, but in all probability Mr. Hahn has actually efi'ected a saving over any other material. He has a house which will require no upkeep for years to come, which removes to a large degree the fire hazard as evidenced by the lower insurance rates, which is more easily heated in cold weather, yet is cool in the heated season, and which will continually become more in harmony with its surround- ings as the years pass. Cost Data Excavation contract % 40.00 % 40.00 Cement 266.04 (rravel and sand 116.10 Steel 79.85 Mixer (rental) 20.00 Labor on concrete and forms 578.00 Total concrete cost 1,060.39 Roof tile and sheet metal contract % 286.00 Plastering contract 228.00 Lumber 528.19 Mill work 138.49 Carpenter labor 420.44 Total lumber and carpenter 1,107.12 Hardware, rougrh and finished % 93.43 Plumbing: contract 308.00 Heating plant 330,83 P.aintins (does not include walls where left white) 133.45 Electric light wiring and fixtures 108.4* Hardware, heating, plumbing, light and painting 980.11 Incidental mason supplies .^6.54 Miscellaneous labor 28.02 13,736.68 15S CONCRETE HOUSES Fjg. ] — Resii)i:nci: of ?lIB^, O. J. Stewart— Built for Peioiankxci: an'i) Co^ifoiit A Concrete House With Tile-Lined Walls" By Charles F. Dingman oJ^ras This concrfte residence differs from many in that low cost was neither the first consideration nor tlie determin- ing factor in tlie choice of a bnilding material. The owner dem;mded a residence which, for its size, should be strict!}- first-class and which should be fire- proof, comfortable, permanent, and gain its attractive appearance from harmonious proportions, rather than from architectural embellishment. Concrete was pre- eminently the material indicated by these requirements. The architect, George W. Von Arx, has succeeded in producing a well ])roportioned, comfortable looking house, without excessive adornment. The wall section shows the care t.iken to get a wall that should be damp-proof as well as a heat insulator. While this type of construction may seem excessively costly, it has been justified by the fact that in some places expensive paneled wood wainscot is placed against the wall and that the wall has proven an excellent heat and moisture insulator. The rods shown in the drawing were placed as an insurance against contraction cracks, rather than to add strength. Tlie floor construction is of the Kahn hollow tile and concrete type. Cornices are of copper, to give a contrasting color, and the roofs are of red Spanish tile. The sleeping porch, shown unfinished in the illustration, has a glass roof set in puttyless sash, while the sides are made up of metal casements. Practically all of the concrete work was cast in place except the porch balusters, which were cast on the ground and set in place, after which the coping rail was cast on top. The walls were poured in wood forms, and are lined with hollow cla}' tile. All walls, after removing the forms, were ground to a surface as smooth as possible bj^ the use of carborundum brick. Forms were left on until the concrete was comparatively hard, which made the cost of surfacing reach the rather high price of 8 cts. per ft. However, it is believed that this cost was jiFstitied by the fine appearance of the surface obtained. The total cost of the house, excluding plumbing, heat- ing, vacuum cleaner, electrical work and finished paint- ing, was approximately S2 cts. per cu. ft., which is greater than the cost of a similar brick house, but con- siderably cheaper than a stone veneered house of the same stvle. IP 8//7 Co/7c/'e-^e y^://? /t'ocL.:d 7u/o i^aiu. C FZ caster 4j^ rc 77/s II;(Z ZiZa// 'Fnmi CoNrRFjrh, Marcli, lOIii, p. 110. Fiii. 2 — M'at.l Sectiox, Stewart House The house was erected for Mrs. O. J. Stewart by the Merrick Fireproofing Co. Julius Bally was super- intendent of construction, and the writer at that time was secretary of the contracting company. House Walls Are Pre-Cast Horizontallv By \y. 15. Hkuiot -BrNC.AT.OW The instincts of tlic arcliitcct and b'ilder, developed by actual experience I'd the conception of an idea sugoested I- ■ the need of greater efficiency in ^xo: om_v and fireproof construction, mpelled B. Frank Davis. Miami, Fla., to attack the problem of unit-built structures along the line of walls cast flat on the ground, as sliown in the ac- companying illustrations. Figs. '-!-."), and as finally worked out in the origi- nal demonstration in Fig. 1. The work consisted in making sec- tional walls poured into forms flat on the ground, eliminating much form work, waste lumber and labor, and ad- mitting new architectural possibilities with a minimum of expense, the sec- tions finally being lifted into place upon the foundations, spaced sufficient- ly apart to provide for pilasters that are molded into place, making a con- tinuous or complete wall. The chimney also acts as a pilaster. Details and cost data gi^cu h\ Mr. l)a\'is follow; The net cost of the walls (no contractor's profit in- cluded) finished witii sienna coloring. ])ebble-dashed, pilasters })lastered and tinted, was only 17'{: cts. per sq. ft. This docs not include porch work, which hap- pened to be of an expensive design; it does include the four outside walls from foundation water table up, finished with 2" x 2" furring strips inside. It took about the same time ordinarily consumed for similar size and design of walls in ordinary construc- tioUj but only one mechanic and two common laborers were required. The system was used on the building illustrated as follows : The foundation was laid (including basement) by the regular double form method. The floor joists and sub-floor were then placed. The window frames, double-hung, casement and doors with transoms, were laid flat upon the floor. The walls were divided into convenient sections. For each section (17 in all) a slab was cast, some having window or door frames cast in place and some without openings. Furring strips 2" x S" , 16" o. c, were laid down upon the sub-floor and nails driven into their top surfaces, heads projecting. Loose 2" lumber was then laid in between the furring to form a continuous flooring under the slab, 2" above the sub-floor to allow for thickness of frames. Two-by-four timber on edge formed the mold for the slab, the 2 x 'I's having staggered holes bored to al- TX Mtaimi nv N?-H' Unit Systfm or CoNSTnuCTiox ^Concrete, June, 1!)I7. low reinforcement to |>rojcct from the fiuislied slab on the edges. Three-eights-iucli steel r'■ i l-'ic. '^ — Cross Skci'iox or Cni:\ixi:v means of this hopper, resting over the space between the forms, it has been possible to place the concrete from wheelbarrows without ever losing a single barrow load. In tliese frame houses ,a concrete chiuuie\' is being used, made up in blocks in" jiigli in two parts. The out- side, or block, has a scalloped interior cril, roughly in- dicated by the accompanying detail. Inside this is placed a concrete ])i])e Hue lining, with tongue and groo\e joints. J5locks .irc made twice as large as they are brought through the roof, to give a more impressive arehitectiiral efl'ect and .i S])ecial cap, also made of concrete, gives a neat finish. The chimney itself is stuc" coed a light color and the caps are painted black. The chimney block and cai^s are made bj' George Godown. Phillipsburg. All the houses in the Phillii)sburg development will be served by Sanisep se])tic tanks, manufactured by the Cement Products Co., Wilmington, .S. C., with oiu' tank for four houses. Home-Made Wall Forms' It has often been found, when the need for equip- ment to accomplish a certain object has arisen, that two or more men working independently would hit upon the same solution of the problem. This is shown in the de- velopment of a number of years' experimenting by F. J. Beaty. Chowchilla, Cal., and working independently by August Matzke, Winona, Alinn. Each has erected a number of interesting buildings with his system of forms and finds it a very successful method. Fig. 1 shows the construction. j\Ir. Beatty uses forms made up of uniform thickness and width. At frequent intervals 2" X 12" plank surfaced on both sides and brought to small pieces of lumber thickness and width. At fre- quent intervals small pieces of lumber about 1" x 2", called clips, are nailed to the planks, projecting about ll/'o". Mr. Matzke uses shiplap with 2" x 2" cleats. The method of erection is as follows : The line of forms is run around the building and wires are twisted 'Concrete, Marcli. 1910. around the projecting ends of the clips. Spacers are inserted and the wires twisted tight. A second section is tlien placed, the ends of the plank sections being brought opposite a clip, as shown in Fig. 1, These two courses of plank forms are filled and the concrete is allowed to set from six hours to ten hours; the lower forms are then removed by cutting the wires and turn- ing them up so as to support the upper line of plank. The lower planks are then placed above the section on the wall, and the work continued. It is stated that enough forms to go around the building twice are usually sufficient to take care of the work. Forms are oiled with crude petroleum before being used, and it is stated that they are in good condition after erecting several buildings. ^Voven wire mesh is used as a reinforcement, and is placed as shown in Fig. 2. The window frames are made of 2" x 6" lumber, placed in the wall as tlie work progresses, as shown in Fig. 1 — "W'lxnow Fha^fk Detail Fig. 3 (at Right)— Dl- T.4IL OF FORMWORK, ShOW- IXG Clips and Reinfoec- IXG ■olr. V « Mi CT -i . ;-? ^»/^ JPiPtj'OOD acAVA-^ f^jTi/^J ^ST^-!a '^/ ^^=5S= • >;■■•■ '. ' -.^^ *.,■,«» :._. : fi , o,' - :.-ii>- A;'.', "^vv-y; >^^ 2./2 JRl/^iA/ZC ^:^/2. t 7 / ^./-? ^/*v/r 'M^eTy^' '.'^'^^G Ai^i^ ^ 1 fJ6 CONCRETE HOUSES 1' ig. J, and fastened to llie concrete by means of nails secured by beads in the grooves as shown. Pullman driven into the back of the frames. No wood sill is spring sash balances take the place of weights, making used, the sash fitting directly on the concrete sill. The a distinct saving in cost, due to the extremely low-cost joint is covered by an astragal molding, and the sash frame. Hollow Wall Bungalow Built With Home- Made Machine' Bv Henry L. Wilson .ViunrTECT. l.os .Angeles, Cal. The accompanying illustration shows ;i nine-room bun- galow recently designed and built by the writer for Rev. Seth O. Rees, in Pasadena, Cal. The bungalow is constructed with hollow concrete walls. The forms are my own idea and have proved .■' success both in durability and low cost. Two 3" con- crete walls, with a 2" air space between, form the wall section. The walls are bonded by metal studs made from 2i galvanized sheet metal cut in strips 6" wide by 9' long. Both edges of the studs were turned back with a I/2" circle, which stiffens the studs and forms a clinch in the concrete walls. The foundation walls were put in in the usual way, a solid 10" wall to floor joists; the metal studs were then set uj) edgeways across the wall on 18" centers and were held in line by a tem- porary plate at the top. The hollow walls were then started on the foundation. Forms The forms used consisted of two pieces of ordinary 2 -x 10 lumber 6' long, two iron clamps- made of I'^/j." channel iron bent U-shaped to fit over the outside of the form boards and to hold them in place while the con- crete was being put in. Near each end of the boards a small steel pin was driven through near the bottom edge projecting about 2" to catch on top of the wall and to hold the forms up in place. The cores were made of wood 2" thick, 10" deep and 18" long, with two large screw-eyes in the top by which to pull them out. These cores were placed between the metal studs; the 2 x lO's 'From Concrete. .Jan., IDlli. p. 30. \s ere placed at each side, the clamps placed over them ; they were then filled with semi-wet concrete, well lamped, when the cores were pulled, the clamps removed and the boards moved forward their length, and set up and refilled, and so on around the house to the start- ing point. By that time the concrete had set sufficiently to permit another course to be placed, and so on until the walls were finished. A set of these forms cost less than .$5.00. GeNER.\L FE.iTURES After the rough concrete walls were up they were finished with Atlas white cement and silica sand; the insides of the walls are plastered directly on the con- crete. Inside partitions may be built in the same man- ner, but in this bungalow 2 x t studs were used, lathed and plastered in the usual way. The bungalow contains nine rooms and basement; liv- ing room, dining room and den ; it has panel wainscot- ing and beamed ceilings, oak trim and oak floors. Liv- ing room has a tile mantel with book eases on either side. There is a large buffet in the dining room ; the kitchen is fullj' equipped with all modern conveniences. A con- crete garage large enough to accommodate two cars was also built, and the house and garage were constructed for about .$5,000 (1915). Bungalow in THE CalIFOCNIA Mountains 10 Fireproof Houses of Field and Pre-Cast Concrete SlAl'l' AllTH Ten (i-rdom fircprool' dwclliiin's arc iH'iiig compK'trd at I.aiisfcird. Pa., for tlic l.elii!;ii Coal iV Xa\i!j;atioii Co., hv the Sim])soiK'v,-it't .system Fig. () — Douni.K HorsK with 6 Rooms Each Sira:, Erected iiy SlMPSOXCRAFT SySTEJI Fig. 7 — A Sixole House of 6 Roo:ms, Part of the Group at Lansford the monolithic foundation, Hoor I-beam.s are spaced on liorses set on shims at floor height. For a paneled ceil- ing precast slabs are placed so as to rest on the upper edges of the louver I-beam flanges. For flush, plastered ceilings, wire loojis in the bottom of the beams support metal fabric. I'or llie floor, tin: thin precast slabs rest on the I-beams and the joints covered by a concrete floor \" thick, linishcd in ])lacc. For a wood floor flnish ■\\ivf lies e.isl into the floor slabs |ieriiiit securing the sleepers to wliich Ihc liiiisli is naih'd. Walls :\rr built up with a horizontal, ])recast, slotted belt I'oursr at stor\' luighls. or at other le\els to suit design, with tliin sl,il)s between, the actual strut'ture of the work de))eiuliiig on held east studs (u- small ))il.asters. ])onred in ])lace, which join the slabs, licit courses and studs in .a stifl' ciuistruction. These it'rtical members mav be cast with an exterior ])rojcetion to gi\c .i p.aiuded eft'cct or flush outside where stucco is to be a])|)lied on a plain field. The interior projection of tlie stud provides the tubular wall, furring and lathing being a))plied inside. Tliese field-cast studs, in which the reinforcing rods .are continuous for the height of the house .dio\'e the first floor level, sui)|)ort the beams of the u]i|)er floors, tlic projecting rods of the beams locking into the \ertic.'d rods of studs when the fi.eld casting is doiu'. In .actual erection sLilis .ire set u]) .at wall corners and hori/,ont;d strings thoroughly braced for alignment. If the w.alls are flush outside, ;\ |)lauk covers the vertical joint between sl.ilis .and ]iro\idcs the outside form of the stud, while three form boards with rounded fillets at corners provide tlie interior form. The two sides are wired tlirougli, twisted and wedged. If paneled outside, a portion of the stud thickness is provided outside bv a shallow channel mold. The system is architecturallv elastic because the ver- tical studs may be spaced as required to meet structural demands and be hid in the finished workj while in pan- eled effects, as in the upper stories of the houses under construction at Lansford, vertical ribs may be merely false stud.s cast on the slabs in the shop with such spac- ing as is desired. Building Low Cost Houses With Unit Forms and Continuous Conveyor Low costs are being obtained b}' the Humphrey Co., Cleveland, in the construction of small concrete cottages at Euclid Beach Park, using the Hydraulic system of forms, consisting of plates and ribs and for ])lacing the concrete a continuous mixer, with elevating equip- ment designed bv D. S. Humphrey. The work lias been in charge of P. M. Killaly, engineer for the Humphrey Co. The initial undertaking in this construction of con- crete cottages was described in Concrete more than a year ago." In the first work a system of wood forms was used which, it was found, required too much time in erecting. Further work has been waiting in the meantime for the perfection of the commercial system of forms, which is now in use and which probablv will be used in the construction of many other cottages if the work continues as satisfactorih' as it is now believed it will. The two cottages recently built are 3.5' x '2'2' outside dimensions, and ,9' high from floor to ceiling. They are 'Concrete. January, l!Hii. -Xoveniliei'. Ifllt. for summer campers and will replace tents which the Humphrey Co. has rented for various short periods of time in the summer at Euclid Beach. Canvas tents were found very expensi\e, as they lasted in good condition only two or three seasons, .and the construction of con- crete cottages along some rather original lines was un- dertaken with the idea of finding something which would be more economical in the long run. The cottages have tliree rooms, including a fairly large living room, kitchen and bath room, with hot and cold water and a porch ex- tending around three sides of the house, which is to be screened off and used probably for the most part for sleeping aecommodations. The plan dimensions include the porch. No attempt has been made to build these houses for all-year-round occupancy. The walls are V thick, the slabs for the floor and the roof are .")" thick. The roof is surmounted by a low jiarapet all arcuind. and the roof slab covered over with (i" or S" of soil, on which grass will be grown. The idea of this soil and sod covering is to prevent the rooms below from becoming too hot under the summer sun. ' / :'o ( '()X( RETE IK) I 'SES FldS. 1 AND Thf Huoi-h are laid directly on tile jrround, lieing- constructed fir^t, and tlie forms set up on top of tliem. Tlie ^oil is well drained and saiidv alcnijj,- tlie water front, and it is lielieved tliat for the purjjoses intended tiiis nietliod of construction will pro\-e entirely satis- factory. Eacli of these cottages as now Iniilt requires a Ir cu. yds. of concrete. Lake gravel is ii^ed, screened through a 1 's" screen, with a mixture of cement in the proportion of 1 part cement to about ,'il^ [larts or t parts of the gravel. The gravel costs nothing ex- cept hauling, and this cost for each cot- tage does not exceed ^'iO. One house requires 77 bbls, of portland cement, at a total cost of $99. It took eight men a little over 4 days to erect the forms, but the foreman of the job is confident that when these forms ,are entirely [ler- fected, as tliev had not been in the con- struction of these houses, it will be pos- sible, through greater case in fitting tlic jjlates and the ribs, to set up the forms in about lialf the time that it recjuired on the first two cottages. This would bring the cost of setting up the forms to .f.St.tll, the men being paid at the rate of 2i cts. per hour, with the exception of two men, who w-ere paid 2.5 cts. [ler hour. No skilled labor was required. The continuous mixer, driven by a Xovo engine, is used and the concrete is mixed very wet. It falls direct from the mixer trough into the elevator. The elevator consists merely of paddles on a chain operating in a trough. This chain is run at high speed, so that whatever concrete slips through one paddle is picked up by the next one. The rapidity of operation makes it possible to convey even water from the bottom of the conveyor to the toj) of the house. The elevator is driven by a 3 h. p. engine. The concrete empties into a spout at the to]) and this is i)ivoted so that it can be moved around to cover the entire area, making pour- ing continuous. With this equipment and with 7 men on the job a house complete, except for the floor, which was previously made, and for the jjarapet abo^e the roof, was poured in S hours. The nature of the conveving apparatus serves as a continuation of the mixing pro- cess, so that wdien the concrete leaves the end of the conveyor it is in excellent condition, and, so far as can be noted, without any separation of the fine from the coarse material. The resulting concrete surfaces are good and without pockets, and almost free from pin- holes. With the new system of forms it is possible in fairl}' good weather to remove the plates 21 hours after pour- ing. The ribs which hold the ))lates remain in place as long as may be necessary to su])port the walls. The ■2 — Cii:xKitAt, AM) ])i;t\ii. ^'ll;\\■s oi' ba.iA" forms can i)c stripped by eight men in one day and in that time gi\ en all the cleaning that is re(|uired. The surfaces are \er\ smooth, and with reasonable care the forms are expected to last a long time with but small depreciation. In the construction of tlie cottages an unusu.allv large amount of steel was rctjuired in order to conform to the building ordinance of Cleveland, and for this job amounted to 5,0,"2 lbs. at a cost of $10,'), cut to size. The fioor slab has ■'^" and -Js" round rods 12" o. c, the walls 1^" rods 12" and 1.5" o. c. Trussed rods were used over all w.all openings, ''s" rods in .all pilas- ters and columns, .and ■' )_" rods were pl.accd in fan shape in the L of the |)orcli. The earlier cott.ages, built more than a year .ago with f.ar less steel. h.i\'e been entirely satisfactory. Mr. Killaly took the concrete just as it came from the end of the conveyor and made three (V cubes, which showed an .average strength .it 2.S days of 1 .779 lbs. |)er sq. in. One of the cottages was given .a crand.alled finish. This work was done 7 weeks after the house w,is poured, and one man's time was required for ,5 davs to do it. Pilasters and corner columns and strips around windows and doors were left smooth for trim. One cottage had approximately 1,0.57 sq. ft. of surface to be finished, and the total cost was $10.7.5, or approxim.atelv 1 ct. jier sq. ft. This cost, Mr. Killaly says, can be greatly reduced by doing the finishing soon after forms are re- moved. Mr. Killaly says that a price of $6.00 should cover this work if it is done at the right time. Texas Houses Combine Precast and Monolithic Construction Fig. 1 — House Built by Texas Concrete Con- struction Co., WTTH PreC.\ST UXITS JoiSEl) IN Pl.\ce by Mono- lithic Girders A new .-md interesting construction with channel- shaped, precast concrete units, joined to form what is essentially a monolith, was devised by Stuart B. Moore and has been employed in the construction of houses b_v the Texas Concrete Construction Co. and tlie Turner Construction Co. — the work of the latter being on a group of 77 houses for the Humble Oil Co., in Texas. The system here described was adopted first as an ex- periment on a few houses, and found so satisfactory that the first unit of 37 houses was completed; and then, the cost of the unit being so satisfactory, a second unit of 4:6 more houses was started. This work was completed with a comparatively small gang of skilled mechanics, and a crew of Mexican la- borers, who did most of the work, and in a very short time. Figs 'i and 3 sliow the reinforcement of the units as well as the manner of putting them together. The construction method recommended is to dig a shallow trench (this, for a southern climate, in all cases the footing should be below the frost line) and pour the grooved footing. In this footing the units are stood up, as shown, reinforcing bars placed in the jaw at the top of the unit, which is then poured as a reinforced concrete beam. The face of the units is finished with deep anchorages, so that the stucco can be applied. The entire wall is made to act as a monolith. These anchorages perform a two-fold function. First, they anchor the stucco coat to the units in such a manner tliat the diagonal and shearing stresses of a truss or beam are taken care of '.\llstrac^ (if Altirlc )iy .'^tuail I!. Mucin', Cinc in ii . .Iiiiic, liii'ii. and secondly, they insure a perfect bond of the stucco coat to the wall. The reader will no doubt inquire how speedily these units can be erected and what is the best method of doing so. Tlie writer recommends first, placing the foun- dation, and then erecting a ribbon about seven feet above the wall outline of the building. The units are then merely stood up against this ribbon and the top jaw poured and the wall is complete. Over the window openings, basket forms are dropped in between and hung on to the units and poured full. The forms can be used over and over again. Under the windows, short channels are used, and the window sill, which is generally poured in place, is used to lock them together. By F, E. SclULLING General Sui'I'Mintendent, Turner Construction Co. The details in Fig. 10 show the construction of collap- sible forms used in making concrete units. By using tliis method the channel blocks could be carried away from the platform on the d.iy following the concreting, as they were picked up by means of the panel which acted as a bottom for the form. After carrying to the storage pile the panel and core were removed for fur- ther use. Enough forms were built so that blocks for one complete house could be concreted at one time, so al- lowing one day for concreting and the following day for stripping and replacing of forms, this installation al- lowed us to complete enougii blocks for an entire house every two days. The forms were used over any number of times. 