Part 4
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OUR GUARANTEE.
We guarantee our shingles as follows: If you will use them, and _they are properly put on in accordance with our instructions_, and if they do not then give satisfaction, we agree to replace your roof, free of expense to you, with equally expensive material, any time within two years from the time you put them on. In addition to this, we may be able to give you a local reference, as our goods are in use in every State and Territory. We call your attention to the price list, and we will be pleased to make you discounts on application.
THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO., 510 to 520 East 20th St., New York City.
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Cover roof with No. 1 Standard 10 × 14 Tin Shingles; use attic vents (see page 73) on main roof, and cover belt courses with 7 × 10 Tin Shingles, same quality as those for main roof.
The plans and elevations of cottages presented in this book have each been specially prepared for some individual by an eminent architect, and the proportions and details can be relied upon.
SHOWING APPLICATION OF OUR RIDGE OR HIP COPING.
These cuts are good illustrations of our Ridge Finish, which is also used as Hip Coping. It is secured to the roof comb by nailing through the flange, which rests on each side of the comb. It makes a durable and neat finish; is of great assistance to workmen not skilled in metal roofing, and its cost is no more than the labor and material necessary in making the regular standing seam used by roofers in finishing the comb of sheet metal roofs.
FOR RE-COVERING.—Use our Roofing; no other has the conveniences for rapid laying.
VENTILATION.
As you value health, study well this important subject, which is oftener neglected in constructing dwellings than any other detail. An experienced and observant man can pick from those whom he meets on the street men or women who habitually sleep in badly ventilated rooms. The florist will study and practice the best means to ventilate his propagating house, and ignore the necessity of the same principle for himself and family. Everything that breathes—and what living thing does not?—needs a change of air to remain in a healthy condition. Leaves are the lungs of plants, and, deprived of this change, soon assume a delicate, sickly hue.
Why should the human family, in full possession of reasoning powers, ignore the lesson that is every day before them? By ventilation we mean a system that will constantly supply the dwelling with fresh air; at the same time it draws the vitiated atmosphere from each hall and room in the house. This can be done during the process of erection in a simple, effectual and inexpensive manner. Even if it should cost more than you feel inclined to pay, the result will justify the expense.
There is no better way of creating upward draught than the open fire-place, or a flue built with an opening near the floor. Such flues should not be less than 8 × 8 inches for an ordinary size bedroom, and should, if possible, be built alongside of the chimney flue, and extend through the house-top without openings, except the one nearest the floor in the room it starts from.
As vitiated air is heavier than pure air, and is always nearest the floor, the artificial draught caused by a long, upright flue is constantly at work carrying the lower atmosphere from each room in which these upward and outward draught flues are built. To supply the rooms with fresh air, corresponding flues must be built similar in size and construction to the above. Commence them with outside openings about on a level with the first floor joists, extending upward, and end with openings inward near the ceiling. Each of these openings outside and inside the house should be covered with coarse wire cloth. That made from tinned or galvanized No. 16 wire, with one-half in. meshes, is the best. Care should be taken in building these flues to have them smoothly plastered on the inside. An ornamental finish can be used at each end if desired. By this arrangement a steady flow of fresh air, both night and day, is secured without the ill effects of strong draughts.
Do not try to economize by using one flue for two or more rooms. Good results are only secured by using a set of flues for each room or hall. I have seen ventilating flues built to open through the cornice. That is a bad plan, for even a slight wind will check the draught while blowing against that side. If the flues are properly finished after passing through the roof the wind will increase the draught. The above suggestions answer equally as well for frame houses. It is easy to construct wood flues between the weatherboarding and lath.
COOPER’S CONDUCTOR OR LEADER PIPE.
The object of this invention is to supply the builder with a conductor-pipe that will not burst after freezing, which all pipes without provision for expansion are liable when water is frozen solid in them. The peculiarity of the joint lies in the wedge principle, applied in a manner which forces the rim of the inside lap hard against the overlapping end with strength sufficient to do without soldering the joints. Besides this, each joint is provided with a fastening which prevents the pipe from settling. This fastening may or may not be used, but if used in connection with the ordinary pipe hook (which does not prevent the pipe from settling) makes a very superior fastening.
The V-shaped corrugation prevents bursting, as it allows the pipe to expand when frozen, thus preventing its bursting. We make two sizes, three and four inches in diameter, twenty-eight inches long, using tin plate, which we galvanize with zinc after it is formed, making a pipe superior to any galvanized iron pipe of equal weight. We make the same not galvanized, but painted one coat inside and out with linseed oil and oxide of iron paint.
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NAILS.
STEEL WIRE BARBED NAILS are superior to any cut nail made. Are lighter, stronger and easier to drive. Holding firmer in the wood, and having a larger flat head, they hold the tin to the roof boards much better, are nearly double the quantity to the pound, and therefore fully as cheap.
DEADENING AND FIRE-PROOFING FLOORS.
This can be accomplished in a simple and inexpensive manner by nailing strips 1 × 1½ inches along the side of each joist, the top edge of each strip to be two inches below the top surface of the joist. On top of these strips lay a floor of rough boards. Second-hand material answers every purpose for the floor, as the boards need not be matched or of even thickness.
On the top of this rough floor spread a covering of coarse mortar gauged level with the top edge of the joist. When the mortar is dry lay the floor in the usual manner. It takes a long time for fire to burn through a floor laid in this manner, and sound is deadened completely by the mass of non-conducting mortar and the double floors. For fire-proofing and deadening partitions in an effective way, build a four-inch brick wall between the studding. A nail driven every ten or twelve inches in the side of the studding, on the line of the mortar joint, will hold the wall firmly between the studding. Where brick is scarce or expensive, sun dried brick made from stiff clay is a good substitute. They can be made 12 × 12 inches, and thick enough to come within ⅜ of an inch of the lathing. The mortar keys impinging against the wall make the plastering firmer and consequently stronger.
The expense of fire-proofing and deadening in this manner is so small, it is surprising it is not more generally adopted. If the flooring is laid before the mortar used between the joists is dry, it will cause the boards to swell and may bulge them; and when they finally become dry will leave ugly looking cracks where they join. Remember, you cannot have a well built house without giving Nature time to do her work.
DIRECTIONS FOR LAYING WALTER’S PATENT METALLIC SHINGLES.
Commence at the lower left-hand corner. In starting be particular to see that you start straight with the eaves of the building. To do this it is best to draw a chalk line about twelve inches from the eaves; this distance leaves two inches to project from the eaves, which in many cases is more than sufficient. If you use our Gable End Finish (Cut I) it saves the trouble of fitting the shingles to the verge board, and adds to the appearance of the roof. After nailing the Gable End Finish to its place, press the left-hand edge of the first shingle well under the fold of the Gable End Finish, and before nailing it hook two or three shingles with the top edge on a line with your chalk line; then remove the loose shingles, and nail the first one which is held to its proper place by the Gable End Finish. By doing this in starting each course you are sure of a straight line if you follow correctly the gauge lines at the top of each shingle.
If your roof has a =pitch of six inches to the foot, or steeper, let the bottom edge of the shingle rest just above the lower gauge line on the top of the underlying shingle, as shown in Cut A=. But if the pitch of the roof is less than six inches to the foot, let the shingle entirely cover the lower gauge line, as shown in Cut B.
We advise against the use of our shingles on roofs of less pitch than five inches to the foot, unless the lap is increased. As a rule, we think any roof that can be walked over with safety is too flat for shingles of either wood or metal.
Should there be a gutter formed at the eave, let the shingle rest on it as you would in using the ordinary wood shingle. (Remember every other course =commences with a half shingle, as shown in Cuts A and B=.) The same rules that govern the laying of slate or the common wood shingle along valleys, or about chimneys and dormer windows, are applicable to ours, except the tin shingles are bent up against the sides of chimneys, which cannot be done with wood or slate. When our shingles turn up against the sides of chimneys or brick walls, insert flashing by sawing out the mortar joint above the line of tin work; where the upper edge of our shingles butts against the brick wall, as they do on the lower side of chimneys, cut them off on the line where the chimney comes to the roof, and use a strip of tin bent in this manner. (See Cut F.) The upper end at A is to fit in mortar joint. The lower edge, B, is nailed to the sheathing before the shingles are put on. The upper ends of shingles are then to be pressed up under the fold, C. Great care should be used in finishing about chimneys and dormers, the details of which cannot well be explained to suit each case; but a workman of ordinary skill can suggest the proper manner in which the work should be done to secure thoroughly tight work.
It is much easier to secure this result with the use of our shingles than it is with either wood or slate.
Where the upper end of shingle butts against the side of a frame house, use the same means as on the lower side of chimneys, only let there be no bend at the point A, as shown in Cut F; but let it extend an inch or so up under the weather boarding. Where the weather boarding is vertical there is no way of making tight work but to put the tin work, as before described, back of the vertical weather board.