172 CONCRETE HOUSES 5£*V /to-A^,' 7&-. Tj jBoNoy'rucco ^f'Wa^^ !-/^LL -9.^^^ r^a^'^/fT/cf/v Corv/rj^i/CT/or-/, ^x&- 7^/./=)rs-~ •Chins. Af^TjfOO or fx/^^/NP cC VlJl/~7-E/e/N0 Figs. :? .VXD 3 — Dktails of Moore CoxsTnrcxiox Fig. 4 — Hu:mble Oil Co. Houses Nearing Completion' by Tur- ner Construction Co. Fk.. 5 — Finished Row OF Houses, with Stucco Finish *jr>f ^ ytcT -C-C- •f nay or A'a/on-g- _BLOc/e/ ^ix: J>^T/?IL OrJ^^/FPfNe ^lOCA iizy/mor/ <^ /^fu//y& Slocm/ r^H. ]E^E 3 /rcr/cr-P' 3C tfffBTSSP fr-nv 77/y Z^/^/L a^ Tb'Prr^ ' Jutct: he ' Gunite Walls and Studs for Houses There is special interest in the development of t3'pes of construction «hicli not only trend toward permanence and fire-proofness, but also employ a minimum of ma- terials — tlie least bulk and dead weight. The gunite construction here described and illustrated is interesting along that line. The Traylor-Dewe_v Contracting Co., Allentown, Pa., has been making studies and designs to embody the ad- vantages of the more common types of construction and at the same time give, at less cost, additional advan- tages. The result, so far, consists in construction with the cement gun of walls and studs so as to minimize the use nf skilled meclianics and the more costly mate- rials and yet produce walls that are relatively fireproof, permanent and pleasing in appearance. Cellar walls and foundations are of monolithic con- crete by ordinarj' methods, and upon this foundation is first placed, flat, a 2" x 6" runner in such a position that the floor beams when placed will extend beyond the outside edge of this strip about three inches (Figs. 1 and 2). ^A'all Forms The forms are made in units generall}' .'!' 8" wide of a height equal to tlie distance from top of foundation mM to bottom of support for second floor beams, in the case of first story, and equal to distance from second floor level to the under side of roof beams in the second story. The frame work of the form consists, except in the case of the top and bottom members, of 1" dressed lumber. Of the four uprights, the two intermediates are 1" X 5" and tlie two outside are 1" x f". The cross pieces in the case of intermediate are 1" x 4" and at the top and bottom 2" x i". From side to side of the framework are stretched and securelj' fastened by sta- ples. No. 10 wires, spaced approximately 15" apart be- tween cross timbers (Fig. 5). Over the framework and wires is placed and securely fastened a two-ply tar paper (Figs. 2, 3, f, and 5), the whole, constructed as above described, making up a unit of the forms against which the outside wall is shot or applied and to which the inner plastered walls are con- structed. Erection of Forms for Walls The forms were then erected in place, the 2x4 bot- tom cross pieces extending imder the ends of the floor beams and butting against the 2x6 that was laid on the foundation. The forms are so placed as to leave a 4" space be- tween each unit for the purpose of forming the studs (Figs. 2 and 3). Each unit is connected to its mate by a 1 X 6 board nailed to the 1x4 edge of each unit, thus providing the back form for the stud and at the same time making the inner face flush with the 1x5 uprights of each unit (see b. Fig. 5). 'CoxrEETF, J\ih-. ni20, Figs. 1, ;' Axn 3 — Setting Up 1<'or.iis tun Guxite Houses- Text Reiekexces See Before attaching tlie 1 x 6 strip on stud forms there is fastened to it angle clips punched with %" holes in outstanding leg and spaced, one near bottom and at in- tervals nf 3' upward, and so arranged that when the 1 X 6 strips are nailed in place the clip will extend into the center of the stud. Reinforcement of Studs The studs are reinforced in each case by two y^' bars spaced 3^/^" o. c , and passing through the %" holes in CONCRETE HOUSES the clips. Each stud is aiicliorcd to tlie foun- dation by a sliort -Yt" ain'hor bar previously cast in the concrete foundation and left to project into the stud about ()" (see d, Fig. -). CoRNKR Sti'ds In tlie case of the corners tlic inner sur- faces of the studs were formed by the sides of the adjoining form units (c. Fig. t). Tlie angle-clips were in this case attached to the side members of tlie form units, and a bar in one set of slips omitted, h-n-ing three l^" bars in each corner stud. Floor Beam Stitorts After setting up the hrst floor form units and connecting- tlieni, a 2 n: (i timber was placed edgeways on to)) of the '2 x t top members of the form units, with its inner face flush with the inner edge of the '2 x l-'s (see f\ Figs. 3 and f) ; this to serve in part as a support for the floor beams of second story and in part as a backing against which to shoot the gnnite. The framework for the interior partitions was then erected and the floor beams for the second story put in place so that their ends rest upon the 2x6 and extend 2" beyond its outer face (g, P'igs. S and t). The space be- tween the ends of the floor beams was then filled in with 1x8 boards ])laced with outer faces flush with the 2 x (i innnediatelv below Uh Fig. 3)- Fire Stop Between Floors The space between the cniter edge of the 2x6 and the face of tlie form units acts as a form for a reinforced gnnite beam, which in turn not only serves as a support for tlie floor beams, but, in connection with the gunite be- tween ends of floor beams, as an effective fire- stop between the first and ^econd stories. The gunite beam is reinforced on its ten- sion side by two ^^" steel bars (J, Fig. 7). The second story form units were con- structed and erected in the same manner as those of the first story, with practically the same arrangements for roof supports as those described for the floor supjiorts of seeinid story. In the case of tlie studs, the same re- inforcement was used, the upper bars being those below bv means of wiring (/.', Fig. 7). ]-'ii;s. I AND 5 ('l'i)i')- -F)c:s. 7 and 8 ( r?i)TTo:\r)- — Si:i: Text Ki:i i;iu: ncks Gunite Mousi; i[)liced to ^^^\LL Slm; Reinfohceiment 0\ er the forms when fully erected was placed 2" Xo. 1;5 steelcrete reinforcement (Figs. 6 to 9), and firmly attached to the forms by special mesh clamps (/, Figs. 6 and 7). which not only secured the reinforce- ment but holds it away from the tar paper surface about {'■2" ■ In all eases where the reinforcement crossed studs it was firmly wired to the outside reinforcing bar. c; Fxtehk ^v, Fig. li (iiinite composed of luie ))art portland cement and four jiarts well graded crushed slag passing a screen of ■'x" mesh was then ajiplied in the usual manner with tlie cement gun, working under an air pressure of from .'-it) lbs. to to lbs. per s(j. in., to a finished thickness of 2", using such special wooden shooting strips as were necessary to insure scjuare and true corners. The gunite was ajiplied in three coats, the first being about 1" thick or sufficient tQFiMC> Small and iiudiuni sized li(Hist> so (lesijTiied as to ho attvaotixo in roof is the logical typo for use in reinforced concrete construction and is bound to excite favorable attention from an architectural standpoint on account of its fitness and because it is the natural solution to the problem ot rooting the concrete and fireproof house. There is no question that the flat roofed house must difl'er in a()pearance from the typical frame or brick dwelling. But just as the pitch roof has been accepted as the most fitting and natural construction for the American dwelling built of wood, so the flat roof h'ls been used for at least 90% of all the houses of the old world, where more permanent and more fireproof con- struction has been the rule. After we become accus- tomed to flat roofs, they will be considered, here in America as they have been abroad, the most beautiful and best adapted type for use on our concrete houses. It is only necessary to show to the public a few examples of well designed liouses of this style in order to start the movement. Heretofore the concrete house has inclined to follow architectural lines whicli were fitting enough in wood or brick, but which are out of place and illogical in con- crete design and in concrete construction. We made our concrete to imitate stone blocks. We used forms and styles not natural or suited to reinforced concrete design. Properly made concrete, as a structural mate- rial is infinitely better than wood, brick, stone or tile. Then why should we try to imitate these? Why not use our concrete in the most straightforward, logical way, letting the beam, the slab and the lintel predominate? The horizontal lines, the long low effect, with project- ing eaves, are natural forms for reinforced concrete, and the flat roof fits in especially well in this type of design. Just as the vertical lines, the narrow and high windows were suited to and beautiful in the stone vault- ed Gothic architecture, just so the horizontal lines, wide openings, and projecting flat eaves are natural archi- tectural as well as structural forms in reinforced con- crete. Where well proportioned they can be made equally beautiful. Roof Drainage The simplest design of the reinforced concrete roof is, of course, the flat slab of uniform thickness, graded to the center of the house, where all of the roof water can be taken down. In a cold climate, where in winter the roof will be covered with snow, this inside down spout obviates any danger of the water freezing and backing up, which is a great difficulty encountered where the roof pitches to outside eaves. In tlie flat roof the wide jjrojecting eaves or cornice is molded together and at the same time as the roof slab so that the reinforce- ment is continuous and extends out over the walls to the eaves line. The ceiling in the rooms is furred down level. It is with Hat roofs cm be appearance. The fl.at A Suggestion' for Cox- CHETE HoiTSF. I-tOOF TrEAT- rviEN'T — A Parapet Wall .May Be Added \\itji C'iion 1*',FLECT 1 'CiiNCRFTK. .Jaiiiiary, then lathed and plastered to give an air space and to jirevent condensation. A slag roof covering may be laid directly on the concrete slab. In this way we can get both a permanent and at the same time an inexpensive roof covering. There is no waste space in the flat roof and the roof area is reduced to a minimum, so the econ- omy of this type of roof can hardly be questioned. Ornamextation \Miile in the flat-roofed houses straight lines will naturally predominate, these houses may be as rich in ornament as desired. Recessed panels may be left in the molded walls in which jn-ecast ornamental tile may be set, belt courses may be added. The overhanging cornice may be enriched. The window sills may be molded or flower boxes may be used as decoration. In fact, there is hardly any limit to the amount of decora- tion that can be applied in the way of low relief or inlays work. Flat surface or color inlays seem especially adapted to the decoration of the concrete house. Per- haps the most pleasing finish for the concrete walls is a dash coat of white portland cement. This gives a per- manent finish which weathers well and makes a fine background for evergreen shrubs and clinging vines. The public taste in house architecture in this coun- trv fortunately is improving and the ginger-bread house, cut up with its towers, its bays and its roof that fairly bristles with dormer windows, is almost a thing of the past. We are returning to simple, straightforward designs more on the lines of the old Colonial houses. This change of taste is fortunate for us, as concrete architecture lies along these lines. The English half- timber houses were beautiful and picturesque. It was good architecture, because it Avas honest construction. It was a natural development from the practice of first ])utting up a heavy Avood frame structure and filling in the walls with masonry. To try to imitate these half- timber in the reinforced concrete construction of houses is not good architecture, because it is not natural con- struction and use of the material in hand. If we can blot out the sham and the imitation from our designs o then we can de\elop a veal concrete architecture in house work. What Shall Be Done About the Surface? By Harvey Whipple Editor Concrete The simplest possible development of the available resources of the concrete industry in meeting present needs in the scarcity of dwelling houses is undoubtedly in the use of plain, rough-face concrete building units, block and structural tile, or of monolithic walls, co"\'ering' up the exterior surface with stucco, insuring, if the jol) is at all well done, not only a good weather-tiglit wall, but providing a choice of any one of a number of at- tractive surfaces. Stucco Surfaces With a good base coat of stucco, the final treatment of the surface may vary from a fairly smooth sand finish in gray, white or tints, depending upon whether white or gray cement or mineral colors are- employed in the mix, to a rough dry dash, in which pebbles or crushed stone maj' be used for a wide variety of colors and textures. In between these two, there are many choices for stucco finish. One may prefer the soft and not too exact surface planes of the plastered effects, which give such charm to the Connecticut home about which ;\Irs. Holland writes so enthusiastically (see page 211). There is the surface which is common to a good deal of the work in monolithic house construction, over which Milton Dana Morrill has had supervision — in method not unlike that on the Holland house, adapted to smooth monolithic walls in one coat work, in which the distinguishing characteristic is in the fact that the application is made by skilled artisans with but one stroke of the trowel to any one portion of the surface. The same effect in the final coat might be obtained in two-coat work that would be advisable on concrete block. This one-coat work has frequently been commented upon in connection with Morrill houses, not only because of the attractive character of the final result, but because of the fact that the method appears to have solved a difficulty in cleavage. It is common knowledge that ex- cessive troweling of a surface coating, whether of stucco on a wall or of top surface on a sidewalk or floor, tends to pull the surface coat away from the base and destroy a good bond which is set up where good ])ressure and the fewest possible operations are em- ployed in getting the surface in the condition in which it is to remain. The very freedom and frank plastered effect of such a surface is very attractive. An example of such a surface is sliown on page 20 not to the best advantage, because the contrasting whiteness of the wall and the deep green of the vine which trails over it caused the photographer to lose much of the detail in the wail surface itself. Such a surface is by no means impos- sible on a concrete block wall, although as already men- tioned it must undoubtedly be obtained in the second coat. There are various degrees of stucco roughness avail- aljle even an extreme rustic gobbiness which is possible 'From Concrete, January, 1920, p. 12. with the rough cast or spatter dash finishes and with more colorful qualities if the dry dash stucco in which colored pebbles or crushed stone are thrown into (some- times further j^ressed in) the final, freshly floated coat of stucco while it is still soft. Equally good color results and much more even tex- tures are undoubtedly obtainable by the methods used l)y ,John J. Earley, the Wasliington sculptor, discussed in detail in an American Concrete Institute paper pub- lished in this volume. Such a surface is obtained by using a selected aggregate for the final coat and washing out the surface cement and cleaning up with an acid solution. Block Surfaces The block manufacturer should not in the present emergencj', when he is desirous of furthering the freest possiljle use of his product, permit the fact that in stucco covering his product is out of sight, to blind him to the architectural possibilities of concrete block as a facing unit. A good block, well laid up, needs no covering, either for weatlier tiglitness or for finished attractive appear- ance. The stucco wall is essentially monolithic in effect if not in fact; its beauty dependent upon good propor- tions and good texture suited to broad effects. A wall built up of small units is another matter, and many people will always prefer such a wall when it is well built. In this the final effect is dependent not only upon the treatment of spaces with respect to the pro- portions of the units employed, but also upon the archi- tectural quality of each unit as it must blend in an as- sembly of units. This does not mean that any indi- vidual house, which must be economically built, is to be built of ugly units because the alternative is a faced unit in which the cost of facing materials and labor in placing and finishing them have made the price pro- hibitive from the standpoint of the modest purse. Look at some of the pictures among the special plates shown on pages 19-22. There is the attractive result obtained by R. H. Bushnell with plain face block in two textures, fine and coarse • intermingled, without the use of any expensive facing mixture, or any exces- sive labor in finishing. See the efl^ect of plain rough face block in the houses at Morgan Park, built several years ago for the Minne- sota Steel Co., whose walls time has helped to finish. Coarse Facing Mixtures Coarser facing mixtures, even when no special color aggregates are employed, give results far more attrac- tive than the fine sand mixes so commonly used. An individual block may look excessively rough and unfin- ished and still a wall of such units possess real char- acter. This is particularly true when in various lots of block there is some variation in the shade of gray. CONCRETE HOUSES 17. When tlie different lots .ire mixed up the result is to be preferred to a one-tone wall. It is footless to elaborate upon the desirability of employing more varieties of facing aggregates. Tliis magazine ma_v almost be said to have "harped on" the subject for years. ]\[ost localities have ledges or quar- ries or pits of materials which have only to be looked at with a new imaginative eye to be rceogui/.ed for their special v.aluc to tlie manufacturer of concrete ))roducts. One locality has a special gravel, or quantities of field stone^ or quarries ottering something of value. By all means make use of native materials and reduce the cost of beauty in your work. Install a small crusher; reduce the u,iti\e m.itcri.ils tn sizes tb.it ,ire suited t" the thing tli.it is to be done. Don't bt' s.itistitd with .an- other nuui's formula. ^^'ork out something new and local. But first of all, try to reduce the amount of paste, the .amount of mortar in tlie t.iciugs. L'se no more fine cement and stone dust than is absolutely neces- sary. There is a groundless notion that a facing mix must be as rich as one to three — some insist;' upon one to two. Wake it one to five b_v using coarser materials — as Large .as can be kejjt in place in the t.aui|ied prod- ucts, or as large as ineli and a half in pressed or wet cast work. Then use a two-dollar spra}' nozzle and applv water at the right time to remove the surface film. Assist the removal of this film with a brush. The installation of a suitable sump and a grating to minimize the muss, the training of one man to the job, learning just the right time to do the work with respect to the hardening process, the jn'opcr organization of tlie work to get it on a quantity speed basis — these preliminary invest- ments should give results in increased value and sala- bility of the product to vastly increase the profits. It is entirely a matter of organizing the work and systematizing it, so that handling products for these superior results is not a matter of the exceptional opera- tion in the factory, but one of first consideration. Get awa}' from the idea that a concrete block is for cellar walls. As for "rock face" and so on, try to forget. A M'all of rock face block is usuallv a nightmare. Some rock face block are worse than others ; all are bad when any number of them are seen together, no matter how good any one imitation may be all by itself. Get out of the habit of judging samples. Never forget tliat concrete block are not used singly, tliat they are not looked at through a reading glass. The only jdaee a concrete block does any good is when it is one of many similar units, well laid up in a wall. People look at walls, not at blocks; thev buy houses, not little pieces of building material 8 x 16 or 9 X 24.. Did you ever face a block with cinders or slag? Try it. Don't i)ass judgment on the job until you liave laid up a wall of the stuff. They built some small monolithic wall cottages in a certain place once; the forms sprung and they had to chip off the concrete to an even plane. It was cinder concrete — result, a beautiful wall — an .accident. A con- crete wall is not a piece of bric-a-brac. Get away from the slick looking stuff. But whatever you do, let it be e\ ident tb.at your con- crete units arc made of concrete. I,et it ap])e.ir on the surface that they are a composite. Monolithic W.\ll Surfaces The logical treatment of surfaces in monolithic walls depends upon the governing conditions of construction. If form units come down to leave the surface acces- sible in from one to three days, depending upon harden- ing conditions, bristle or wire brushes will do wonders, esjseeially if tlie walls are washed with plenty of water ,at tlie same time. Sueli a treatment must be carried forward systematically as forms are removed, because if one part is left too long, it can never be made to match the work tliat has been bruslied out at some earlier stage of hardening. Imperfections may be pointed up with some care to niatcli the general surface texture, and the whole work gone over with a cement wash, or with whitewash, as described so attractively bj' Mr. Andrews in connec- tion with his "thous.iud year liouse. ' in tliis volume, or Mith a wash in color tone with mineral colors, or with cement paints and stains made especially for the purpose. The best treatment of a surface is the one that is most logical, the one that is indicated by the character of the work. The truljf architectural result is always obtained when a structure stands plainly for what it is, expressing how it came to be, revealing what it is made of. A monolithic M-all may consistently be picked or bush- h.ammered, or if the forms have left the surface reason- ably true, the surface maj' be made entirel_y attractive with slight rubbing. A little care in the form work avoids many cares in finishing the resulting surface. Even with the double wall machines, careless handling, uneven tamping, fre- quently result in such pits and ridges at each tier that lie.avy ai)))lication of stucco is necessary to bring walls to approximately true planes. Careful workmanship such as a man may be expected to apply wdien he once has the habit from proper training, cuts down the cost of the stucco work very materially. W'itli unit steel forms, as mentioned elsewliere in con- nection with wiH'k of ^lilton Dana Morrill, the job may ne bandied so that stucco in a verj'' thin coat onh' meets e^ery requirement for a satisfactory result. The most noticeable achievement in this direction tliat has come to the writer's attention is in the work done with tlie Ingcrsoll forms at Phillippsburg, N. J., b_v Paul Smith, for the Phillippsburg Development Cor- poration, where the surfaces are so true that satisfactorj^ results are obtained with one thin coat. A patent stucco in tints is spattered on with brushes at a total cost of only about $75 for labor and material on the six-room houses wliicli .are iUu.str.ited on other pages. A few builders have been brave enough to let the walls stand with the form marks in evidence. Frank I.loyd Wright did this on some very pretentious and otherwise costly work. But it is too inucb to expect that unless tlie form work is most carefully done the results thus obt.iined will be pojnil.ar for residences that st.and t'lose up to tlie tiioroughf.ire on well-groomed city streets. The rusticity of such ett'ects demands a com- |)ens.atiiig rustii'ity in tlie setting. Still further |)ossibilities for the enrichment of con- crete surf.aees .are in the use of inserts of burned tile (U- mos.iie m.irble, this wtn-k being discussed with illus- tr.ated e\.ain])les in other .articles which follow. 