In laying the valley, cut the tin so it extends to about one-half inch over the lock, and bend it under, as shown in Cut D. We furnish to each customer a small pair of hand-tongs, which is handy to turn this edge over and pinch it together after the shingle is laid.
The Cut D represents the shingles laid to and from the valley. In starting from the valley it is best to hold several shingles together, or tack them at the top, then with a straight-edge mark and cut where they overlap the valley; and with the hand-tongs edge and lock them to the valley, as shown in cut D.
Use the Hip Coping by nailing the edges to the roof boards, and press the shingle up under the folds on each side after they are cut to suit the angle of the hip. (See Cut E.)
As plain as this appears, we have known men to nail the Hip Coping through the folds and on the top of the shingles. We are, therefore, particular to say wherever this Hip, or our Plain Ridge Coping (which is the same thing) is used it should be nailed to the roof boards before the shingles are put on. The fold is made expressly to receive the edge of the shingles. Cut E shows this coping and the manner of applying it.
We desire to impress upon our customers, who live in the Northern States, where blizzards and severe snow storms are frequent, the necessity of using close sheathing, and if the sheathing is not close, =the use of sheathing paper, to be laid underneath the shingles=; it adds greatly to the warmth of the house in winter, and prevents small particles of snow from entering, it costs but little, and should always be used under wood, slate or tin shingles where the best protection is desired.
DO NOT HAMMER DOWN THE JOINTS OR LOCK.
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PAINTING.
After the mason, bricklayer, carpenter, tinsmith and plasterer comes the painter. At this stage of progress in the work, the owner usually thinks of moving in; in fact, he thinks he should have been living in his new house several weeks ago.
If weather conditions have been good, the representatives of other branches of house building have got along smoothly excepting a little shaking up now and then, caused mostly by the men occasionally yielding to the seductive influences of Old John Barleycorn or his rival King Growler. The owner, having previously engaged or contracted for inside painting, now calls on the painter. The man of colors and brushes is always ready to promise quick work (and we are free to say the mysteries of his trade are equal to any reasonable emergency), and is apt to humor his employer’s impatience, and meekly submits to his wishes knowing that his employer’s hurry is his gain. House-builder, did it ever occur to you that first-class inside painting is a slow process? Think of this; after the first coat is laid, it should stand long enough to become thoroughly dry, dry enough to be sand-papered. The second coat should be a little heavier than the first or priming coat. It does not dry as fast as the first. (We are speaking of good materials properly proportioned.) Each coat must be thoroughly dry before it is sand-papered. Any kind of good work requires three coats. Extra good work—four, besides varnishing.
If you succeed in doing this work inside of four weeks you are fortunate. Thus you see it requires time to do good work. Time for the men to do theirs, and time for Nature to do hers. Sometimes Nature frowns and lowers a curtain of humidity for days at a time, which prevents the oils from drying. It is possible for your painter to finish all four coats in as many days; but if he is honest and you have not hurried him unreasonably, his conscience will suffer. Good painting, like other good things, is durable, looks well, and is the cheapest in the end.
Good painters pride themselves on doing good work. So if you desire first-class work, you should give the painter a reasonable price, and sufficient time in which to do the work properly.
There is doubtless more adulteration in paint than in any materials used in house-finishing. So general is this the case that it is often difficult to get pure materials. This is caused by the low price of the products of petroleum, the earth materials used to adulterate mineral paints, and the demand for cheap work.
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ATTENTION, ROOFERS!
Our BROAD RIB ROOFING and STEEL PLATE SHINGLES are not protected with a coat of richer metal like those made of tin or terne plate, and consequently their _durability depends upon the paint_ with which they should be covered.
For this purpose nothing, so far as we know, is equal to a mixture of _pure unboiled linseed oil_ and the _oxide of iron_. The Shingles should have two coats, one before they are put on, on both sides (this we do), the other immediately _after they are laid_. This last coat should be repeated _every four or five years_.
Remember, it is the _rust-preventing_ qualities of linseed oil, combined with the oxide of iron, that makes steel or iron sheets resist the corrosive action of oxygen, which is ever present in the atmosphere. (See page 101.)
A PERFECT ROOF.
The best can only be obtained by using good materials, worked into the best form that theory and experience can suggest.
WALTER’S PATENT “STANDARD” AND COOPER’S PATENT “QUEEN ANNE” METALLIC SHINGLES AND SIDING,
made from Tin Plate, Steel Plate, Galvanized Tin Plate, Bronze Metal, and Copper, are unrivaled for roof covering.