180 CONCRETE HOUSES Burned Clay Inserts in Concrete Surfaces' The residence of Schuyler Schieff'ehn, Monroe, N. Y., claims features of particular interest, because of the way in which the architect, Bowen Bancroft Smith, has solved the problem of decoration of interior wall sur- faces. The walls in the principal living rooms have been finished in cement stucco having a uniform but not too smoothly floated surface, and enriched by certain detail of ornament such as grotesque heads, corbels, caps, etc., executed in cast concrete. Hangings of an- tique tapestries and embroideries, colored marble bases and fireplace details and rich tile floors, give warmth and color, but the principal motif in the decoration of these cement surfaces is a very original treatment by inserts of special tile. Illustrations from the photographs fail to convey an adequate idea of the colors and tone values which produce such finished beauty in these walls. It was intended to recall by these tile the foliage of the surrounding hills, and Mr. Smith selected oak and maple leaves as suitable for the purpose and designed borders for the several rooms consisting of groups of leaves connected by conventional stems or borders. Oak leaves were used for the main entrance vestibule and maple leaves for the main stair hall above, while simple straight line borders decorated the walls of the stairway intervening and connected the more elaborate motifs. The tile themselves are real works of art, and the final results were only achieved after tedious and costly experiments to which Herman Mueller, of the Mueller Mosaic Co., Trenton, N. J., devoted much of his personal time. The. colors of the leafage are very beautiful, the oak leaves particularly having in the tile replica not only the color but the surface value of the natural leaf. Workmen, though skilled in ordinary tile setting, were not trusted to set the tile into the walls without a most detailed design to guard against any failure in carrying out the architect's intention. Complete full size details were made showing each individual piece of tile, leaf or stem, and the tile were glued, face downward, to these details, which were first cut into sections having approxi- mately 4' or 5' of surface area and each indexed and marked for location. In preparation for setting, beveled wood grounds were applied bounding on every side the position for all bor- ders, etc., and these were marked and indexed to cor- respond with the notations on the drawings. This done, the walls were scratch-coated with cement mortar and afterwards brown coated in the usual manner, but before the brown coat was set the tile were applied sheet by sheet, as in mosaic work, care being used to register the notations on the drawings with those on the grounds corresponding. The tile were then firmly pressed into the cement flush with the face of the grounds, and when nearly set the paper was moistened and removed and where needed the individual tile were readjusted by hand. The next step was to remove the temporary wood grounds and fill in the chases, after which the finish coat of ce- ment was applied over all wall surfaces but immediately iproni an article 'in Concrete, January, 1917. Detail or Tile vND Plaster Trim The decora- tions are spe- cially designed and made tile ill natural col- ors. The tile are set flush with the cement plaster. wiped oif the tile surfaces, leaving them bedded flush with the finished cement walls. The scratch and brown coats were mixed with Medusa waterproofing compound as preventive against stains from possible dampness, and surfaces were stippled with a gray preservative coating to give a uniform surface tone. The interest that attaches to this work of Mr. Smith cannot be regarded as lying wholly in the success of the precise design or treatment which he has given to these particular interior walls, but for those who are studying the development of concrete and its surface treatments, the chief value must lie in Mr. Smith's exhibition of origi- nality in going into new fields to bring new beauties to concrete surfaces and because he has adapted them to new uses in residence work. The demand for concrete houses increases, and will increase more rapidly as owners come to realize that they are cool in summer, warm in winter, fireproof and permanent in construction, and architects are beginning to direct their thoughts to devise honest treatment for concrete surfaces, which will express the material, em- phasize its qualities and its wide range of possibilities in surface treatment. The field has only been scratched, and no doubt new methods and new ideas will result from the growing interest in this material. ('()\( RKTE HOUSES IS I COJIPAIIISON l)F PijMn and Mo- saic Kill, i: I) Wam, I'm S-- TAI NS Mosaic Enrichment of Concrete Surfaces' By Charles T. Scott School of IxDrSTHiAi. Art, Philadelphia The verj' simple method of introducing color and de- sign in large or small areas of widel_y varying character by means of mosaic is of great antiquity. The materials used are small squares of marble or glass of different colors, even including gold, and rich cement mortar. The mosaic is formed by squares of marble from 1/4" X 14" to 1" X 1", ?nd about %" to 1/2" thick; these 'Concrete, January, 1917. have been sawed and have a level surface on each flat side. Tliey are more or less readily split by a very short cold chisel, the stone resting on an iron block or .anvil . The stones or tesserae, as they are called, can be Laid with the rough or split surfaces out, as in the triangular pattern of one of the urns illustrated, or with flat surfaces exposed as in the other illustrated object. In many cases the depressions necessary to contain the tesserae can be cared for in the mold or form, in others the spaces can be lowered by chiseling out the concrete before it has become too hard. The stones may be soaked in linseed oil for several hours to make their color brighter and then set in soft mortar, or they can be used as they are after wetting them. Sometimes for flat panels in walls or floors, the stones are glued on paper, face down, with gum arable. The soft mortar bed is then laid and the design reversed and laid in the wet surface. It is then pressed down and leveled with a heavy block and the paper soaked off. Garden Ornahiexts of Concrete, avith A Touch of Color 18', CONCIiETK HOUSES Flashing Details in Stucco Practice •SS: -; --v^ '■% MeTallafh ■loshing Standard Recommended Practice for Portland Cement Stucco The importance of good practice in .stucco work at this time, wlien much of it will be done, particularly in liouse construction, sceuis to warrant the publication here in full of the recent report of the Committee on Treatment of Concrete Surfaces of the American Con- crete Institute — consisting of Standard Recommended Practice for Portland Cement Stucco. The Proceedings of the American Concrete Institute for several years past testify to the work done by the committee, par- ticularh' that under J. C. Pearson, chairman of the committee, at the United States Bureau of Standards. The Recommended Practice here ofl"ered, while prob- ably by no means the last word on the subject, is well considered — so well that it was received by the Insti- tute at its recent convention in Chicago and jiassed to letter ballot of the menibersliip. [Adopted as Standard Practice April 17. ]i)'20.- Kditor.] General Require.iients 1. Desujn. — Whenever the design of the structure permits, an overhanging roof or similar projection is recommended to afford protection to the stucco. Stuccoed copings, cornices and other exposed horizontal surfaces should he avoided when- ever possible. All exposed stuccoed surfaces should slied water quickly, and whenever departure from the vertical is neces- sarj", as at water tables, belt courses, and the liloscd of one part cement, not more than one-fifth part hydrated lime and three parts sand, by volume. The blocks should not vary more than '/o inch in total thickness and should be set with exterior faces in line. Joints should not be raked, but mortar should be cut back to surface. Neither wire mesh nor waterproofing of any type should be applied to tile walls before plastering. The surface of the tile should be brushed free from all dirt, dust and loose par- ticles, and should be wetted to such a degree that water will not be rapidly absorbed from the plaster, but not to such a degree that water will remain standing on the surface when the plaster is applied. 5. Brick. — Surface brick should be rough, hard burned, commonly known as arch brick. Brick should be set in cement mortar with joints not less than % in. thick, and the mortar should be raked out for at least Yz in. from the face. The surface of the brick should be lirushed free from all dust, dirt and loose particles, and should he wetted to such a degree that water will not he rapidly absorbed from the plaster, but not to such a degree that water will remain standing on the surface when the plaster is applied. Old brick ;\ alls which are to be overcoated should have all loose, frialile, or soft mortar removed from joints, and all dirt and foreign matter should be removed by hacking, wire brushing, or other effective means. Surfaces that have been painted or waterproofed should be lathed with metal lath Ijcforc overcoating. (J. Concrete. — Monolithic concrete walls should preferably be rough and of coarse texture, rather than smooth and dense, for the application of stucco. Walls of this type should be cleaned and roughened, if necessary, by backing, wire brush- ing, or other effective means. The surface of the concrete should 1)0 brushed free from all dust, dirt, and loose particles, and should be wetted to such a degree that water will not be rapidly absorbed from the plaster, but not to such a degree h^i'i CONCRETE JIOl'SES that Water will leuiain t-tanding on llic surface \vlien the plaster is applied. 7. Concrete Block. — Concrete block for stucco walls should be rough and of course texture, but not weak or friable. Block should be set with cement mortar joints, which should be raked out or cut back even with .surface. Before applyinj^ the stucco the surface should be brushed free from all dust, dirt, and loose particles, and should be wetted to such a de- gree that water will not be rapidly alisorbed from tlie ]>hister, l)ut not to sucli a degree that water \v\\l rcuiain slaiuling on the surface when the plaster is .ipplicd. jyotes on Masonry ]\'al!s. — Buildings of hollow terra cotta tile, brick, concrete, concrete hlocl-:, and similar ma;terials, are particularly well adapted for the appli- cation of stucco because of their rigidity. This, how- ever, depends upon good, solid footings or foundation, a requirement which should be met in all types of stucco structures. Masonry walls should also provide a good surface for the bond or adhesion of the stucco, and wherever possible this bond should be insured by some form of mechanical key. For this reason raking out the joints in a brick wall is recommended as an added precaution, and similarly, walls of concrete or concrete block should not he too smooth, but preferably rough, and of coarse texture. It is most important that masonry walls be clean before the stucco is applied, as otherwise the bond of the stucco cannot be relied upon to stand the strain set up by moisture and temperature changes. Many a fail- ure of stucco on masonry foundations has been attrib- uted to frost action, when the primary cause of the failure has been lack of care in thoroughly cleaning the walls from dirt. Without secure and positive anchor- age under such conditions, the stucco cannot endure. Special attention should be called to the importance of properly wetting the surface of masonry walls just before applying the stucco. Too dry a surface will ab- sorb the water from the fresh plaster coat before the latter has had time to harden properly. On the other hand a surface completely saturated has lost all its absorptive power, or "suction," a slight degree of which is necessary for best results. A moderate amount of suction tends to draw the fine cement particles into the pores and interstices of the surface; upon this action the bond of the stucco depends. If this bond is to be as strong as possible, the surface should be neither dry nor completely saturated. Wood lintels over openings in masonry walls should not be used. When old masonry walls are ovcrcoated special atten- tion should be given to the necessity of obtaining thor- ough cleanliness, a good mechanical bond, and proper suction. When any of these conditions are in doubt, the walls should be furred and lathed. Fbame Walls 8. Framing. — Studs .spaced not to exceed 16" centers should be run from foundation to rafters without any intervening horizontal members. The studs should be tied together just below the floor joists with 1" x 6" boards, which should be let into the studs on their inner side, so as to be flush and securely nailed to them. These boards will also act as sills for the floor joists, which, in addition, sliould lie securely spiked to the side of the studs. 9. Bracing. — The corners of each wall should be braced diagonally with 1" x 6" boards let into the studs on their inner side, and securely nailed to them. In back-plastered construction in which sheathing is omit- ted, at least once midway in each story height, the studs should be braced horizontally with 2" x 3" bridging set 1" back of the face of the studs. This assumes that the studs are 2" X 4". Larger sizes would require correspondingly larger bridging. In sheathed construction no bridging is necessary. Notes on Frame Walls. — Good bracing of the frame is important to secure the necessary rigidity. Bridging between the studs at least once in each .story height is recommended whether the frame is to be sheathed or not. In the former case the bridging should be of the same size as the studs (usually 3" x 4"). In the back- plastered type of construction where sheathing is not used, bridging is required for stiffening the frame, and should be 1" less than the studs in depth. It should be placed horizontally, and 1" back of the face of the studs, in order that "the back-plaster coat may be car- ried past the bridging without break at this point. Diag- onal bracintr at the corners of each wall is recommended, (■sprcially when sheatfiing is omitted. Such bracing may he of 1" X G" boards, 6' or 8' long, let into the studs on their inner side in order not to interfere with the back plastering or the interior plastering. The length of the corner bracing will, of course, depend to some extent on the location of window or other openings. The committee feels that fire protection is an import- ant feature of this type of structure, and that some form of fire stop is necessary to develop its full flre resistance value. Probably the liest method is to form a basket of metal lath to occupy the spaces between the studs at the juncture of the floor joists and wall. This should he filled with cement mortar or concrete from the ceiling level to 4" above the floor level. A preliminarv report from the Underwriters Labora- tories on back-plastered metal lath and stucco construc- tion with Portland cement indicates that "this finish can be expected to furnish a substantial barrier to the pas- sage of flame into the hollow spaces back of it and to provide suflicient heat insulation to prevent the ignition of the wooden supports to which it is attached for about one hour when exposed to fire of the degree of severity to which stucco buildings are likely to be subjected under average exterior fire exposures." The committee wishes to recognize the development of metal lumber for frame construction, and believes its merits are such that its use will undoubtedly largely increase. Detailed reference to this form of construc- tion will be made in" subsequent additions to this recom- mended practice. 10. Sheathing. — In back-jjlastered construction the lath should be fastened direct to the studding and back-plastered, and no sheathing is used. In sheathed construction the sheathing boards should not be less than 6" nor more than 8" wide, dressed on one or both sides to a uniform thickness of 13/16". They should be laid horizontally across the wall studs and fastened with not less than two 8d nails at each stud. Notes on Sheathing. — When sheathing is used, it should be laid horizontally and not diagonally across the studs. The stucco test panels erected at the Bureau of Stand- ards in 1915 and 1916 have demonstrated conclusively that diagonal sheathing tends to crack the overlying stucco by setting up strains in the supporting frame. This result is undoubtedly due to the shrinkage of the sheathing, and whatever benefit might be anticipated from the more effective bracing provided by diagonal sheathing appears to be more than offset by the shrink- age efl'ect. Diagonal sheathing is also less economical than horizontal sheathing, both in material and labor. 11. Inside Waterproofing. — In back plastered construction no waterproofing is necessary. Notes on Waterproofing. — Waterproofing of the faces of the studs in back-plastered construction seems to be ineffective and unnecessary, and its elimination is rec- ommended. In sheathed construction, over the sheathing boards should be laid in horizontal layers, beginning at the bottom, a sub- stantial paper, well impregnated with tar or asphalt. The bottom strip should lap over the baseboard at the bottom of the wall, and each strip should lap the one below at least 2". The paper should lap the flashings at all openings. 13. Furring. — Metal Lath. When furring forms an inte- gral part of the metal lath to be used, then separate furring as described in this paragraph is omitted. In back-plastered construction galvanized or painted %" crimped furring, not lighter than 22-gauge, or other shape giving equal results, should be fastened direct to the studding, using 11/4" X 14-gauge staples spaced 12" apart. In sheathed construction galvanized or painted 3," crimped furring not lighter than 22-gauge or other shape giving equal results, should be fastened over the sheathing paper and directly along the line of the studs, using 11.4" x 14-gauge staples spaced 12" apart. The same depth of furring should be adhered to around curved surfaces, and furring should lie placed not less than IV2" nor more than 4" on each side of and above and below all openings. Wood Lath. Furring 1" x 2" should be laid vertically 12" on centers over the sheathing paper and nailed every 8" with 6d nails. Notes on Furring. — The proper type and depth of furring is a question on which information is desired. If metal lath is applied over sheathing and the com- monly recommended practice of filling with mortar the space between lath and sheathing is to be followed, there seems to be no good reason for using furring deeper than "'^". On the other hand, 1" x 3" wood furring is \videly u^cd for both metal and wood lath, and there CONCRETE HOUSES ISd arc good arguments botli for and against tliis type of furring. The question of the proper length and gauge of staples for metal lath is involved with that of fur- ring. The entire subject needs investigation, 13. Lath. — Metal latli should be galvanized or painted ex- panded lath weighing not less tlian 3.-1 lbs. per .sip yd. Wire lath should be galvanized or painted woven wire lath, not lighter than 19-gauge, -J'/i' meshes to the ineli, with stif- I'eners at 8" centers. Notes on Dielal Lath. — Metal lath should be specified by weight rather tlian bj' gauge, and should be always galvanized or painted. Galvanized lath is a good in- vestment in most cases, and is to be recommended in preferance to painted lath, unless tlie method of apply- ing the stucco is such as to insure complete emliodiment of the metal, as, for example, in the back-plastered type of construction. Wood lath should ibe standard quality, narrow plastering lath i' long and not less tlian %" thick. Notes on ^Voo(l Lath. — The use of wood latli as a base for cement stucco finds many advocates and many opponents, but the Committee does not feel that it can recommend wood lath for cement stucco, and more field and test data should be available before the evidence for and against wood lath can be carefully weighed. Further information is desired in regard to the type of wood lath licst suited for cement stucco. In some of the most satisfactory work reported by the Commit- tee, the lath were of white pine, 1" wide and y^" thick. Both materials and size were here unusual, but the Committee is of the opinion that this type of narrow lath is worthy of consideration. For want of information as to the practicaliility of specifying any particidar kind of wood and unusual dimensions, no change is suggested at the present time. It may be stated, however, tluit nearly all of the tc^t panels of wood latli erected at the Bureau of Standards developed large cracks, in sucli manner as to suggest that ii.arrower lath (those used were l"s." wide) with wider key, and heavier nailing would have gi\ en better resuUs. Tlie tests also indicate that counter lathing in which the lath are applied lattice fashion produces no more satisfactory results than plain lathing. In view of the much greater cost of counter lathing the committee recommends that reference to this type of application be omitted from specifications. If. Application of Lath. — Metal Lath. Lath should be jilaced horizontally, driving gah'anized staples Ifi" x 14-gaugc not more than 8" apart over the furring or stiffencrs. Vertical laps should occur at supports and should be fastened with sta- ples not more than 4" apart. Horizontal joints should be locked or butted and tightly laced with I8-gauge galvanized wire. Wood Lath. Lath should be placed horizontallv on the fur- ring with y," openings 'between them. Joints should be broken every twelfth lath. Each lath should be nailed at each fur- ring with 4d nails. 15. Corners. — Metal Lath. The sheets of metal lath should he folded around the corners a distance of at least :■!" and stapled down, as applied. The use of corner bead is not rec- ommended. Wood Lath. At all corners a 6" strip of galvanized or painted metal lath should be firmly stapled over tlie lath with IVt" X I4-gauge galvanized staples. 16. Sprayintj. — Before applying the first coat of plaster, wood lath should be thoroughly wetted, but water should not remain standing on the surface of the lath when the plaster is applied. Appiication of Lath. — The results of tests and field observations indicate that more attention should be given to the application of lath to exterior surfaces. Cracks frequently develop in stucco over laps or at junctions of metal and wire lath, indicating a weakness at these points. This may be due in part to reduced thickness of the stucco where the lath is lapped, or to insufficient tying and fastening at the joints. The ideal job of lathing would obviously be that in which the lath forms a uniform fabric over the structure, without scams or lines of weakness, and with equal reinforcing value in all directions. This ideal condition cannot be realized, but evidence is at hand to indicate that butted and laced, or well-tied horizontal joints are better than lapped joints, and in the case of ribbed lath, that carefully locked joints are better than lapped joints, ^'ertical joints must almost of necessity be lapped, but the joints may be made secure if thej^ occur over supports and are well stapled at frequent intervals. 17. Insulation. — The air space in back-plastered walls may be divided by applying building papi-r, quilting, felt, or other suitable insulating material between the studs, and fastening it to the studs and bridging by nailing wood strips over folded edges of the material. This insulation should be so fastened as to leave about 1" air space between it and the stucco. Care should be taken to keep the insulating material clear of the stucco, and to make tight joints against the wood fram- ing at the top and bottom of the space and against the bridging. Notes on Insnlaiion. — ^At the present time, the warmth of the back-plastered stucco house in comparison with that of the sheathed house is questioned by some, but the available evidence seems to indicate that where insu- lation has been provided as specified, generally satisfac- tory results have been obtained. Ordinary building paper applied in a double layer is recommended as a satisfactory insulating medium. In this connection reference may be made to a series of tests conducted in 1919 at the Armour Institute of Technology, Chicago, to determine the relative heat conductivity of various types of walls. These tests indi- cated that by the use of building paper or quilting, the loss of heat through a stucco wall of the back-plastered type was less, under standardized conditions, than the loss through the ordinary wood frame wall, covered with sheathing and drop siding. A complete report of these tests may he obtained on application to the Commission- er, Asociated Metal Lath Manufacturers, Chicago, 111. 18. Overcoating. — Old frame walls which are to be over- coated should be made structurally sound in every respect, and, as far as possible, the general conditions on pages 1 and 2 should be observed: otherwise the recommended practice for frame structures obtains. 19. Cement. — The cement should meet the requirements of the standard specifications for portland cement of the Ameri- can Society for Testing Materials, and adopted by this Insti- tute. (Standard No. 1.) JO. I^ine Arifjrerjate. — Fine aggreg.ite sliould consist of sand, iir screenings from crushed stone or crushed jjebbles, graded I rom fine to coarse, passing when dry a No. 8 screen. Fine aggregate should preferably be of silicious materials, clean, coarse, and free from loam, vegetable, or other deleterious matter. Notes on J)laterials. — The paragraphs relating to ma- terials are sufficiently specific as to the quality of the stucco ingredients. However, reference may be made to the recently developed colorimctric test for detecting the presence of organic matter in sands, a description of which is to be found in the report of Committee C-9, American Society for Testing Materials, 1919. 'i\. Ilydrated Lime. — Hydrated lime should meet the re- quirements of the standard specifications for hydrated lime of the American Society for Testing Materials. Notes on Hydrated Liine. — Hydrated lime should be specified to the exclusion of lump lime, chiefly^ for the reason that lime which is slaked on the job cannot as a rule be so thoroughly hydrated and so thoroughly mixed in the mortar as the mechanically hydrated product. -J. Hair or Fiber. — There should lie used only fir.st quality long hair, free from foreign matter, or a long fiber well combed out. 23. Coloring] Mailer. — Only mineral colors should be used which are not affected by lime, portland cement, or other ingredients of the mortar, or the weather. 24. Water. — Water should be clean, free from oil, acid, strong alkali or vegetable matter. PrEPARATIOX of Jl'ORTAR '25. ili.rinij. — The ingredients of the mortar should be mixed until thoroughly distributed, and the mass is uniform in color and homogeneous. The quantity of water necessary for the desired consistency should be determined by trial, and thereafter measured in proper proportion. ^lachine Mixing. The mortar should preferably be mixed in a suitable mortar mixing machine of the rotating drum type. The period of machine mixing should be not less than 5 minutes after all the ingredients are introduced into the mixer. Hand Mixing. The mixing should be done in a water-tight mortar box, and the ingredients should be mixed dry until the mass is uniform in color and homogeneous. The proper amount of water should then be added and the mixing con- tinued until the consistency is uniform. 26. Measuring Proportions. — i\Iethods of measurement of the proportions of water should be used which will secure separate uniform measurements at all times. AH proportions stated should be by volume. A b.ig of cement (04 lbs. net) may be assumed to contain 1 cu. ft.; 40 lbs. mav be assumed ,as the weight of 1 cu. ft. of Indratcd lime. H\-drated lime 186 CONCRETE HOUSES should be measured dry, and should not be measured nor added to the mortar in the form of putt)'. 27'. Retempering. — Mortar whieh has begun to stiffen or take on its initial set should not he used. 28. Consistency. — Only suflSeient water should lie used to produce a good workable eonsisteney. llie less water, the better the quality of the mortar, witliin working limits. Notes on Mixing. — The importance of proper and thorougli mixing of the ingredients of the mortar cannot be too strongly emphasized. Machine mixing is in all cases to be recommended in preference to hand mixing. The use of hair or fiber is considered optional, and wlieii used the method of incorporation should be sucli as to insure good dfstribution and freedom from clots. The maintenance of proper and uniform consistency should be insured by measurement of the water as well as of the other ingredients of the mortar. The question of retempering mortar is one wdiich will bear further in- vestigation. At the present time suiEcient information is not available to warrant a change in the paragraph on retempiering. MoHTAR Coats 29. Mortar. — All coats should contain not less than ?, cu. ft. of fine aggregate to 1 sack of portland cement. If hydrated lime is used, it should not be in excess of one-fifth the volume of cement. Hair or fiber should be used in the scratch coat only on wood lath, or metal or wire lath which is applied over sheathing and is separated therefrom by furring deeper than "^s • 30. Application. — The plastering should be carried on con- tinuallj' in one general direction without allowing the plaster to dry at the edge. If it is impossible to work the full width of the wall at one time, the joining should be at some natural division of the surface, such as a window or door. The first coat should thoroughly cover the base on which it is applied and be well troweled to insure the best obtainable bond. Before the coat has set it should be heavily cross- scratched with a saw-toothed metal paddle or other suitable device to provide a strong mechanical key. The second coat should be applied whenever possilile on the day following the application of the scratch coat. The first coat should be dampened if necessarjr, but not saturated, be- fore the second coat is applied. The second coat should be brought to a true and even surface by screeding at intervals not exceeding 5', and by constant use of straightening rod. When the second coat has stiffened sufficiently, it should be dry floated with a wood floa't and lightly and evenly cross- scratched to form a good mechanical bond for the finish coat. The day following the application of the second coat, and for not less than three days thereafter, the coat should be sprayed or wetted at frequent intervals and kept from drying out. In back-plastered construction the backing coat should preferably be applied directly following the completion of the brown coat. The keys of the scratch coat should first be thoroughly dampened, and the backing coat then well trow- eled on to insure filling the spaces between the keys and thoroughly covering the "back of the lath. The backing coat should provide a total thickness of plaster back of the latli of %" or %", and should finish about Vi" back of the face of the studs. The finish coat should be applied not less than a week after the application of the second coat. Methods of application will hereinafter be described under "finish." 31. Two-Coat Work. — Whenever two-coat work is required, the first coat should preferably be "doubled"; that is, as soon as the first coat is stiff enough it should he followed by a second application of mortar, and this should then be treated as described for the second coat under paragraph 30. The finish should be applied not less than a week after the appli- cation of the first coat. 32. Dryinq Out. — The finish coat sliould not be permitted to dry out rapidly, and adequate precaution should be t "s" i" thickness, depending upon tlie type employerevent streakiness and muddy ajipearnnce. Tli:- fact that finishes of this type applied in this manner may set and dry out with little strength is not serious; they gradually attain sufficient hardness with exposure to the weather. Curing of the undercoats by sprinkling, and protec- tion of finish coats against the sun, wind, rain and frost by means of tarpaidins are always to be recommended. This is not always feasilile, however, and the arcliitect should be content to s))eeify and insist upon reasonable precautions. The application of cement stucco in freez- ing weather .should be avoided, and in fact temperatures slightly above the freezing point may allow frost to form on a damp wall. Tlie application of stucco under such conditions is likely to result in failure. Finishes 3t. SlippIriJ. — The finishing coat should be troweled smooth with a metal trowel with as little rubbing as possilile, and then should be lightly patted ^^■ith a brush or broom straw to give an even, stippled surface. 35. Sand Floated. — The finishing coat, after being brought to a smooth, even surface, should he rubbed with a circular motion of a wood float with the addition of a little sand to slightly roughen the surface. This floating should be done when the mortar has partly hardened. 'M'k Sand Sprai/ed. — After the finishhig coat has been brought to an even surface, it should be sprayed hv means of a wide, long fiber brush — a whisk broom does very well — dipped into a creamy mixture of one part of cement to two or three parts sand, mixed fresh at least every 30 minutes, and kept well stirred. This coating should be thrown forcibly against the surface to be finished. This treatment should be applied while the finishing coat is still moist and before it has attained its early hardening — that is, within 3 to ,3 hours. To obtain lighter shades add hydrated lime not to exceed 10% of the weight of the cement. 37. Rough-Cant or Spatter Dash. — After the finishing coat has been brought to a smooth, even surface with a wooden float, and before finally hardened, it should be uniformly coated with a mixture of cement to 3 en. ft. of fine aggre- gate thrown forcibly against it to produce a rough surface of uniform texture when viewed from a distance of 20'. Special care should be taken to prevent the rapid drying out of this finish by thorough wetting down at iiiler\;ils after stucco has li.ai-dcru-d sutlicienlly to pre\ciit injury. 3S. Aiipliid .1 (ifircqalc. — -\fter the finishing coal has been brought to ,-i soiniilh. (■\cii surface, and before it has begun lo harden, cle.in round pebbles, or other material as selected, not smaller Ihan Vl" oi' larger than -'/'i", and previously wetted, should be thrown f(H-cibly against the wall so as to embed themselves in the fresh mortar. They should be dis- tributed uniformly over the mortar with a clean wood trowel, hut no rubbing of the suri'ace should be done after the peb- bles are cmhcdded. 3!l. K.i-poscd .1 (fiirei/alc. The finishing coat should be com- jiosed of an approved, selected coarse sand, crushed marble or granite, or other special material, in the proportion given for finishing coats, and within 24 hours after being applied and troweled to an even surface should be scrubbed with a stiff brush and water. In case the stucco is too hard, a solu- tion of one part hj'drochloric acid in four parts of water by volume can be used in ])lace of water. After the aggregate )iarticles have been uniformly exposed by scrubbing, particu- lar care should be taken lo remove all traces of the acid by thorough s]iraying with water from a hose. to. Mortar ('olor.i. — When it is re<)uired that any of the above finishes should be made with colored mortar, not more than 10% of the weight of Portland cement should be added lo the mortar in the form of finely ground luineral coloring matter. .V jiredctermined weight of color should be added dry to ea<'h liatch of dry fine aggregate before the cement is added. The color and fine aggregate should he mixed together and then the cement mixed in. The whole shoidd be then thor- oughly mixed dry by shoveling from one pile to another through a ^i" mesh wire screen until the entire hatch is of uniform color. AVatcr should then be added to bring the mortar to a proper plastering consistency. Nolcii on Finishes. — It is practically impossible to s]ieeify in written paragra.phs the methods by which successful finishes are olitained. The quality of these de]iends u])on the knowledge and skill of the plasterer, and the specification writer must content himself with a brief descri]ition of the several types. In the finish- ing of stuccoes, however, there are certain causes and effects which should be more generally recognized, a brief discussion of which will help to explain the lim- itations of the C(numonly used finishes and indicate the methods to be pursued in the attempt to develop better linishes. In an earlier ]5aragra])li the defects resulting from the expansion and contraction of rich mortars has been referred to. The chance of such defects occurring must he greatest in the finish coat, which is directly exposed to the extremes of moisture and temperature varia- tions. The hope of overcoming these defects lies mainly in the use of leaner mixtures, in wliieh the tendency to movement is cut down as the proportion of eemeiit is reduced. The problem, therefore, is to use less cement and at the same time retain the necessary density by improved gradation of the aggregates. Considerable success has already attended experiments along this line, and even better results are anticipated in the future. .\11 that may be accomplished in this direction, how- ever, will hardly permit a smooth troweled finish to be used. This treatment produces a concentration of fine material at the surface which iiill almost inevitably develop fine cracks. In the course of time these crack's will collect soot and dirt and become conspicuous and unsightly. At best the smooth troweled finish is not to be recommended, and s]iecifications should eliminate all reference to it. The dash finishes- -such as the sand sjiray, «hich is obtained by applying a mixture of sand, cement and water with a whisk broom or long fiber brush, or the s)iatter dash, which is usually a thin mortar containing coarse sand or stone screenings thrown from a paddle, or the rough-east, which is a mixture of pebbles and cement grout thrown from a paddle or the back of a trowel— are all relatively rich in cement and all develop fine cracks to a ^■ery marked degree, but the rouali tex- ture of the surfaces masks these defects, and the type is therefore generally satisfactor}- and Ncry widely used, nie use of these finishes is in general lo be recommended, unless the work is done by a stucco specialist, whose skill and experience ([ualifies him to execute the more difficult finishes to he discussed in the following para- gra]ihs. The chief olijection lo the dish nuishes as .above described is their rathei- culd, inibniken cenicnt color, M-hich may be relieved ,ind improved to a considerable 188 CONCRETE HOUSES extent by the judicious use of mineral pigments. An- other means of varying the monotony of the natural grays and whites of the cement is by the use of the dry dash finishes in which clean pebbles or stone chips are thrown against the fresh mortar of the finishing coat while it is still soft. When the dry dash is well selected and the particles thickly and uniformly dis- tributed over the surface, the finish thus obtained is pleasing and possesses decidedly more life and char- acter than the wet dashes. The sand-float finish deserves special consideration because it promises to be one of the most satisfactory finishes of the future. Due to the use of rich mix- tures, the sand-float finish has usually developed defects similar to those experienced with the smooth troweled finishes, difi'ering from the latter only in degree. Sand- floated stuccoes which have been covered with paint are to be found in every community, and this alone is suf- ficient evidence of unskillful manipulation of tliis finish and of the unsatisfactory results that have been obtained. In the experiments carried out at the Bureau of Stand- ards the sand-float finish was found to be most satis- factory on mixtures containing not more than 1 part of Portland cernent to -1 parts of fine aggregate, and mixtures as rich as 1 :3, with a small addition of hydrated lime, were satisfactory, as a rule, only when the final floating was delayed until the mortar had well stifl'ened. In this manner the concerttration of fine material in the surface was prevented. Tliis experience confirms the necessity for using leaner mixtures than have been specified heretofore, and for removing the cement from the surface by mechanical or other means, if the sand- float finish is to come into its own. There is no hard and fast line between the sand-float finish and the exposed aggregate finish, since in the final water floating process of the former tlie aggregate is left sufliciently exposed to modify and improve the tone of the finished wall. When the sand-floated sur- face is further improved by an acid wasli, the grains of the aggregate are cleanly exposed. It seems pref- erable in classification, however, to limit the exposed aggregate finishes to those in which coarser aggregates are employed than would be feasible for the sand-float finish. Thus defined, the exposed aggregate finish is obtained by the application of a coarser mortar con- taining carefully selected and graded aggregates, so that when the latter are exposed by brushing and clean- ing the resulting texture resembles that of cast con- crete which has been subjected to similar surface treat- ment. One of the mem'bers of the committee has re- cently developed a stucco of this t}',pe which has been applied to the Field House in East Potomac Park, Washington, D. C, over terra cotta tile. The color and texture of this finish, produced entirely by the aggregate, is the same as that of the concrete trim of the building. At the present time only the wings of this structure are completed, but the work thus far marks a distinct step in advance, not only in the treat- ment of the stucco, but also in the general adaptation of surface treated concrete to exacting arcliitectural requirements. In conclusion, the committee desires to state its con- viction that while portland cement stucco may develop certain small defects which cannot always be guarded against, the product may be depended upon, if applied in accordance with the accompanying recommended practice, to be structurally sound, durable, and capable of giving satisfactory service, with little or no outlay for repairs or maintenance. The committee believes, however, that assurance of satisfactory results in stucco depends largely on the development of stucco special- ists, experienced and skilled in this particular art, as distinguished from ordinary plastering. Intelligent and high class workmanship is so essential to good stucco that only those contractors who have had sufficient ex- perience to establish their own confidence in the product, and who are willing to guarantee their work, should be employed for its application. History and Development of Stucco' By John B. Orr Contractor, Miamt, Florida Artistic stucco ! Wiiat great jiossibilitics c.in be con" jured up in these two words: Stucco, wliicli is among the oldest, in some form or otlier, of man's early attcnii)ts at the artistic. AVitli .-d] tlic possibilities and, des))ite the fact that tlicrc can be found to this day jiortions of .stucco in a good state of preservation after standing the wear of many centuries, there is no other form of building material tliat lias fallen more into disrepute than stucco. This is especially so in the United States. The causes can be traced largely to the slip-sliod methods that have gradually crept into our building in- dustr}^ Today, tlie main point of view or the achieve- ment that is looked for is that a contractor shall complete in 60 days what should take tliree or four times longer. They take short cuts wherever they can; essentials that appear small in the successful completion of tlie work are sacrificed for time. The boy learning the business does not learn how good to do it, but how fast to do it. The view he sets as a successful craftsman is not to do better and try to improve on the specifications for the work, but just how much he can scamp and get away with. Some contractors govern tlieir costs by tliese methods and we get the results so often noticeable in 'From CopyriKhtefl Proceedings .\merican Concrete Institute, Vol. 13, 1917. CoN-CRF.TE, March. I!)17, p. (13. modern construction — eonijietitiiui in [)riee instead of competition in A-alue or good work. The good contractor who tries to figure at ;i price tliat will permit good work is in many cases f(H-ced out of business, leaving tlic field open to the clieaper man .nid his cheaper methods. The old seliool cr.iftsman liad a different xiew ; lie tried to make his work a masterpiece just as inut'li so as the artist did his on call^'as. He wanted to look at it years afterward and be able to sav. "I did tliat" or "I worked on that," and feel the pride that comes from viewing a masterpiece. I never will forget an early lesson I got during my apprenticeship, which I served under two master craftsmen, John P'orbes. of Glasgow, Scotland, and his general manager, John Monroe, both of whom I look up to to this day as experts in their line of business. 1 was doing ,a ]iiece of ornamental work in cement and was worritcl because an older ap- prentice was doing his faster. I commenced to scamp my work to gain speed; Mr. Monroe came on the scene and his sharp eye took in the situation. His cure was drastic ; he took up a hammer and smashed my work, then proceeded to administer a lecture, namely, first to learn just how good I could do it and then speed in manipulation would follow. I took his advice to heart and found it to be good. I believe every form of en- couragement and instruction should be given the craft CONCRETE HOUSES 189 to get good woVk. In this convention is an exemplary method for the betterment of the work. Ancient Stucco Materials We find that stucco was used in building almost as soon as buildings were found to be necessary. It grew from the crude mud huts to the most artistic treatment of exteriors to be found in the old world today. Stucco is an Italian term usually applied in Italy to an exterior plastering, although we can trace it further back under a different name. The old Egyptians and the classical Greeks used a form of exterior plastering extensively; however, I have always looked upon Italy as the mother of the plastic art and responsible to a great extent for the artistic eifects of exterior plastering generally known in this country as stucco. In Great Britain stucco is a somewhat indefinite term for various plastic mixtures. To great Robert Adam is due credit for the advancement of exterior stucco in Great Britain. He adopted it as a covering over houses built of brick and cobblestones and it was used extensively during his period. I find that the Temple of Apollo at Dellos and even the first Parthenon under Aegis of Pallas was plastered with stucco. Vitruvius calls the exterior plastering Tec- torum Opus. This was composed of three coats of lime and sand and three coats of lime and marble, the united thickness not being more than 1". The first coat was of common but very old lime and sand (lime that had been "soured" three or more j'ears) ; when it was nearly dry a second and third coat was applied and left fairly straight. The work was then laid over with another two coats of lime and marble and finished with a coat of fine marble powder, this finish of marble powder being troweled into it before it was dry. The marble mortar was bpaten to render it tough and plastic. The successive coats of marble mortar were troweled into each other before they were dry. The tectorum was then painted in brilliant colors while it was still fresh. In certain conditions the surface was then rubbed with wax and pure oil for the purpose of adding to the bril- liancy and endurance of the colors. Slabs of this tec- torum have been found and preserved from the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum and are in the Museum of Portici ; specimens also from the same place are in the South Kensington Museum, London. It was found that some of this work was colored integrally, while in others it was colored by the use of a wash, which was applied over the surface while it was still fresh. Early Attempts at Waterproofing Stucco The early workers in stucco had each his diff'erent formula for treating the stucco to make it weather- proof. Pliny mentions fig juice as being used in exterior plaster; elm bark and hot barley water was mixed with the stucco used on Justinian's church of the Baptist, Constantinople. Bullocks' blood was employed for this purpose in the mortar for Rocliester Cathedral, England. Whites of eggs and strong mort of malt was used in the lime for Queen Eleanor's Cross, Charing Cross, London, in the year 1300. It is a historic fact that during the building of the Duke of Devonshire's house at Chiswick, the ex- terior of which was plastered with stucco, the surround- ing district was impoverished for eggs and buttermilk to mix with the stucco. My mention of these diff'erent methods and treatments is to show the care and wide range of methods and mixtures that were used in the endeavor to make the stucco waterproof, and the diffi- culty