BECAUSE they have a perfect lock, using no cleats, springs or exposed seams.
BECAUSE they have no exposed fastenings; all nail heads are covered as perfectly as those used for wood shingles.
BECAUSE they can be applied without the necessity of soldering, and with no other tools than a hammer, a small pair of hand-tongs and tin shears.
BECAUSE they break joints by starting each alternate course with a half shingle, thus bringing the centre of the bottom of each shingle astraddle of the locked shingle below, securely binding the same and preventing rattling.
BECAUSE they are easily and rapidly put on, requiring no odd pieces at the eaves, gables or comb.
BECAUSE they lessen the expense of insurance, which extends not only to the building but to furniture and goods contained therein.
BECAUSE they do not crack, split, warp, fall off, rust or burn.
BECAUSE there are no cross seams or joints where rain or moisture can settle and cause decay.
BECAUSE we furnish with our shingles, at moderate cost, Valleys, Gable Strips, Ridge and Hip Coping, that not only improves the finish of exterior, but assists the workman to an extent that lessens the cost of applying.
Manufactured by THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO., 510 to 520 East 20th Street, New York City,
and for sale by Dealers in all the principal cities of the United States and Canada.
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From BARTLETT HARDWARE CO.,
Freeport, Ill., January 10th, 1888.
THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO., New York City.
Dear Sirs:—I send you photo. of my house that you may see how handsome a Roof the 7 × 10 Shingles make. You thought the 10 × 14 would have been better, but this is the finest roof in this country, and we expect to sell some the present year. Everybody admires it. Please quote for the coming season’s trade.
Very respectfully,
F. BARTLETT, President.
WHAT OUR GOODS ARE.
In offering our goods to the public, we desire to say, briefly, that the _Walter’s Patent Metallic Shingles and Siding Plates_ have now been before this country for nearly eight years, upwards of twelve thousand buildings have been covered with them in the United States and Canada, and we feel warranted in referring to the owners of every building so covered.
Our shingles have a concealed nailing flange the entire length of the shingle on one side, and a perfect lock with a concealed gutter at the side of the nailing flange that provides for _expansion and contraction_, with sufficient ventilation to prevent sweating on the under-side, (causing rust,) so common in the cross seams of flat lock and standing seam, now in use.
Our Galvanized (Re-dipped) Shingle is our Standard Tin Shingle galvanized; and, as every square has twenty pounds of zinc coating, in addition to the first coat of tin, it will be seen why it is superior to any galvanized iron made.
Our “Old Process” prices are designed to cover such grades of double-coated plates as “Old Style,” “M.F.,” “Phelp’s Triple Plate,” “Gilbertson’s Old Method,” and “Tregoning Old Process,” all superior to the Standard Grades, and higher in price. We quote all but Galvanized, painted both sides. If any size or kind is ordered unpainted, the price will be 25 cents per square less.
Our Steel Plate Shingles are made from sheets of Bessemer steel rolled as smooth as tin plate, they are painted the same as the Standard Shingles, and when laid on a roof cannot be distinguished from them. They should be painted every five years with pure linseed oil and oxide of iron (brown mineral). They will not bear neglect; in this respect they differ from shingles made from tin plate. The price is somewhat less, but the greater durability of the Tin Shingles is worth more than the difference in price.
We make our shingles in four sizes: The smallest, 7 × 10, (showing an exposed surface, after laid, of 5½ × 9 inches,) is designed for Mansards, Spires, Siding, and other upright work. The 10 × 14, (exposed surface, 8¼ × 11½ inches,) is the popular size; and while it works to the best advantage on complicated roofs, it is equally good for plain ones. The 14 × 20, (exposed surface, 12 × 17½ inches,) is used largely on the plainer roofs, where a saving in price and labor of putting on is an item. The 20 × 28, (exposed surface, 17½ × 25½ inches,) is made from heavier metal, and is designed for warehouses, and other large surfaces; and any of the larger shingles can be used for siding equally as well.
We are prepared to make any of the above sizes from any special brand of tin plate in the market, but for our Standard goods, which we carry in stock, we use a first-class grade of roofing tin plate, warranted perfect.
SAMPLES.
We will send free, and charges paid, samples of our WALTER’S PATENT SHINGLES (three pieces) to any address in the United States on receipt of five two-cent stamps; this does not pay us one-half the expense, but we propose to make the cost as light as possible to those interested in building.
THE NATIONAL SHEET METAL ROOFING CO., 510 to 520 East 20th Street, New York City.
BROAD RIB ROOFING,