that the old craftsman had to contend with in get- ting these results. Modern manufacture has overcome this to a large extent and has made the path of the stucco workers easier. Stucco Not Fully Developed It is a curious fact that the fountain of possibilities in modern stucco has hardly been tapped. I give for the reasons, first, fear of the permanency of the mate- rial ; second, neglect by the architects in not studying the possibilities ; third, the difficulties in getting the work executed owing to the ignorance of the craftsman in this branch of the plastic art. In reply to the first, any- one who has traveled or has gone into stucco historically can prove the permanency of the material before and after the introduction of portland cement as the binding material. By the introduction of portland cement and waterproofing compounds much has been done to sim- plify and make permanent the mixture. The danger in most cases to be overcome is in the manipulation. My greatest obstacle to overcome has been crazing or check cracking. This I have cured by what I believe to be the only sure method. The richer you get the mix, the more danger there is in check cracking; rapid drying, heat in cement, soft sand, these all help to cause check cracks. I have taken precautions against these dangers and have done what I could with the local materials that are ob- tainable in Miami. I had good results in some cases and in some others check cracks did appear despite the fact that I had made every eff'ort to avoid them; I never yet had any stucco scale or fall off". My next attempt I made using an overwash of liquid stucco. This last method has proven very satisfactory, and I have jobs that are two years old on which there has been no ap- pearance of crazing. In Florida we have several ob- stacles to overcome, although we do not have the freez- ing weather. We get a verj^ poor sand that is impreg- nated to a certain extent with salt. The sand is not sharp enough. We have quick drying weather and strong sun heat, and I believe these to have been severe enough test to show that the stuff" would not craze. Color Possibilities To the architect and designer, as a layman, I off"er a few suggestions and criticisms. As a general rule they do not give enough studj^ to the possibilities in color eff'ect such as are to be seen in Europe, Cuba and other Latin countries. Then, in ornamentation they seem to forget that they are working in a very plastic material that lends itself to the fullest extent in obtaining lights and shadows. I believe that to get the full eff'ects, relief work in stucco should have the appearance of being modeled in place with this material. It should not have hard lines and in no case should it have the appearance of carving as in stone. The work should retain all the to'iches of the modeling, these touches that give the sketchy eff'ect which is lost in the carving in stone. In loreparing the models the modeler should accentuate the detail and not attempt to smooth up the model. These markings, when brought out, all serve to make the work plastic and alive. It also helps in obtaining light and shade when colors are used as the finish. Even when the work is colored integrally these markings of the tool all stand out and bring out the work better to the eye when the buildings weather ; in other words, he should not attempt to get in the clay any smoother work tlian he could get if he were modeling with stucco right in place instead of modeling in clay. By proper manipulation of colors and attention to these details, great beauty^ can be obtained from work in low relief. On several jobs which I have under way at present I am using this method and getting what I believe to be good results. I am not attempting to con- fine the relief work to panels, but am using the walls as the background, getting an eff'ect as if the work were actually modeled in stucco and keeping the relief work 100 CONCRETE HOUSES very low and plastic. These are the touches that give the sketchy elt'ect tliat is lost in the carving of stone. As a general rule it stems to be the Jtractice of designers in stucco to eoi)y stone; this, in my opinion, is entirely wrong. Stucco is a distinctive material and should be used as sucli. In my ornamental molding and relief work I use a eombin/ition of se\'eral colors (which matcli with the general color sciiemc of the exterior of the house) to bring out the etf'ect and give light and shade. I use tlie darker tints in the backgrcuind and work out the ligliter tints in the high liglits, blending all the tints by rubbing the one color into the other; by doing tliis you bring out all tlie plastic beauty of tlie modeling and give an artistic ap})earanee to the wdiole scheme. My colors on stucco I bring out by tlie use of a wash of liquid stucco. I am quite enthusiastic abcnit this color work and I think it wonderful the effects that can be ob- tained with its intelligent use. A study in colors for the stucco of buildings is the work of an artist and should be given this care with due consideration to the surroundings in which the house is to be built. I possibly might be treading on the toes of manufacturers of cement ^laints when I sav that I onlv use their materials when actually called for in some public buildings where the effect is to get something that will always look new and clean; in some cases, of course, this is very necessary, but for residence work we cannot do better th.an try to copy the early Italian stucco effect; that is. to get tlie results like stucco and not paint. There is something about the technical paints that give to the stucco an artificial appearance. I never like to see a residence that looks as though it had come out of a machine-made mold; I like to see the sk^etchv effect and also like to see the building weather properly, not stay one solid color, but get the soft effect that only a stucco can take on ; a blend of several shades which come by age, and this is my objection to cement paint on resi- dences; it looks artificial. Its use, in my o]iinion, as be- fore stated, is limited to certain types of jiublic buildings where the surrounding buildings, street and sidewalk have the tendency to harden the effect. Conditions like this call for an entirely different treatment than the residence that sets in grounds where one gets the benefits of the color effect of flowers and foliage. !My idea in getting effect and tone in a residence is that a study of the whole scheme, including the landscape work, should be taken into consideration and let tlie residence be- come a part of the landscajie in which it sets and not make it look like an obstacle tliat has been put in the way of the beauty of nature. C'emkxt Paints In public buildings there is a big field for the stucco worker in producing the effects that are obtained by the use of terra eotta. Stucco can be made a formidable competitor of thi< mateiial. It can be made perma- nent and has as wide a range of colors .as polochrome terra cotta. When this is tlie result that is required. I use this method. In such work I use manufactured ce- ment paints as a backgrcjund, .applied over a stucco sur- face for the color effect. I n])\Ay the stucco according to the accom])anying specifications. ^Mien the stucco is thoroughly dry, I then apply a jiriming coat of a good cement jjaint, using the m/iterial thin and working it into the stucco surface with a brush, being careful not to use the material so thick as to spoil the texture of the surface. This texture should be a smooth sand finisli. If the effect wanted is in a blend of several colors, my system is to cover the surface of the stucco with two coats of cement paint as mentioned above. I then mix up my blending materials in the form of a stain, using good mineral colors ground in oil, wliich I thin down with prepared oil. I apply this stain over my relief and ornamental work in the various tints desired. I then rub off the high lights and in general blend in the colors to give it the soft effects. On the plain surfaces I apply the stain in the color desired, tlien rub off as much as possible ; this gives a very pleasing mottled ef- lect that blends in with the under coating of cement |)aint and takes awa}' the hard appearance. I have just ecmipleted a building on which I used in my relief work blue, golden buff and cream, and got a beautiful effect that resembles old Bisque China. On some of my work F get these effects by coloring integrally. It is then rubbed over with an oil preparation. Applying Color in Liquid Stucco On residence work my methods are entirely different. F apply the stucco as specified, getting the texture de- sired, preferably medium rough east. In some cases I color the work integrally, a liquid form of the stucco of the same colors with a binder and hardener and wat- ' erproofing added. This material, when properly ap- jilied over a fairly rougli texture, makes a fine finish, and when one becomes familiar with its working fine color effects are obtained. Tliis liquid stucco is applied with a brush, like paint. The stucco surface, when finished, does not look like jiaint but retains the softness of the stucco with an unlimited range of color effects. On the ornaments and trim I use color effects with this w/ish in very much the same way as I specify for my treatment on public buildings, except that the material is a stucco composition. To get the shading great care and taste must be used. This liquid stucco coat should be applied before the stucco surface is dry, usually, wherever possible, a day after the stucco is finished. It then dries and sets along with the stucco and makes a good bond. Spraying with water helps to make the surface bind; use a very fine spray. It gets harder with age and, being of practically the same composition as stucco, it retains all the soft tints and makes a house \ery attractive, especially when the liouse has good sur- roundings. It seems to catch all the shadows and to change with different positions of the sun, reflecting the color of the surrounding foliage. It is this soft color effect that has made the homes of Italy and the south of France the mecca of the students of art. To me, the difference between this treatment and a surface that has been treated with some technical cement paint is like the difference between a cheap colored lithographic print and a ])ainting. It retains tlie stucco surface, it keeps out cheek cracks and avoids the use of artificial paint, which is manufactured for this purpose but which, while curing check cracking, gives an artificial appearance and adds considerable to the cost. The specifications which I give are taken from an article I wrote some time ago and which cover practic- ally all conditions and treatments except possibly the texture for obtaining the Italian effects. The stucco in this case should not be perfectly straight except in the molding and trim. The molding and trim should be treated as specified, but the plain surfaces should give the appearance of stucco applied over cobblestone. No straight-edges should be used. The surface should be worked up to a condition with easy modulations, after it is partially set, go over it with the edge of a trowel, to roughen the surface slightly, being careful not to leave trowel marks. Apply over this the liquid stucco with the desired tints. I could give my method for mottling the color, but I am afraid it might be dangerous ; the same applies to the texture. I did a very large stucco job here on which I have been working for two years. This was the effect desired. I had a lot of trouble in getting the texture; the plasterers would either make C()N( liETK IK) I rSES 101 it too rough or too .sniootli. I simply had to take a few of my men, train them into the method I wanted; then I chose the ones who seemed to get the idea of the ef- fect desired. These few men I tlien used on the actual finishing of the woriv so as to insure the same texture throughout the entire work. I have another style of finish which gives a splendid effect and which is very popular. I bring up the work to the straiglitening coat as specified. For the finisli I apply o\er this surface a very thin coat of cement and sand troweled witli a good pressure; I then applv a dash with a whisk broom, being careful not to tlirow the whole contents of the broom in one place, but to spread it and get it with the texture about the size of peas, iiniformlv over tlic surface. I then apply over this the liquid stucco coating. A visit to Miami would show the results I have obtained. Having thus given specirieations for stucco work, it will be well to go over them for the benefit of tlie crafts- man desiring to follow this method of procedure. The cement, sand, etc., should be well mixed in its dry state and then tempered with water, to which the required amount of waterproofing material has been added. Following tliis the mixture should be worked to a good plastic condition. In making al)plicati(m, good pressure should be used in order to insure a good bond. In applying the straightening coat, do not use the darby float because the Morking of this tool is likely to drag tlie material and interfere with the bond. Rather use the straight edge. Use tlie rod witli an up and down slanting motion to cut olf the excessive material, and leave a rough surface, then scratch with a wire, being careful to scratch before the work is too hard. After the straightening coat has been ajiplied, the molded and ornamental members should then be worked out. It is common practice with many plasterers to add plaster of paris or some of the patent hard wall gypsum plasters to the material used for ornamental and run work. This is for the purpose of making the material set quickly, but is a wrong policy and should be avoid- ed. The mechanic who has pride in the execution of his work will not adopt these methods if he knows that bad results will follow. Plaster of paris and patent hard wall plaster is diametrically the opposite of portland cement. The result is easy to foresee. The work blis- ters, scales and falls off, the set of the cement is killed and the material becomes like powder. The reason that some mechanics use these methods is to gain speed in finishing the work. If, however, the molding and projections are worked together with a little system it will be found that finislicd results can be obtained with very little more time than by the use of foreign materials. All the moldings and other run work should have running strips set so that the crafts" man can build up the various moldings gradu.alh' by giving each one as big a coat as will hang, doing the same to the others, and so on. By the time he has gotten to the last piece, he will find the first piece is ready to re" ceive another coat. The running molds should be muf- fled, allowing about Vs" f"'' finish. After the moldings and run work are brought out to a com]ilete finish, they should be gone over with floats, so as to insure the sur- face having the same texture as the rest of the wall. In applving the finish coat, all splashes and pieces of projecting cement should be scraped off the straighten- ing surface. The whole surface should then be satur- ated with clean water and it is at this point that the waterproofing plays such an important part. If the un- dercoat is waterproofed, it will hold the moisture of the finish coat and will allow the cement its own time to set. The ultimate adhesion, also the uniform working and strength of the finish coat, depends on this. If the moisture or "blood" of the cement is absorbed by the suction of tlie undercoat, the cement will become inert and will crack, peel or scale. In working the finish coat, bring it to a true, straight surface b}' use of a straiglit-edge and d.arby float. This material should not be mixed too soft. A good method is to liave one set of plasterers lay on the material and tlien have anotlier set follow witli rod and darby, work- ing it carefully in all directions until it is brought to a full and straight surface. After the moisture has dis- aiipeared from the surface, gently scour it with a good cross-grain wood float. Care must be taken if dry spots should develop in floating not to throw water on the wall, but to dampen the float until the desired moisture is showing. Never stop the cement wliere the joint can be seen. !Make all joinings at moldings or projections. Next, after floating, the object is to be rid of the float marks. This is done by gently patting the surface witli a float or b}' using a pad made of burlap. If the finish is accomplished by this method, good results will always be obtained. When the work is in the direct ra3's of the sun, it should be protected with burlap, or oil duck cloth, hung up in tlie form of a shade. When the work is sufficiently resistive, it should be kept moist for at least 6 days. Preservation of Stueco Biiildincjs — We have on the market several forms of dampproof cement paint which make a good preservative of stucco. As I stated earlier in this article, I advise the use of this material on com- mercial and public buildings, especially those that are in a large manufacturing center. Such dampproof coat- ings protect stucco from the atmospheric chemical ac- tion caused by smoke, etc., and at the same time damp- jiroof and protect the surface from hair cracks. Wash Methods — For residence work I advocate the wash method, as it is cheap and can be renewed at verv little expense. It weathers artistically with age. It has more advantages. Among these are the ease with which it can be applied and the wide scope of the colors that can be used. It serves as a good dampproofing mix and gives the opportunity for many artistic effects. It is the method I use to obtain the Italian and antique effects on stucco. The wash is composed of waterproofing, good mineral colors, cement and lime, with a binder and hard- ener added. This material has to be used earefullv, and the stucco coat surface must be left in a condition that will form a good bond between the materials. Here Are Mr. Orr's Stucco Specifications Preparation of Stirfarp — The entire surface is examined and all loose form scale removed from the surface, i. e., the scale is caused by cement adlierinf; to forms from previous pours. (When the form is not entirely filled in one day's operations, a film of cement adheres to the form in places and sets when the pour is made. This film invariably form.s a scale surface on the face of the concrete when the forms are removed.) The entire surface is gone over with a hand pick or an axe to rouffhen the surface; if brick, rake out joints. This is for the purpose of forminp; kev for stucco. The surface to he lirushed clean and thoroughly soaked, ready for application of stucco. Proporfians : Straiijhtening Coat — The proportions of this coat shall consist of 4 parts of portland cement of approved brand to 12 parts of sand and 3 parts of liydrated lime. The aliove material to be thoroughly mixed dry, then tempered with water, to which has been added 3 parts of concentrated Truscon waterproofing paste to every 2.5 parts of water. Finisti Cnaf — The proportion of this coat shall consist of 5 parts of Portland cement to 12 parts of sand and 151% of liydrated lime. (If white color is desired, use Medusa wtiite cement and local white sand.) The above materials to be well 7.9? CONCBETE HOUSES mixed dry, then tiiiipfj-cd with wjilrr. In wliicli \\:i^ heen added 1 part of the waterproolmg- paste tu e\ery 18 parts of water. Application of Stucco: Straiglitening Coat — Care has to be taken that the surface is thoroughly saturated with water to insure perfect bond, tlicn apply straightening coat. Bring the surface to a true and straiglit condition, using a traversing rod. (Xo darby float to he used on first coat.) Then scratch the surface witli a. wire or nail scratch, ('this gives an under cut and insures good liond.) Application of Finixli Coat for Snioolli i-iiirfacc — If sti])|ile, use same process, only sti]iple liefore se^ If rougli cast, dasli the finish material with a lirooni. Tlioroughly saturate the first coat surface with water until it presents a glaze appearance; when this glaze disappears, which will be in a few minutes, apply the finish mortar, which should not be too soft, and bring tlie surface to a true condition with darby float. AVhen the mortar will permit, go over the surface with hand float, bringing to a true finish free of cat-faces or voids; tlie entire surface to lie gone ovci- with liurlap or hand float and jiatted to take out float marks. No joints to be allowed in the work where they can be seen. The entire surface to present a uni- form appearance in color and texture. iVlortar should be a))plied as quickl}" as possible, and at all times protected from the sun. Prulediiiii .S|)reia! care sliould lie taken to avoid too rapid drying; if in the direct rays of the sun, the mortar shall be jirotected with burlap or wet canvas, and when sufficiently re- sistive, should he sprinkled with water for at least 6 days. Sl'itcco on J\fel((l Lath — If stucco on metal lath, specify three- coat work witli good filler in first and second coats, waterproof in second and third coats. Forming Moldini/ — Cores for uujlding shall l)e formed of con- crete ]>y concrete contractor, allowing about 1" for finish. All molding to be run and finished with hand float to give same texture as rest of surface and to help bind the surface. When a condition arises where a heavy coat of mortar is necessary, a key for the mortar shall lie formed hy driving galvanized nails into the core. Fio. 1 — G. GoiiDo.x Massev Residencl of Pourkd Coxcheto at .Middleiu-rg, \'-\. Thin Stucco Finish on Concrete Walls { C'(jNTHIBrTEI) ) In the mind of even the layman wlio has watched the construction of a house of reinforced concrete, there is no cjnestion of concrete's superiority as a structural ma- t-I)asii Stlcco Finish ani> at the Uir.iiT EoG-SiirLL Finish Axn A Section of I'minimieu W alt. — Tin: Stucco Is Yi" Tiuck (Ave race) and Cost 1.> Cts. per sq. ad. for M'atere\l and Lahor A feature of llii^ linisli and in practically all of tlic other .stucco finishes put mi under Mr. Haga's direction is in the fact that workmen are not permitted to "fuss" with their work. It has been very hard to get tliem to press on the stucco lirmly witli | one free stroke and then let it alone. But that is what is done on nearly all of tlie Haga work. In Fig. 1 the liolcs where the spacing rods for tlie steel form sections were dri\cn out have been pointed and the surface is ready for stucco. ', for some types of houses, I believe that all builders who have tried these methods of finish know the ditticulties encountered and have often tliemsehcs been (lisa[)poiuted in the results obtained. Stucco and rouglreast surfaces seem especially suited to concrete buildings and offer great artistic possibilities. It is a common saying in these times that while a man is saying that a thing cannot be done he is quite likely' to be interrupted by another man doiug it, ,and this is true in stucco over concrete, and "the man who made it stick" is none other than a ^')rginia builder operating in a rural section of Landam Co., l'-2 miles back from the railroad. The Avork of C. H. Haga is illustrated and described on otlier jiages. but u)) to tlie time of his death early in 1!)1.) liis work constantly increased in scope .and. while he started in the construction of small cottages and farm buildings, the Haga-built liouscs are estab- lished as a standard for the entire section and sought for bv rich and poor alike, not because they are chca]i. but because tlicy were the best th.at money could buy. The fine exterior finish and conse(]uent attr.icti\e appear- ance are not the least of the reasons for this phenomenal success. To obtain straight, smooth walls, as well as for econ- omy in erection, ^Ir. Haga has used on .all this work one of the standard makes of pressed steel wall forms, equipment which lie has already used o\er hundreds of times Avitliout apparent damage. On the first buildings lie was careful to have the stucco applied while the walls Avere green, but in the later build- ings he has found tliis precaution unnecessary and often the stucco has not been ]Hit on until months after the walls were up. At first tlie wall Avas roughened to give bond, but this was also found to be unnecessary, and the finish was applied on the smooth surface, just as left by the steel forms. Work of this sort h.as been d(nie at all seasons of the year except in the dead of ■ winter. To test the bond the Avriter has tried to remove the stucco in se\er,d jjlices on tlie various buildings, but im.iriably the chisel takes a part of the concrete off with the finish, showing a perfect bond. It is hard to account for this except by tlie fact that the coat is |)ut on only ' s" to ^4" thick and docs not .act in the same Avay as a liea\y thickness of stucco. hirst, the wall is thoroughly drenched about .an hour before the work is applied and again immediately before the work is started. White or gray portland cement is used with clean sand or stone dust. It is applied with a steel trowel, butj great care is taken not to touch the work after the first stroke. This gives that free, almost careless .appc.ir.iiicc so cliaracteristic of the best Italian stui'co finish. ,iud the walls have a uniform, workmanlike appear.iuee, A'ct show areat variety, as no two s))ots are alike. The stucco mix is 1 part cement to 1 part sand or crushed stone, Avitli lO'e by volume of hydrated lime added. In warm weather the stucco is sprinkled and kept d.amp until it h.is set up cjuite hard. Coloring matter, when desired, is mixed in the mass, but enough is mixed drj' for an entire side before the work is started. The work is done by plasterers. The cost of tlie material with white ccnicnt is .1 triHe less tlian (i cts. per sij. yd., .and the Labor cost is .about l^) cts. per S([. yd., so that the tot.al cost of this .attr,acti\'e finish h,is ,a\-i'r,-iged only 1 ,"1 cts. |)er s(]. yd. One of tile ,ad\ antagcs of the rough surf.acc is that ,uiy sliglit imperfections in the wall or stucco do not show, and in one of the buildings an extra rich mix was used in the stucco and it was applied in hot weather. ^lucli of the work on the various buildings has now- stood perfectly for nearly three years, and shows no defects and seems to be as liard ,and iierni.aniait as the wall itself. IDA CONCRETE HOUSES y ■ ■ ■ •^■'-. -i -■■ ;■.«,-»':-. .. ,:.-,- ^.. - V :.,■ .-,.:.: •■ ':> .-• "v:: -f V. -: .;,, .. / , *..>,: ■. . :■, X ..T. :■--..../.■•,.. »•, •,, V :■•■■■■ V ■^^■■•" Figs, (i axd 7 — Two Close-ups or CoxociLri: SuiiFACES EY F.AIil.F.V-rEAUSON JIeTIIOIIS practice of mixing paints; but if the aggregate is to be the source of color, tlie concrete must be so designed and manipulated as to deposit in the surface tlie-greatest possible amount of aggTegate. Any great degree of success can hardly be expected in coloring concrete through the cement. The hcoice of colors is restricted hj chemical reaction with the cement which causes them to fade or eliauge ; depth of color is restricted b_v strength requirements of the concrete, which limits very closely the amount of pigment which may be added to the cement. Therefore, with the choice of color limited by one requirement and the depth of color by another, the cement itself must remain domi- nant. On the other hand^ in coloring concrete through the aggregate, all such restrictions are removed, and colors may be obtained from wliite to black tlirough all the range of possible aggregates. An examination of drawings done in hard pastelles and of paintings of the impressionist school suggests a technique in coloring which is peculiar!}' adaptable to the coloring of concrete by means of aggregate. In the pastelles tones are produced by hatching and cross- hatching with lines of pure color without blending on the surface of the drawing, in the paintings by spotting with pure colors one beside the other, and witjiout blend- ing. In both cases the tones are effected bv the blending of the light ravs reflected from the picture to the ob- server. Wonderful depth and clarity of tone are eliar- acteristics of this school of coloring, and in it are to be found a great deal of exact knowledge and valuable precedent. When this knowledge is translated in terms of concrete aggregates, it is obvious that if tlie aggre- gates are carefully selected and carefully placed, all the elements are present for the successful coloring of concrete surfaces. The results obtained in practice bear out the theory given above, and there is every reason to believe that the aggregate is tlie proper source of color for concrete. Hence it was a most important conception that a simi- lar result might be obtained with stucco. The success of this depended^ first, upon securing a suitable grada- tion of the stucco aggregate, and, second, upon being able to applj' such a mixture, once it were satisfactorily compounded. It was known at the outset that these mixtures would be harsh, therefore plasticity no longer played any part in tlie calculations. The laboratin-y jM-ogram was fairly simple. The plan consisted simply in working first with concrete mixes in miniature, in wliich the sizes of cement particles, sand |iartieles and coarse aggregate particles were reduced from the norni.il sizes iu the ratio of about 1:10, this lieing taken as tlie approximate ratio of the size of par- ticles passing :\ Xo. 8 sieve, to pebbles l" in diameter. It was assumed tliat tlie density of such mixes would depend mainly on re]ati\c sizes of the component parti- cles, with due allowance for the water content. If these mixes appeared to be satisfactory for the purpose, it was assumed that any reduction within the 1:10 ratio would also be satisfactory, and the actual reduction to be emi)loyed in compounding any gi^cn stucco mixture of tlijs type would be as sliglit as the requirements of 1 !(,. S- I \ I li \- (. Ill \ 1 M 1 I'l M Ol I'll 1\ \'ll Ul SU'l- M- I 1 or Ol! \| MOM \\ ill II Willi I )(.!. \- MO\ \L ,Sl'OT ol I'.liOW .\ ( Fll, ") ) 198 CONCRETE HOUSES texture and the difficulties of application would permit. To make a long storj' short, these experiments in the laboratorj' with the miniature concretes were verj^ suc- cessful. Not the least important part of the laboratory work was the microscopic examination of the structures of these little concretes, which yielded many valuable suggestions for the gradation in size of particles, and for the proper proportions of the various sizes, to yield the desired effects in the treated surfaces. The first attempt to ap))h' the new product to a verti- cal wall was not wholly discou.raging. Small areas were treated successfully, and eventually a terra cotta tile pent house on one of the new laboratories of the Bureau of Standards was coated with the exposed aggregate stucco. This example was the forerunner of the work illustrated in this paper, and while it is not as free from imperfections as the more recent work, it has attracted most favorable notice. Fortunatel}' the mechanics who were selected for this work developed a real interest in the new type of finish, and subsequently a pride in the results of their work, which made for very rapid prog- ress in the development of the methods of application and treatment. New requirements in thoroughness of mixing, consistency, and control of the absorption of the undercoats were met, and other improvements in the general process were gradually introduced as essential parts of the routine. Not all of the problems have been solved, but there has been very gratifying progress in the comparatively sliort time that the new stucco has been applied commercially. The illustrations accompanying this paper have been selected as typical of Mr. Earley's work in the vicinity of Washington, D. C. They are arranged in nearly clironological order and show the gradual improvement that is being made as experience accumulates. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are views of the concrete work at ]Meridian Hill Park, Washington, D. C. Fig. 1 is a gen- eral view of one of the main entrances, the construction of which was described in the Proceedings of the Amer- ican Concrete Institute, in 1918. Fig. 2 is a detail of the surface. Fig. 3 is a view of the upper level of the entrance shown in Fig. 1. The balustrade, seat and planting box are of precast concrete, containing Potomac River gravel as coarse aggregate; the concrete tile are fabricated from black trap rock. The detail of the entrance shown in Fig. 3 illustrates the use of different textures for achitectural scale, but with no variation in color. The aggregate is Potomac River gravel without additions or modification of any sort. Fig. 4 is a view of the gate posts at the entrance to the grounds of the U. S. Naval Hospital. The aggregate is Potomac River gravel, but slightly modified to obtain a color harmonizing with that of the buildings in the background. Fig. 5 is an interior view of the Cafe St. Mark's, Washington. The architectural treatment is such as to give one the impression that he is lunching in a formal garden, whence the cafe is sometimes referred to as the "Outside Inn." The walls are of exposed aggregate stucco, on metal lath, the color and texture matching that of the precast concrete urns. This is notable as the first conuTiercial application of this type of stucco. Fig. 6 shows the surface of the Potomac Park Field House, Washington. The work was done with Potomac river gravel. The surface treatment is applied to the undercuts as well as to the more exposed portions. At- tention is called to the close disposition of the larger pieces of aggregate, and tlie evenness of the texture. Fig. 7 is a view of the concrete work at F'ort Lincoln Ccmeterv, as yet uncompleted. [The surface shown on the cover of this magazine, beginning with the January issue, 1920, is from a photograph of that surface. A view of the building was shown in the January issue, also. — Editor.] The color of the aggregate is such that from a moderate distance the structure resembles cut granite, but it is in no sense an imitation of granite. It is in- teresting in showing the remarkable proximity of the stucco aggregate. In comparison with Fig. 6, this detail shows improvement in control and workmanship. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the vestibule of a private residence. This has recently been completed, and is a verj' interesting combination of precast work, monolithic concrete, and stucco. Tlie color is nearly white, with an occasional spot of brown, the texture is cliaracteristic of concrete and not of stone, and both color and texture are uniform throughout. The writers believe that the work here described shows progress in the development of concrete and stucco as materials worthy of a place in the highest type of buildings or structures. It is to be noted espe- cially' that none of this work is an imitation of stone. Close inspection shows at a glance that it is concrete, with textures that vary widely, but alwaj^s characteristic of concrete. Furthermore, the material may be cast in any form the architect may desire, with all details complete; no cutting, tooling, or dressing is required other than the prescribed treatment of cleanly exposing the aggregate. Finally, the material provides a medium for the expression of color in infinitely greater variety tlian that which obtains in the natural building stones. In conclusion, the writers would add a word about stucco. The new type of exposed aggregate finish can- not fail to arouse new interest in stucco, as a product, regardless of the nature and treatment of the finishing coat. The product should be more widely used, and, the reason it is not more widely used is that it has too often been applied by contractors or mechanics who consider it only as an outside plaster. This paper has attempted to convey the impression that cement stucco is more like concrete than plaster, and that plasticity is not essential. The point the writers wish to emphasize is that the art of applying durable stucco is very different from the art of plastering, and in their opinion, stucco will take the place it deserves among building products only when this fact is generally recognized. A House Built Like a Battleship ]5v Wharton Clay CO.M.MISSIONF.R, AssiKI ATED MkTAI, LaTII M INb'FACTUaKIIS Chic \(;o Naval engineers liavc, out of necessit_y^ been guided by economy in the protection of the modern ship from the speeding projectiles of the enemy. Gunners are taught to aim at the water line amidsliip in order to puncture if possible a point where tlie vitals of the vessel are located. jNIost insistant and craft}' is tire, the enemy of the home. When architect John Read Fugard, a member of the American Institute of Architects and of the firm of Fugard & Knapp, Chicago, designed a home for himself, he was keenly alive to the fire hazard. A specialist in apartment and hotel buildings of the most modern fire- proof construction, he is fully aware of the great need for adequate fire protection of all inhabited buildings. He is a firm believer in fire protection at a cost com- mensurate with the lessened risk of suburban architecture. Where he feels he must build his floors and partitions of wood for the sake of economy, he realizes tliat the wood in some parts of the house must have a protection that would prevent any blaze from setting tlie wood on fire for over an hour. Realizing fully the splendid results of the naval engineers' methods of protection, he decided on a similar means of economical fireprofing. Where the battleship is protected by armor from high powered shells that are aimed at certain vulnerable points, the home must, of necessity, be protected .with fire resistive materials where the fires are most likely to start. The naval engineer knows from bitter experience that the portions of the ship adjacent to the engines and boilers must be heavily armored to prevent explosion if hit there. On the other hand, the architect knows that possiblity of fire is reduced if the part of the home over the heating plant is plastered over metal lath. The destruction of an ammunition hoist means the silencing of a battery of great guns. In the home, a fire destroy- ing the staircase prevents the firemen reaching the upper story, and imperils the lives of the occupants, especially in a night fire. In the battleship, the prow, the midship portion, the conning tower, the gun turrets and barbettes are specialh' protected. Their vulnerability to projectiles means probable destruction of the ship. In the liome, all bear- ing partitions and stud exterior walls, the ceilings under inhabitated floors, especially over heating plants and coal bins, at chimney breasts, around flues and back of kitclien ranges, stair walls and under stairs, need special protection. They also are vulnerable to fire and need special attention. It does not require volumes of theory to solve the prob- lem of adequate fire protection. The cause and effect of the greatest of national wastes is too vivid to require anything but sound reasoning to secure satisfactory re- sults. Our shrinking forests cry out to the need of proper fire protection of combustible structural members in residential buildings. 999 out of every 1,000 homes are constructed largely of wood. No matter what the exterior may be, the interior structural members are of 'Concrete, Aupiist, 1920. wood and vulnerable to the insidious interior fire unless l)rotected in places where the fire starts. 95% of all fires start within the liome. That in itself should make every prospective liouse owner look to tlie ultimate safety of his investment. It is not an idle jest to say that building with fire resistive materials is necessary. Every year an equiva- lent of 11,000 $6,000 homes is reduced to ashes. Think of it! A row of beautiful homes, if built on 50 lots on each side of a street 52 miles long, in ruins. Fire and life insurance are extremely valuable, but they can- not bring l)ack the natural resources that are destroyed or cherished companionships that are lost. The architect makes the home practically invulnerable to fire and increases the cost of the home but ifo. I'or ap))carance, and as a matter of economy. Archi- tect Fugard specified portland cement stucco, back-plas- tered on metal lath for the exterior walls. Metal lath was used as a base for plastering over the vulnerable ])oints. In portions of the house where little or no fire hazard exists, ordinary lath was used. In this way, the cost of the entire structure was kept at an extremely reasonable figure. While this particular house, as built, may be a pioneer, in its unique application of fire prevention methods, it is in nowise an experiment as far as the construction 1 Furring ^ir/pS-Ms^al Pre/errs ho/c/ 'ncombus-i/hic ma^eno/ a5 a -fire S^op 3 /ie-iol La-fh on Cf^in^ne^dredtf- Fig. 1 — Back Plastered Metal Lath Construction .'(Ul ( ()\( liETE HOUSES 1 --f PI fRONf B-eV/\TlON ;. -? — Plans of the I'lCAitu Back Plasteued Stucco Holtse ix ]-".vanstox details are concerned. As noted above, it is of back plastered metal lath construction and in many other cases tlie recommended practices for portland cement stucco of the American Concrete Institute were followed by Mr. Fugard. Wide eaves were provided so tliat the vertical stucco walls are protected from tlie weather as much as pos- sible. Proper window drips and the elimination of any horizontal courses of stucco are likewise little details which bespeak of the care with which the .architect un- dertook to get a weather-proof exterior hnish for the stucco. Diagonal corner braces were used in the exterior walls, a 1 X 6 being let into the studding on the inner side. Horizontal bracing was also used. This method of con- struction allowed for complete elimination of the sheath- ing and was consequently quite economical. Back plas- tered stucco is a type of construction which is proving its worth day in and out, in rigorous tests of .all kinds. Although it has been used for }-ears in New England, where it lias successfully sto;h carljon steel 16,000 lbs, mild steel 14,000 lbs. Extreme fiber stress in concrete, 600 lbs. In direct compression, 4.50 llis. Mixture — To withstand a pressure of 2,000 lbs. per sq. in. 38 days after mixinp:. Wail thicknesses—Not less than 12", or the same as brick, except sliglit differences in favor of concrete. Slag, and clean furnace clinkers are permitted. CONCRETE HOUSES .'07 ni'l'I'AT.O iMIowable steel stress, 16,000 llis. i)er sq. in. l''.xtrenic filier stress in concrete, 500 lbs. per sq. in. Direct compression, 3.J0 lbs. jier sc). in. Mixture — 1:-?:5 cement, sand and slone, or ;;ra\'el. Wall thicknesses the same as I'or In-ick. Reinforced concrete walls I'or dwellinj^s may be for one story: Basement, 8"; first story, (i". For two stories: Base- ment, 10"; first story, 6"; second story, (i". For three stories: Basement, 1^"; first story, S"; second story, 0", and tliird story, 0". Chicago Allowalile stresses: Jlild steel in tension — 18,000 lbs. per sq. in.; extreme liber stress in concrete, 35'yji of the ultimate crushing strength; direct compression, 90'^'o of the ultimate crushing strength. A'arious mixtures of cement, sand and broken stone arc prescribed as follows: (Best) 1:1:?; l:iyo:3; 1:?:!; 1 :-"/2 :5 ; 1:3:7. The crushing values of these respective mixtures are given as :?,900, 2,400, 2^000, 1,750, and 1,500 lbs. per sq. in. Wall thicknesses are the same as for brick. Cinders: Clean, screened free from ashes or other matter, are permitted, ex- cept in bearing walls, columns or piers. Cincinnati Allowable stresses: Steel in tension, 16.000 lbs. per sq. in. Concrete in the following table: Extreme Fiber Direct Conipres- Mixturc: sion Sand and crusiied stone. ... 1 :2i^ :5 f.oo lbs. 500 lbs. 1 ::; :l 7(iO IIk. 000 lbs. 1 :lii :.3 sou ll)s. 700 lbs. Allowed load for jilain, mass concrete, 200 lbs. Walls are permitted of reinforced concrete not less than 4" thick. Reinforced concrete basement walls, 13" thick. Walls for first and second stories, 8" thick. Cinder concrete may be used in floor arches or slabs only. Detroit The allowatile stresses are: Steel in tension, high carbon, 18,000 lbs. per sq. in.; mild steel, 10,000 lbs. per sq. in.; extreme fiber stress in concrete, 650 lbs. per sq. in.; in direct compression, 450 lbs. per sq. in. ifixture, for walls, beams and floors, 1:2:4. Mixture for columns, l:iy2:3. Wall thicknesses for reinforced concrete, 60% of that re- quired for corresponding brick walls. Walls of plain concrete to be of the same thickness as required for brick walls. Slag is permitted in walls and slabs. Boiler cinders prohibited. Hartford Steel stresses, high carbon steel (ultimate), 18,000 lbs. per sq. in.; mild steel (ultimate), 16,000 lbs. per sq. in. Extreme fiber stress in concrete, 800 11)S. per sq. in. Direct comjiression — In walls, 500 lbs.; in hooped columns, 850 lbs. per sq. in. Mixtures, 1:2:4 sand and crushed trap rock, 1:2:4 cinder concrete, is allowed at 50% of the above values. Concrete blocks, mixture, 1:3:4, to stand a test of 1,000 lbs. per sq. in. at the end of 28 days. Allowable working load, 90 lbs. per sq. in. W^all thicknesses for houses: Basement, 12"; first story, 8"; second story, 8". The approval of concrete block material is given only under the following conditions: A ]ilant must be in full operation uhen the official tests are made. The names of the owners of the plant must be placed on file with the Building Depart- ment. To make blocks, a license must be obtained. The license may be revoked for the following causes: Willful violation of requirements, dishonest methods, or the use of improper materials. Los Angeles Allowable steel stress — 10,000 lbs. per sq. in. Allowal)le stresses in concrete as in table: Extreme Mixture — Fiber Stress Hooped Col. l:2i4:3V2 Crushed rock 050 lbs. SOO lbs. I::! -AVz Screened sravel 520 lbs. Dir. Com. 350 lbs. 1 :7 Bank or river gravel Mass Concrete without reinforcement Dir. Com. 250 lbs. Walls- -I'lain concrete, same thickness as reijuircd for lirick W.llls. Block concrete, same thickness as brick walls. If eiii forced ccjiicrctc, filler or curtain walls not less than 8" thick. l.os , Angeles li;is the following provision for inspection: Tlie inspector must qualify. He must see tliat all work and materials com])ly with the requirements of the ordinance — or slop the work — upon ])enalty of a fine of not more than ^'500, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. lyimiSVlLI.K Steel stress, 16,000 lbs. jicr sq. in. .Mixture, 1:2:1, broken slone or gra\'el, to be what is known as 2,000 ll)s. C(jncrete. J^xtreme filler stress in concrete, 050 lbs. Direct coni])ression — In mass concrete, 650 lbs. (unusually high): in columns with \'ertical reinforcement only, 450 lbs.; in columns with hoojis ro\'ision is nuxde for concrete bloeks. Onl)' high grade portland cements are considered in any of the building codes to which reference is made. Discussioxr In designing the concrete liouse, safety and economy must be reconciled. If to embed tlie steel reinforcement l\'-j," or 9," is sufficient to protect it from fire in a store house, or other commercial building, where large quantities of inflam- mable materials are stored, then 1, o" o^ ^re protection should be enough when the steel is eujbedded in the concrete walls and floors of a small house, where none of the rooms \vould contain nuu'e than ;i few armfuls of combustible furnishings. Where crushed slag is procurable, it might well be substituted for crushed stone in concrete, for use in dwelling houses. Cinders are variable in their structural and chemical properties, but their use in construction work, in small buildings, might be jsermissible in localities where other material is difficult to procure, or wliere they can be obtained in a relatively uniform and clean condition. They should be crushed and screened, and free from ashes. Building codes should require every maker of con- crete blocks to have a suitable building or enclosure for protection from cold, and heat, and winds, and weather, where he shall properly make and cure his blocks. Li- censes should be issued to all block makers. Such licenses to be revocable for causes set forth in the code. In considering the codes which I have mentioned, it will be observed that the requirements are general and not specific. Alike to the warehouse — a thousand feet long — and to the cottage — with partitions serving as diaphragms, extending in all directions, t^ing and brac- ing the whole structure, every few feet. The vertical supports and walls in large structures are designed principally with respect to their comjires- sive strength; but the designer of a concrete house is not permitted to utilize any such economies. As an illustration: a good reinforced concrete house, having horizontal dimensions of 30' x 10', and an av- erage height above the basement of 20', would weigh, including outside walls, floors, partitions and roof, ap- iiroximately 1,)0 tons — and if ;ill the floors were loaded to their full carrying capacity of 40 lbs. per sq. ft., it would add about .50 tons more. The weight of the wdiole building, above the basement, together with its live load, could be safely supported upon one well designed concrete column 2.3" in diameter. In the vertical sup- porting members in a typical concrete house there is ma- terial sufficient to make .25 such columns. Xewek Codes Needed Now this is extravagant designing — an unnecessary waste of valuable material. The designers are not en- couraged to api^ly their inventive genius, or even the best of their training and experience, but in many cases are restrained .and handicajjped by the requirements of existing building codes — codes that are influenced by other codes, which in turn are influenced by older and diff'erent metliods of building. There is no logical rea- son wJiy concrete construction should be measured in undtiples of 4, 8 or 12", just because brick and stone arc figured that way. To begin with, portland cement concrete is a com- ]xiratively new material, and new uses for it are being discovered every day. Until very recently the con- crete house was designed on the same lines and with the same details as a brick or stone house. i\nd it was but natural that existing or incongruous building regula- tions should be applied to it. But wc are progressing. The engineers have led the way, showing us how to build with concrete scien- tifically and safely. The factor of safety can be very greatly reduced when ignorance, dishonesty, and care- lessness are noticeably reduced, and better controlled. The men who are really responsible for our building codes have worked to get away from archaic methods. h;x\e had to oppose ignorance, perversity, and the en- trenched interests. They have had to arouse and mould public opinion, and receive its sanction, before they could establish and maintain necessary reforms, or enact building codes. With a slight improvement in the intelligence and re- liability of the average man, and a better and more uni- versal understanding of the proper treatment and be- havior of concrete — in all places and under all condi- tions — great economics both in the material and manipulation can be effected, and satisfactory results obtained. Our building codes are primarily written and en- forced for the dual purpose of protecting human life and the prevention of fire. They must occasionally be revised, so as to comprehend new materials, and new- methods. The concrete house of various types of construction will gradually and shortly come to be considered on its own intrinsic merits, and building codes will contain l^rovisions that will be specially applicable to such houses. The concrete house, with its unlimited opportunities for style, finish and decoration, has a value and a charm all its own. The designer should bear in mind that he is expressing himself in terms of concrete, and also that it is a medium worthy of his best thought and his no- blest effort. Living in Concrete Houses ^4 Si/mposiu??i From First Hand Knowledge^ AValter E. Andrews 1''i,(ihknck Holland Clayton B. Potter AA'iLSdx 1). Lyon Homer LAcciiiLiN, .In. F, L. Williamson L. N. ]5ai)hit The House of a Thousand Years By' Mr. Andrews Seattle Ten years ago I had the building bee in m_v bonnet so bad that I was going around in circles from one architect's office to another. But I wanted more than a mere house for the moment — I wanted something as permanent and durable as time it- self, something that would last for a thousand years and still be cold proof, heat proof, wind proof, earth- quake proof, rat proof, and all the other proofs. Wood construction was out of the question; I didn't like brick or stone; hollow tile was then little known, and steel would rust. Finalh^ I found an architect who believed in reinforced concrete with all his soul. He talked it. dreamed of it, wrote about it, and welcomed me like a long-lost brother. His name was Oliver Randolph Parry. Well, I took a long breath — and let him go ahead. And the result (at Wayne, Pa.) is shown by the accompanying illustrations. I lived in that blessed house eight happy years, and would have been there yet if business and family rea- sons had not called me a\va3\ The present owner, J. Fewsmith, likes it as well, I believe, as we did, and in the community the building is known as "the white house." When the wind blows it never shakes nor even trembles. In sum- mertime it is very cool, and in win- ter very warm. No rat or mouse ever gained entrance through its walls. It has never been damp in the slight- est degree, nor has it cracked, chipped, crumbled, or done any of the sad things that were predicted for it by various solicitous friends and neighbors. Once in two years I gave the outside walls a coat of ordinary govern- ment whitewash — the kind used on light-houses. A painter applied it with a big brush, quickly, and the bill each Fig. 1 — Kntuaxci; to the "House of a Tiious.vxd Years" iCrvntrihvitions hy Mrs. Hollninl, nic from Concrf.te, .I.iii., 1920. Messrs. Andrews. Totter and Lyou time, I remember, was only about $25. White? It was tiie whitest white you ever saw ! With the green shingles and the green vines for contrast, it made a pic- ture worth looking at. This is not the jjlace for a technical description of the construction details, so I shall give onh^ a few brief general statements. The pictures plainly show the method of construction, and how the forms were raised from time to time as the work went on. The concrete was poured by hand in a slow, primitive way that would •210 CONCBETE HOUSES Figs. 2 and 3 — The Porch axd Pergola of the "House of a Thousaxd Years" The Green of the Foliage Sets Off the Chalky Whiteness of the House and the Pillaes CONCRETE HOUSES 211 be much improved upon nowadays ; and, when the forms were raised in a day or so, the not-yet-liard wail was dampened and rubbed down with a wooden fioat, giving it a rough sand-finish and obliterating all board marks. When tlie walls were done the house was a solid mouolitliic mass from the cellar to the roof, tied to- gether with vertical steel rods and horizontal wires embedded in the concrete. The last thing was a waterjjroof- ing compound brushed into the outer surface when the walls were linished. They were then ready for the wliite- wash a little later. On the inside of the walls furring strips were placed, and the lathing was fastened to these. thus leaving a half-inch air sjDace between wall and plaster — which greatly added to the dryness and warmth of the house. The walls are 12" thick from basement to first floor, 8" thick from first floor to sec- ond floor, and 6" thick from tliere to the peak of the roof. Do you see those nice, big, fat pillars on the porch ? They were cast in molds riglit where they are, and weigh about two tons each. If you happen to look at them a thou- sand'* years from now the}' '11 still be there unless somebody blows them up with dynamite in the meantime. The same molds were used to make the pergola pillars in the garden. The pool is of concrete, too, and so are the porches and steps thereof, and the chimneys. I wish now that I had made the floors concrete, and then covered them with oak flooring. But at the time it did not seem ad- visable. It is a twelve-room house, witli some extra room on the third floor if wanted. To duplicate the place today, including the garden and not the lot, would cost — well, frankly, I'd better play safe and leave that to some of your builder friends. Ten years ago it cost me $7,000 without the ground, at which price I am in- clined to think that the contractor failed to make any money. The upkeep of this house has been surprisingly little and will continue to be little in the years to come. Aside from room, window-frames, etc., there is nothing to wear out or decay. If I were going to do it again, I should specifv tcliUc cement in place of the ordinary kind, and tluis save tlie necessity of whitewashing the exterior every two years. Fifis. 4'-G — Puor.RKss A^ikws ov tiik C'iixstiutction of the Andrews Home But that's a small matter compared to the joj^ and satis- faction of building and living in a thousand-year house. My wife says that she never expects to feel so safe and comfortable in any otiier house in all this world ! 212 CONCRETE HOUSES The Gray House on the Rocks By Mrs. Holland Marsh House, Darien, Conn. I have been a.sked to write to you about our concrete house, built for us in the autumn and winter of IplS, by W. G. Wood, of South Norwalk, Conn., from designs by Huntington Bosworth, of New York City. We have lived in the house continuously since June, 1917, both winter and summer, and have found it absolutely satis- factory in every way. It is built on a high, rocky island in Long Island Sound, surrounded on two sides by water and on two sides by salt marshes and though the loca- tion is very beautiful, it is exposed to the full force of every storm from every direction, with no shelter but the oaks that cover the island. In the three years since it was built we have not needed a single repair. There are no cracks and no leaks. The house is warm and dry in winter, and cool and dry in summer — except when the heavy fogs blow in at the open windows. It is very easy to heat. We have only a hot air furnace and many casement windows and tiled floors, but have no difficulty in keeping comfortable in the coldest weather. The style of our house was inspired by the houses that cling to the rocks on the coast of Sicily, between Ca- tarnia and Taromina. The shape is particularly fitted to the rocks on which the house is built. I do not think it could have been built of anything but poured con- crete. All the angles of the house outside were rounded by drawing the hand over them, which gives an appear- ance of age. On the marsh side is a paved court yard with a nar- row covered cloister on two sides, which was the only way to make a sheltered entrance from a motor car to the front door. There is a garage and large studio all under the same roof, but in spite of these modern feat- ures, the effect of the whole building is at least 300 years old. The walls of the house are solid concrete, 12" thick, plastered on the inside and stuccoed on the outside, all in the natural light, warm gray of the cement. I think it very important that the concrete walls should be stuc- coed on the outside with one coat of natural colored stucco, that is, colored only by the cement and put on by any Italian laborer with a trowel, with no effort either to smooth or roughen it. Any Italian peasant can do it, as he does it at home, making a beautiful, soft surface. The roof is of terra cotta tile% a dull moss green in color, and roughened to look mossy and weather-beaten. There is no mood work on the outside of the house. The window frames are deep in the walls and only 1" wide, and stained with creosote. The windows are all rather small casement windows, opening out (and they do not leak), with very small panes. Inside there is no woodwork except door and window frames 1" wide, sunk into the walls. The second story floors and stairs are wood, also the doors, which are all heavy buttress, with wrought iron latches and long hinges. I do not think it necessary to lath and plaster inside. Our architect and builder insisted on doing it, but the garage, which is only concrete, has never had any mois- ture on the inside walls, and is dry as the rest of the house — also the cellar. We are convinced that concrete is from every point of view tlie nicest possible material for building. It is practically everlasting, and beautiful if treated prop- erly; fireproof, and comfortable to live in, and I believe niucli cheaper now than wood. Everyone who has seen our house says it is the most interesting and picturesque for a small house that they have ever seen in this countrv. Favors a Concrete House with a Double Wall By Mr. Potter Pine Ridge Place, Delaware, N. Y. We built our concrete house and we have lived in it about tlirce years, and we all believe more firmly than ever in the slogan of building for permanence. If I can saj a word to induce others to practice on the same line, I shall be glad to do so, and the details in this attempt to write are gone into especially to show to the inexperienced that they, too, may do what we have done, for it was our first attempt to build our own house. The idea of safety and permanence were always most prominent in my notions of a house, and to get these alwaj's seemed too expensive for me to attempt. Brick or stone would require experienced, high priced labor and material, and neither brick nor stone would be as warm as wood properly sheathed, unless some provision were made for an air space in the walls, and that again would add to tlie cost — make it prohibitive, except to one of wealth. And wood will easily take fire and burn quickly — or, if fortunate enough to escape the ravage of fire, soon begin to decay, alwaj'S require frequent paint- ing and painting is ver}' expensive now, with good paints at $3.50 to $i.00 per gallon, and unskilled painters be- ing offered $7.00 per day. Our house is built of double concrete walls. Each wall is 4" thick, with a 2I/2" ^lir space between, extend- ing from the foot wall to the gables — and then sealed with a 2" plank bolted and cemented in; built with common labor, three Italians and myself, in October and November, 1915. There is not a crack or break to be found in any part of the wall today, and the concrete was the cheapest in cost of any part of the house, and at the time of build- ing actually' cost less than either stone, brick, concrete block or wood. My son sketched the plans for the house, gave them to the architect to finish to scale, and supply the blue prints and specifications, all of which was for a wood frame construction to cost about $i,500. He did not approve of concrete, nor believe it could be built of concrete for less than $2,000 additional. No one in this vicinity, other than myself, would believe it possible to construct of concrete a double wall with a machine, admitting of instant release after being filled and tamped. I had seen several houses that had been built with the Van Guilder hollow wall machine, though I had not seen an inch of the work being done. I had seen the machine and how it was to be used, and believed in it. A contractor in Albany put in a bid of $G,200 for wood construction. We built of concrete, and, not counting my own labor, our money outlay was less than $1,000; the walls cost less than "$1,000." CONCRETE HOUSES I am not a carpenter or builder ; neither am I a mn- siin — only just handy enough with tools to do sonic tilings for myself — and am telling all this simply to ^how that anyone can build any kind of structure in house, barn, garage, chicken house or other buildings, w ith unskilled help, with such a machine, and of the most abundant and cheapest materials. ^^'e did let the contract for the wood work to a first- class builder. Also for one brick chiiimey, the top of the concrete chimney, wliieli was built np with the walls, and the inside plastering and the fireplace. All the inte- rior plastering on outside walls was done directly on the concrete as left by the machine. There is not a fiaw or crack in it. The partitions were lathed on stud- ding, and these wooden structures are the only places where any cracks are found. We do find it satisfactory to live in; we are warm in winter and the hottest days that come in smiimer we find it the most deliglitfully cool house we have ever lived in ; and everyone who comes in at snch times re- marks it. A\'e feel very safe from ontside fires. Of course, the inside woodwork would burn if it were fired. When the outside is plastered or stuccoed, it does not have to be renewed, as do painted walls. The only out- side painting we have is the window and door trim and under the eaves and the gables. As to disadvantages as compared with other construc- tion, I think it hard to find any. Should one desire to make changes that required cutting out anv portion of the walls, one would find it mueli more strenuous than either wood, stone or brick. It is better in that it is safer from wind, fire, or flood than either wood, stone or brick. It will stand where tlie other materials would crumble or disappear. The next glacial period ma}' grind it up, but that is 2.5,000 vears ahead vet, and I'll not be here. If I were to build again for mvself — again — again — again and again, I would build with double icall concrete. Concrete House is Cheap, Fireproof and Durable By Mr. Lyon Glen Ridge, N. J. I find my Van Guilder liollow wall house very satis- factory ;^ I am exceedingly pleased with it, in fact. I don't think there is a crack in the shell anywhere; the house retains heat nicely in winter, and keeps cool in summer. I would suggest that any one using it should start the hollow wall at the footings, which should be well below frost. The air space works well this way, but isn't good if started at the ground line. The reason for this is that the cold carries through and the wall near the floor being colder tlian the air, condenses the mois- ture in the air and spoils the decorations. There is noth- ing of this kind where the air space goes down to the cellar floor. The top of the wall should be protected, so that the cold doesn't carry through to the inner wall at this extreme; the window casings and door casings should be tongued into the air space. A great advantage of this system of construction is in the ability to plaster on the inner wall, thereby leaving no place "for ice or rats or vermin of any kind to get in. After two years there seems to be no settling of the shell. I used wood beams inside and my walls have cracked less than a frame house. If there are not too many corners to turn and waslied cinders can be pro- cured, I beliive it is as cheap or ehen|ier than any equally durable construction, ^^'ith a tile rool'. such as I have, 1 do mit fear fire from the outside, and if the first floor is fire))roofrd there is almost "no chance for fire within. Did a fire start, it w(ni]dn't get far, if tliere were ain' sort of /ire jirotcction witliin call. Tlie only disad\antage I know of would lie if I wanted to change the building now; it is rather more permanent than bricks or hollow tile, but there is a satisfaction in li\'ing in a solid, well built house, dry as a bone to the cellar floor. A Superior Type of Construction By Mr. B.unuTT I am glad to make a statement as to the living condi- tions as we have found them in our concrete houses dur- ing the last three years. These houses, it will be remem- bered, were built by Mr. Hazen, Mr. Fuller and myself, in lyiO, and were described in the Maj', 1911, issue of Cement -if/e. Briefly, the houses are of solid reinforced C(merete, with reinforced concrete floors and stairs. The roofs are of tile on woodiui rafters and decking. The outside walls are 8" and ()" thick, and are furred on the inside. A 1" air space is left between the wall and the ))laster on metal lath. The bearing walls and the ceil- ings were finished by rubbing smooth with carborundum brick and left in this condition. The partition walls are ])laster on metal lath. The floor surfaces in the three houses are oak for the second floor sleeping rooms, tile and concrete for the living rooms. The cost of these houses was $7.50 per sq. ft. of gross area. This in- cluded one-third of the porch area. After our ex|)erience of four winters, I can say that we much prefer this type of construction to the frame dwelling. The past winter has been unusually severe, with zero temperatures accompanied by very high winds. In spite of our exposed position the Avind and weather have in no way aifected the interior comfort of our houses. One thing stands out forcefully, and that is tlie soliditv and tightness of the concrete house in a high wind. In mv own house, of about 1.'200 sq. ft., I have burned about 1'2 tons of coal each winter, and every one of our 10 rooms has been comfortable. From our own exjieri- euce the heating proposition jiresents an interestiag |ioint. The temperature of our main floor rooms has sle- dom been above 70^' F. and with very few exceptions lias not been below (So ' F. In other words, during the entire winter the hot water system has been so operated as to keep the rooms within a range of 10°. This, of " course, does not apply to the sleeping rooms. This reg- ular temperature is possible because the concrete parti- tion walls and floors seem to absorb any excess heat, and if the fire gets low at night the radiation from the concrete keeps up the room temperature. Another point is that with solid floors there are no drafts and the dif- ference in room temperature between the floor and ceil- ing is ver}' little. I have no figures on this, but it is nothing like the rooms in some frame houses, where t' difference is sometimes more tlian 10'^'. Perhaps the reason for this even temperature is the heat in the con- crete floors, and perhaps also very slight convection "See description. Concrete, January, 1919. 'From Concrete, April, 1914-. 2U CONCRETE HOUSES currents produced by the outside walls, which, while furred, must have some effect upon tlie room tenijiera- ture. In suunner time the lunises are very comfortable, and I think have an advantai;'e over the frame house in e\'en- ness of room temperature. That is, the interior docs not fluctuate with the mid-day heat. We h,a\'e not experienced dampness at any time. Our concrete floors we have found conifort.ahlc and easy to tal^e care of. After our experience with o.ik, concrete and tile, our choice would be the latter. A good qualitv of tile, well laid, is decorative, comfort.able, and can be kept immaculate. \^'hel■e children are in evi- dence, and sever.al times ,a day bring in snow, mud and water in the main hall, tlie tile is much to lie preferred, as all that is needed is a mop to restore it to its original condition. The exterior of the houses seem to improve with the weathering, and botli exteriors and interiors have ])roveii satisfactory. Not a dollar has been spent for rejjairs, and no insurance is carried. To our way of thinking, the concrete house is a superior tyi)e of construction. Delighted With Livability By Mr. WiLLrxMsox ^^'e are now in the midst of our second winter, .and .are delighted with the livability of our house. The construction is of the monolitliie hollow wall tvpe, witli concrete floors, concrete stairs, .and e\ en con- crete cornices with integral gutter. Under our condi- sions here no other form of construction that woidd be desirable, or that should be considered for good resi- dence construction, is as cheap. I believe, liowever. that there will alwav's be a tendency on the part of one building a concrete home to spend more money on it, as thev realize when building .i permanent structure that everything they put into it should be of the best. Our floors are oak, with the exception of two enclosed porches, that have the ornamental concrete tile, and the kitchen and servants' dining rooms that have plain con- crete floors. I am very favorably disposed to the more general use of concrete floors, as we have found them verv satisfactorv. ^Ve ginx- the kitchen floor a coat ot high grade floor varnish, thinking that it would be more easily kept clean. We have had no trouble whatever from dampness, and do not consider there is any pos- sibility of trouble on that score. The liouse is notice- ably cool in summer, as no heat is tr.anmitted tlirough the walls, and the same condition is also helpful in the winter season, as the building more completely holds the heat. One noticeable advantage of the concrete construc- tion is the fact that the building is so sound-proof and so substantial that there is no annoyance from noises or from vibrations that often come in houses using wood joists and studdings. There is also tlie feeling of se- curity that comes from the knowledge th.at the building is fireproof. The use of portland cement for plastering has proven most successful in connection with metal lath and metal studding for the partitions that were not needed as sup- ports for the floors. We have secured permanent con- struction and avoided the cracks tliat .arc so conunon in walls as ordinarilv constructed. •Concrete, January. 1917. Satisfactory Concrete Floors, and How Finished' 1?Y Mr I^.^ugiilin, Jr. To give vou .accur.ately my experience in living in a house with concrete floors, it will perhaps be well to go back a little way and rebate my experiences which led to the adoption of a concrete floor for a residence. The Homer Laughlin Building, whicli I own, was built in 1898 and was the fifth building in the United States, and the first building west of Chicago, to use concrete floors. These were concrete floors placed on a steel skele- ton. At the time the building was opened I had grave doubts of its success, because every prospective tenant brought up the subject of the floors. Either they them- selves were aft'ected by rheumatism or they had some one in their office who had rheumatism, and they were quite sure that living in an office with concrete floors would be detrimental to their health. The common remark was that they could feel the chill of the concrete go through them the moment their shoes touched the floor. Al- though the prejudice was gradually overcome, it was at least five years, when concrete floors in office buildings had become more general, before the attention of the jniblic was attracted to other features and away from the concrete floors, and I may safely say that it has been at least three vears since I have heard a single person mention the subject. Wlien I was about to erect my home and decide on the subject of floors, my father, who had been a strong advocate of concrete floors in office buildings, advised me against their use in a residence. Careful inquiry devel- oped that he himself was not opposed to the floors, but was satisfied that my friends and others would interpose all the objections to their use in a residence that we had formerly gone through in our office building, and so I decided to put wooden floors downstairs for the benefit of mv friends, .and concrete floors upstairs for the use of mv family ; but finally we worked up one excuse after another for leaving the wood floors out of certain down- stairs rooms, and finally they were left out altogether. Mv floors are of a warm brown tone and come up on the side walls about 6" and flush with the plaster, to form what would otherwise be a baseboard. Down- stairs they are decorated with a pallette-knife and look somewhat like carved leather. After the "carving" had been done, an .artist worked various colors of the rain- bow into the decoration, and then they were all varnished .and waxed so that keeping them in order is similar to the polishing of wood floors, but the polishing is required much less frequently. Upstairs we use velvet carpets of double width and plain colors, sewed together to form a mat or rug, but without a border, and extending within 6" or 8" of the side walls all the way around. We find that no nailing strips or other means of fastening are necessary, since the carpet lies perfectly flat and is sufficiently large so that it will not move about. Downstairs we use Oriental rugs entirely, and a cu- rious feature in this res]iect is that moths will not hatch on the under side of a rug in contact with concrete, where they do liatch when it is in contact with wood. This ajiplies to the under side of the rug only, because 'From Concrete, January, 1915. CON CRETE nOVSES ^1^ it is not impossibk- for tlicui to liatcli witliiu the nig- ••isceiuls e\try time the Hoor is tlcxcd by stcl)pin<;- on it. fabric itself. Tiicre is iicMr a scjucak or otiu-r noise pro(hiced l)y tiic- Xow, tlie common imi)ression is tliat a eonerett' floor rubbini;- of one hoard of the interior iioor on .-mother, will make the room cold, hut tills impression is reached \\\\.\\ car])et on the tlo(n-s they ,ire .absolutely noiseless, by Jieople who have gone into rooms with ecnierite floors and one cannot detect a pta-son w.ilkini;- on an u])|)er floor where there was nii carpet on the tlom' and hee.iuse .at when he is in the room below. |)ro\ided. of course, th.it the moment they were critical of eoncrcti-, but if one will there is a c.irpet on the floor aboxc. go into a bare room where li.ard wood floors b;ne been The I'onerete Hoor m.akes ,a much h.indsomer setting used they will get ex.actly the s.ame effect, 'i'be .addition ,aiul b.u'kground for Oricnt.al rugs th.in wooden floors, of carpets and tapestries decreases the number of s(|U,are .and one can do .aw.av with tlie unsightly baseboard, feet where the air of the room comes in emit.iet directly which ,alwa\s collects dust. Tiuai there is none of the with the Hoor or side w.alls. trouble of warping and str.aining which comes with the There is also an impression th.it concrete Horn's .arc \'se of wooden Hoors. damp. They .are dam)) for the Hrst two months .after Above all else, the house is iirt'|)roof when jjroperly being laid, and on this .account sluudd not be v.arnished built in other respects, ,and one can leave liome with or waxed, but after this period they are .as dry .as wood- the .assur.aiu'c tli.at neither pro]3erty of .any considerable en floors. I have made .accurate tests with hygrometers, \,alue nor lixes will be destroyed in the e\ ent of Hre. to determine this point. I feel that my pictures, rugs and porcelains are as safe The concrete Hoor is to me most satisfactory because in my house as in a vault at the bank, barring the pos- it is free from cracks in which dust .aceunndates and sibilitv of theft, which is rather remote. COyCliETE HOUSES Advertising Section Here follow the announcements of nineteen manufacturers whose ac- tivities in promoting concrete house construction have been recognized and whose messages will, we feel sure, be of interest to the readers of this book. CONCRETE HOUSES iwile TRADE MAHIt "A Roof for All Time" A Standard Roofing in the Old Country for Fifty Years. The ideal Roofing Ciiiicrete is permanent and fireprdnf. K\'er\-l)i i(l\- in N'onr llJcalit^• who uwns a per- nia'ient 1>uilding' or e\"er builds one \\-ants a ix-vmanent, fire]iroot, attracti^X' roofing" — Avitli- in reach of his ]")urse. A\\alter Concretile is the on!}- roofing- thai complete)}- fidfills all those reqniren-ients. The Lafa\-ette ^lotur Car Con-ipan}- is build- ing 150 hon-ies for their emplo}-ees. Walter Concretile in \-arious shades will roof all of these houses. Building ordinances in all large cities )-io\\- forljid the use of wood shingle? or other in- immab'e roohng-n-iaterials. This gi\-es Walter Concretile ccnnniand of the field. The manufacture of AA'alter Concretile is a local indusfr\-. It exi.sts independent of freight car shortage i-)r embargoes. National ad\-ertising- and successful plant:- o\-er the conntr\- helj:) sell }-our output in }-our own coninn.niit}-. Fn man}- cities one or twi goo'd conlractoi's \\\\\ \)\\y yi-iur whole output. Sufficient cajiital to establish a plajit, and a little ' pe])" will produce a \-ery profital)le busi- nes- with no botherson-ie competitifin. COXCNETE HOUSES Wonder ■> J Xn lirtt'T rXl'lcnC- ni \\t iX- 1 ) 1'^ l\ Sll] 't I 11 M'lt\" C( Mllil 1 If '\v- sireil tliaii i^^ aitXrildl liy tin.- la.cl tlial iiiaii\ ol tlic larL;!'--! Lait;aiiai'rin:_; and la m Iractiiu;" firins ill till- ii)untr\" aia stand- ardizin" lai Jva \\ < iX I ) K l\ . I f yu want siiial! mix iiu estnicnt — yrcat aila] aliil:t_\ — a niixer that yi can run into a ha^emr IT lift to an upper stn —take the WOXOE a Uhmit Lciailer — thr^ sizes to seleet frum — : can lie eipiiiipcd \vi Anxihary Hoist at sni; extrti cost. If you want larger ca acit\' and hirger profits, take the W( )XDh:K ;ei//i h'olding- Track Loader. Loader ]i r a c t i c a 1 ! \" douldes capacity and equips you for ah kinds of work. Viai get high s[iie(h yet longer mixing time per liatch than other mixers at same discharge interxal — also ground le\el charging — the only real low charging. This IS the greatest achie\e- meiit in mixer huilding. Send For The Wonder Catalog Mofiife }rni litiild Aaiur iiext concrete lion.se, send I'nr mir Calaloo-. ddiis o-jvcs full speeificatinns (if the mixers that hax'e put thnnsand.s of cnntracturs "on tlnar feet" and .-swedled the prohts of thou's-.nd.s; more. It shows wh}- "WrdXDER" Afixers arc siiperinr in jirinciple ;ind cemstrnctinn — ho\\- the}- inix mortar as well as concrete — \vh\- the_\- |"ia_\' laioa-st di\idends mi imestnient. .\sk' f(ir V mr free copv of this catalog today — a post can! will dn — just sav — "Send me m\ cnp\- eif the ^\'i aider Catalog." Waterloo Construction Machinery Co. 105 Vinton St., Waterloo, Iowa CONCRETE HOUSES BLYSTONE for house builders — fur mixing cuncrele lor fuundations, upper \\'alls. flonrs, si(le"\\','ilks. — for niixino' mortar to keep a gang of lirick ki\"ers 1)usv — lor mixing |)lastcr — hard wall or old lasliionrd hair plaster. — tor the nlant where hlock, lirick. wall tile and roof tile are made. — for all these johs a Rlvstone fills the BATCH IXERS Type B-1— Capacity 7 en. ft. I'l.iiiular in c I' n c r (.■ t L' proihicts plants. Type IM— Capaeity 7 cu. ft. F-Vjrtable 4 h. p. fta^nline engine. T\-pe C-- — Ca])aeity 5 cu. ft. A favoriti.- with general contrac- tors for all-around mixing, including idaster. Wc have a new catalog with a picture of e\-ery type of Blystone mixer in it and a brief definite description ot it. ^May we send you a copy? Blystone Mfg. Co. 920 Venango Ave. Cambridge Springs, Pa. L. & p. MANUFACTURING CO. NIAGARA FALLS, ONT. Manufacturers and Distributors for Canada CONCRETE HOUSES VAN GUILDER DOUBLE WALL CONCRETE BUILDINGS NOT FIRE-WOOD BUT FIREPROOF A'an ( iiiilder reinforced doul^le moiidlithic Cdiicrete \\'alls are twice as .strun.ii' as l)rick walls i')i the same thickness. Concrete is the logical world product for g-eneral construction, Ijut for housing men or animals, the walls' must he double to be right — no solid places or cores to carry dampness and cold through. There must ])e two distinct monolithic walls entirely separated having a blanket of dead air between them. Dead air makes the best insulation in the wnjrld and costs nothing. Tli ^ ^^^ .^Sti^^^ikm L ni''|iialieil tor h<:imes — So l.Jamptll-■^s. even Ti'mpernture The Machines I-iM pr ■> tJ\X-' " , -^^.'^^ PATENTED . Permanent, fireproof, moisture-proof houses are built with TILE A small easily handled concrete unit that meets every architectural requirement, an ideal base for exterior stucco and a suitable surface for direct plastering on the inside. On housing projects of consider- able size, the cost per culiic foot of permanent fireproof house can be remarkably reduced by setting uji equipment in a temporary plant for manufacturing and curing Federal Hy-Test Tile. Manufacturing the building ma- terial right on the job, using raw materials obtained locally and using local labor, eliminates many of the difficulties due to inadequate trans- portation, fuel shortage, the tmrest of skilled labor and other complica- liiins common to the building ma- terial held. A builder who has a number of concrete houses to erect may find it to his advantage to establish a permanent Hy-Test Tile Pl;int. to manufacture the tile not only for his own needs, but for the local market. Hy-Test Tile arc strong. Their design produces a wall of maximum crushin.g strength, a wall that is Literature and prices on request. Demonstrations at the factory. insulated against heat and cold, proof against moisture, and it won't burn. The units are light enough to be easily handled by masons, thus re- ducing the erection cost. The tile are of such shape and size as to accommodate themselves readily to the requirements of architectural designs. Federal Hy-Test Tile houses, whether for the workman or the millionaire, are permanent and, in the long run, the most economical. The Federal Machine Products Co., 2777 E. 53rd St., Cleveland, Ohio u CONCRETE HOUSES Meal Shapely, Beautiful Blocks Always Accurate and True 'it' ^ ^^^m^.u^Li Chalmers Motor Car Co., Detroit, Mich. In considering any build- ing proposition do not over- look the many advantages presented by Ideal Block Machines. They produce thoroughly cured, correctly made con- crete blocks, so that the units shall be accurate in dimensions and artistic in design — as well as fireproof and waterproof. Ideal Concrete Blocks maA' be (and are) used successfully and economical!}' in any type of building. We shcnv herewith reproductions of some of the istvlcs of blocks we make, as well as illustrations of build- ings constructed with Ideal blocks. While the cuts indi- cate in a measure the appearance of the fin- ished product, they do not and cannot reflect the high standards of manufacture main- tained in our plant, nr)r the irreproachable qualitv which characterizes every item we produce. Uur maclunes, being strong, durable and high-grade in every way, have a reputation for consistent results which we guard carefully. Every block is correctly- made, clean-cut and attractive. Made any style of face, any standard or fractional size. Dr. Harter Residence — Elkhart, Ind. Oi THE IDEAL CONCRETE MACHINERY CO. COLERAIN AVE. CINCINNATI, OHIO CONCRETE HOUSES 15 Sdeal Block Machines Produce Uniformly Satisfactory Results The concrete block as a building unit al- ways has the call — providing it is made right. Our Block Machines turn out good, true blocks every time — they are the original face- down machines. The Ideal Automatic Power Tamper built in conjunction with the Ideal Block Machine — provides better blocks and greater production. Results are more uniform and of increased volume. You can cut the cost of making blocks fifty per cent; double or treble the out- put and materially improve the quality of the blocks. Cement Bricks ha^'e great compression strength, are as waterproof as bricks can be, and through the use of richer facing materials, offer the architect and builder a greater va- riety of artistic surface treatments. They do not crack or disintegrate, but IMPROVE WITH AGE. Cement bricks of the highest quality can be pro- duced at low cost bj- means of OUR POWER BRICK MACHINES. Simple, eas}' to operate, strong and reliable. You can get a big output of brick every day. Ornamental and Architectural Molds Beautiful and highly artistic lawn vases, garden seats, balustrades, porch columns, etc., can l^e made with our accurate molds. Or- namental concrete work is becoming more pop- ular every day, but it must be done carefully, for its decorative value is lost if the work is rough or if the seams made by the molds show. THE IDEAL CONCRETE MACHINERY CO. COLERAIN AVE. CINCINNATI, OHIO Our Block Machinery Catalog will furnish you all the facts about our Concrete Blocks and our Machinery for making them. Our Catalog No. 30 gives valuable and complete information about our Ornamental and Archi- tectural Molds. A COPY OF EACH HAS BEEN RESERVED FOR EVERY READER OF "CONCRETE HOUSE BOOK." WRITE FOR THEM TODAY. 16 CONCRETE HOUSES The U. S. Champion C o n c r ete Tile This cut shows our French Tile as they over-lap and interlock on both their sides and ends. This cut shows how our French Tile looks when laid on roof. A fireproof roofing' that cHnches the protection of a Avell l)uilt home — a roof of artistic beauty that harmonize with the architecture and adds security and value to the house it covers. Use of The U. S. Champion Concrete Tile means a real economy. They are easily made and applied. They interlock and overlap one another on both sides and ends and make a rigid roof — absolutely waterproof and stormproof, in any color desired. In cost they compete successfully with anv roofing, even wood shingles. The U. S. Champion tile machinery con- sists of two dififerent machines made and (iperated on the same principle — one for making- tile of the French design and the other for making S-shaped Spanish tile. Among other important patented improve- ments on our machines is a device for mak- ing automatically an interlock on top of the upper end of the tile — an immense fac- tor as a water- and wind-stop — CHARAC- TERISTIC FOR OUR ROOFlNi; TILES ONLY. AA'rite for our description and prices. L. HANSEN CO. 3617 E. 23RD STREET KANSAS CITY, - - MO. This cut shows how our Spanish Tile looks when laid on roof. This cut shows how our Spanish Tile looks in detail. COXCBETE no I \SKS -17 A i-oUei- bcariiu I'l non tuu I carrying: mouUU I i 1^ <->! rli 1^4" or 27 of tlu !'• I le^k .. n easily be hand ltd cu (. i "i m.i u ■> of narrow gaugi. ti uk^ to tlu mixer for povu'iii^ to tht 1 ilns for cviring. ami to the stora:-;e. yard for unloading the block. \\'c believe this system of handling gives the greatest etti- cienc>" in a nKxlcrn block plant. dLiIAA AX MOULDS Produce the very highest quality concrete lilock, as well as the most scienti- fically shaped block, possible to be made. Every manufacturer of concrete block should be usino- these moulds BE- CAUSE:' 1, Poured cuiurete has no competition, and CLIMAX blocks arc aljsolutely water-proof, tlie\' make a real hollow and wonderfully strong wall, ha\'ins free insulation of air. ?.. CLIM.AX System Poured l)lock are superior to natural stone because of their hardness, tough- ness, fnedum from unevenncss in density and lack of "veins" or "grain" which results in de- terioration in natural stone ; and especially their shape. 3. These moulds are built right and practical — very strong — perfectly aligned to produce block of uniform shape — everlasting — easily and quickly assembled or released. 4. These moidds are eiiually practicable for use in factiuies b.i\'ing several thousand as well as for the plant of say 1(10 daily output of block. Our plan of mounting and handling the flasks for fac- torv use L;i\es the greatest efficiency in a modern block plant, "). !MimbK are furnished for four standard sizes i.f building bli'ck, as well as for pier and column block. lb Interchangeable face-plates for making either plain, rock faced, or tocded faced Ijlock, may be used in the same flasks for regular block. i. Moulds can be fitted to produce one-piece brick for jaying hollow \valls. the brick unit having face 4x8", for either 8" or 1?." thick wall. 8. The CLIMAX System manufactures the highest quality block so economically that a big profit can be made eyen if sold in competition with inferior Idock. But the superiority of the block makes competition unnecessary: therefore, the\' bring unusually fine dividends to the owmer of a factory. '.I. .•\rchitects, Contractors, and b:nginecrs, recognize the superiority of poured concrete units in con- struction and if you buy our equipment j-ou will never have to discard it to meet competition, as so many lilock makers are being forced to do nowadays with (heir machinery. 10. We are sole manufacturers for the Goodlctl Concrete X'ibrator, wdiich is the last word in producing better and superior concrete stone on •a more ecninmiical manufacturing basis. It strengthens cimcrete wonderfulh', eliminates the air voids, hastens lilling of f(n-nis, fills e\ery cin-ner, uses less cement, reduces lal)or cost x'ery much, and is satisfactory in e\-ery way. Write for catalog and full information. GOODLET VIBRATOR THE S. P. STONE CO., 100 Arcadia Ave., Columbus, Ohio IS COXCEETE HOUSES i\Iijre than lonil Ixiards lA trade, huusiny- cui'iiuratu ins, enipli lycrs, superintendents and building cuntraelurs ha\e asle perfected Ija' Charles H. Ingersoll and his associates, a large grcmii of Avhich liaA^e been erected in l'hillipsl)urg, X, J., just across the Delaware Rner from our offices. These ALPHA .Ser\dce .Sheets on \\ orknignien's Homes deal A\'ith (1) Poured wall houses of se\ er.a! difl'crent t}'pcs : ( ■,' ) Precast beam-and-slab houses such as the ALPHA Co;np)an_\' has liuilt at its o\\"n plants; and (3) Ltu.niie-anu-frame-houses. The sheets give details of wall construction, reinforcing, door-idans, r(.iof C'lnstruction, Avindows, dciors. steps, t}'pical specifications, etc In additiijn, we ha\'e on hand a limited numlier of copies of Issue Xo. '20 of ALPHA AIDS, gi\ung a general account of the Ingersoll tAjie of house, showing ^dews of both -i- room and O-room tx'pi.'s and detailed costs. If A"ou liA'e east of the 2^1is.•^issippi. let us send yuu this information free of obligation, and a copy of the most recent issue of ALPH.V \IDS. ALPHA PORTLAND CEMENT COMPANY General Offices, EASTON, PA. Branch Offices: NEW YORK, BOSTON, SAVANNAH, PITTSBURGH, PHILADELPHIA, BALTIMORE CONCRETE HOUSES l!l (ement-iun How to Build GUNITE Houses Quickly and Economically Rows upon rows of GUNITE houses were built as shown above, the work being done when low cost construc- tion capable of speedy erection was required. Metal mesh over tar felt was applied to the wood frame and the "Cement- Gun" gang came along and applied the GUNITE coat, pro- ducing a wooden framed house encased in a thin, strong, waterproof, fire resistant, reinforced concrete. The English Government has accepted this construc- tion as in the same class as brick. GUNITE is sand and cement applied with the "Cement Gun." It is impervious and fire resisting, and is more than twice as strong as concrete or hand placed mortar. The "Cement-Gun" is not a restricted article. It may be purchased outright from us and used by everyone. We have a special booklet describing the use of the "Cement-Gun" on house construc- tion projects. A GUNITE Frame House Another type of GUNITE House has re- cently been developed by engineers. Standard panels of wood on frame, covered with tar felt, are set up. Reinforcement is placed and GUNITE is appliedfrom the outside. 'When the"Cement-Gun" has finished, the result is a building with reinforced concrete beams and columns and thin reinforced concrete curtain walls. The forms remain in place for the application of interior lath and plas- ter. Perfect insulation and fire protection are provided by dead air spaces. We have a special folder describing in detail the design and con- struction of this type of GUNITE house. Cement-Gun Company, Incorporated Allentown, Pa. 30 Church Street New York City Citizens Nat'l Bk. Bldg. Los Angeles, Calif. 904 Cham, of Com. Bldg. Chicago, 111. 615 Mohawk Block Spokane, Wash. 204 R. A. Long Bldg. Kansas City, Mo. 812 Virginia Ry. & Power Bldg. Richmond, Va. 211 Fulton Bldg. Pittsburgh, Pa, General Supply Co., Ltd. Winnipeg and Ottawa, Canada CONCRETE HOUSES Enduring Stucco at Economical Cost Hy-Rib Residence for Miss Alice Henck. Santa Barbara. Cal. Thomas Nixon, Architect. Wonderful transformation of forty-five year old wood frame house to modern stucco residence. Vs" Hy-Rib Lath was applied directly to the old siding without the use of furring strips. I |j< lliii Cement stvicco on Hy-Rilj IMetal Lath has exceptional permanency, as proven in extensive comparative tests. This construction has great fire resistance and is an excellent insulator against heat and cold. Stucco on metal lath not only costs less than other permanent c<:>nstruc- tions, but compares favoraljly in first cost with wood frame, which of course is subject to firt danger and continual painting expense. Old Houses Made New By Overcoating An old wood siding lioiise can be read- ily transformed into a fine modern stucco building by the use of Hy-Ivib Metal Lath. Metal Lath and stucco are applied directly o\'er the wcjud sidings. This o^'ercoating easily pa}>. for itself in the sa\-ing on painting bills and in the in- creased walue of the propert}-. ITv-Rib is a complete line of metal laths, including all weights and types of Rib Laths, Diamond Laths, etc: alsu all necessary- channels, corner beads, l^ase screed^, etc. li \"ou are planning to build a house or any other structure, get our complete Hy- Ril) LLandbook, cimtaining illustratinns, details, specificaimns and complete infor- mation — free to jivospective builders. TRUSCON STEEL CO. YOUNGSTOWN OHIO Warehouses and Sales Offices in Principal Cities TRUSCON BUILDING PRODUCTS David Slott Estate, 1700 JelTerson Ave., Detroit, Mich. John Shea, Plastering Contractor. ( '()\( liKTE HOUSES .'1 3 □ C 3 [=1 C D D The INGERSOLL Monolithic House A fireproof everlasting concrete house at the price of wood Description A wood form that is set up to com- pletely cast the exterior walls, i)arti- tions, floors and roof, in one operation, of five and one-half days. Standardization Provision is made in the form for window and door frames, concrete rein- forcing, electric conduits, soil and vent roug'hing for the plumbing, the grounds for floor sleepers, wall furring and trim. A Die-Casting Operation vs the Tw^o-Foot Rule The Ingersoll Monolithic House starts with a form that die casts the shell in one operation. The completion of this building is a series of predetermined operations, making it imnecessary to lav out each di\-ision in every house with a two-foot rule. All labor eiTort is con- fined to the completion of the standard- ized operation. Type of House Any layout or plan can be reproduced in concrete with this system at the same costs of a frame wood building. Ingersoll Houses may be seen at Unionville. Union Co., H. I. Phillipsburg, N. J., In- gersoll-Rand Co. Cedar Hollow, Pa., Chas. Warner Co. In soliciting business for operations of fifty houses or more, I give you my as- surance of a full and expert co-opera- tion of my engineering service. CHAS. H. INGERSOLL OF ROBT. H. INGERSOLL & BRO. 31 S Fourth Avenue NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. I n n I 3 CD C CONCRETE HOUSES 3 C=] C 3 □ DC :: 1=3 c mGwm% A Monthly Magazine about Concrete Construction This magazine is the oldest and largest devoted exclusively to concrete construction. For the architect it supplies inspiration and ideas for the artistic use of concrete. To the builder it brings monthly the best tried and tested experiences of other builders. It keeps the concrete products manufacturer in- formed on every important step of progress in the manufacture of concrete building units. Once a year — in January — it issues a House Building Number that reviews the activities of the whole year in concrete house building show- ing what has been done, who did it, how they did it and what it cost. Subscription price $3.00 per year (plus zone postage) in U. S., Mexico and U. S. Possessions. Canada, $3.50 per year, Foreign Coun- tries, $4.00 per year. Concrete -Cement Age Pub. Co. New Telegraph Building DETROIT. MICH. [°][S][n](c ][^[1