TH 1 25211 ttIS"D _ ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY MAPLE BEECH 19 11 ^a fi)tatE College of agrttuUuce at Covnell tHnibcrSttp Sttjata, Jl. S. k DATE DUE iaU«»e»»«''^^ SM^*^*!**^ ■ CAYLORD PBrNTBDtNU.S.A. jgt TH2521.M2T" ""'"""'>"■"'"''' Official maple flooring book, containing 3 1924 003 633 116 > X* *a4 ▼ ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New York State Colleges OF Agriculture and Home Economics Cornell University II IMi Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003633116 OFFICIAL MAPLE FLOORING BOOK CoDtaiimjg ConcisQj and Authentic Infor- fh Illation for Architects j &^ Builders Concern- in(jf the Characteris- tics and Uses of-^^ MAPLE, BEECH AND BIRCH FLCDRING A v/ Cowp/Ved 6PPu/)J/s/?ed by the^ Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association I3O8 Rector Building CHICAGO ILLINOIS /\ I X 1 CONTENTS Page Foreword 7 Introductory 9 Maple — Characteristics and Uses . . 10-11 Beech — Characteristics and Uses . . . 12-13 Birch — Characteristics and Uses . . 14-15 Comparative Wearing QuaUties 16-17 Care in Manufacture of Flooring .... 19 Association Standard Grades 20 Characteristics of Grades 21 Uses of Standard Grades 23 Thicknesses and Faces — Standard and Special 23 Standard Measurement 23 Quantity of Flooring Required 23 Uses of Different Thicknesses and Faces . 25 Association Standard Lengths 26 Care of Flooring After Leaving Factory . . 27 Laying the Floor 29 The Proper Nail to Use 31 Jointed Flooring 35 Maple Bowling-AUey Flooring 37 Cijpl/rigU, r.lll hif Maple fhoring Manu/adiirer Chicago BELIEVING that concise and reliable information pertaining to the uses and relative merits of Maple, Beech and Birch Flooring as compared with other woods, the adaptability of the different grades, thicknesses and faces to the purposes for which they are best suited, and that a more intimate acquaintance with these products will lead to their greater appreciation and more extensive use, the Maple Flooring Manufacturers' Association has caused this booklet to be compiled and published for distribution among Architects, Builders and others interested in this subject. A few of the many buildings in all sections of the country in which flooring of Association manufacture is in use, are shown in these pages and serve to indicate the high regard in which our product is held by architects and builders everywhere. Grateful acknowledgment for the material used in the compila- tion of this book is made to numerous authorities, among them the many individual manufacturers of flooring, whose courage, persistence and devotion to the principle of doing things better have resulted in the development of an article superior to all other lumber products. Maple Flooring Manufacturers' Association Chicago, Illinois Page 7 M APLE, Beech and Birch, which are similar in many of their characteristics, are the three most staple and trustworthy hardwoods for flooring use. Maple Maple flooring is unquestionably without a peer and is unrivalled for floors that are subjected to hard and constant use. It has been conclusively demonstrated that under these conditions it will long outwear the best all-heart edge-grain yellow pine, gum, fir, ash or oak. It has won its way by its intrinsic merit and based on compara- tive cost and durability, it is the most economical flooring manufactured. Beech and Birch Beech and Birch flooring are very like Maple in texture and next to it in value as flooring material. They will last longer and look better under steady wear and grind than any other wood except Maple. They take color stain readily and are susceptible of a beautiful finish and are therefore especially adapted for use in dwellings where both artistic effects and utility are desired. MAPLE THE Hard or Rock Maple is indigenous to our com- mon country from Maine to Minnesota, but in the hard- wood forests of the north, in the region of the Great Lakes, it attains its highest perfection in quahty of timber, size and symmetry, often reaching a diameter of three feet and rising sixty feet to the first hmb. In- dividual trees on fertile soil occasionally reach one hundred and twenty feet in height. The distinctive feature of the wooded landscape and the real "King of the Forest" is the Hard Maple. During the past twenty years Hard Maple, as lumber, has developed rapidly until it is now the second in importance in the hardwood lumber in- dustry of the country. Its greatest production is in Michigan, which State con- tributed 46 per cent of the Maple lumber output of 1908, according to the United States Forest Service Reports. Permi^iioTi of Amrrirnn Liimhrrman. Page 10 ITS CHARACTERISTICS 5- USES THE wood is tough, heavy, strong, dense and very hard, will take a high polish, wears evenly, never shells, splinters or disintegrates from ordinary uses in any manner whatever and is extremely durable when not placed in contact with the soil. The color of the heartwood is brownish and the sapwood which pre- dominates is much lighter. The structure is compact and the grain close — occasionally curly or birdseye. It has a breaking strength nearly equal to Hickory and in the form of lumber is employed extensively in the construction of agricultural implements, vehicles, furniture and shoe lasts, its physical characteris- tics making it indispensable for such uses. Because it possesses these qualities to a preeminent degree and has vital tenacity and ability to resist pointed pressure without abrasion, it is unexcelled for flooring and it is known to experts as having from two to three times the wearing tenure of other woods commonly utilized for flooring purposes. PiUJC 1 1 BEECH IN full growth this beauti- ful tree is round - topped, with wide-spreading branches and shows a normal altitude of about sixty feet. In its for- est form it often attains a height of 120 to 140 feet, with smoothly rounded bole as sym- metrical as the pillar of a cathe- dral and a diameter of two to four feet. The bark is light gray and remarkably smooth. Of the Beech lumber output of 1908, Michigan produced 21 per cent, according to the For- est Service Reports. Permis.fion of American Lumberman. Page 12 ITS CHARACTERISTICS & USES THE wood is close-grained, hard, strong and tough. The grain sUghtly resembles Oak in appearance. The color of the heart- wood is reddish, the sapwood nearly white. Representative uses of the wood are for inside finish and flooring where a beautiful color is sought and for carpenters' planes, tool handles, etc., where a strong, smooth surface is desired. It is only within the last few years that Beech has been considered an important commercial wood. Of late its merits have been exploited and appreciated and it now constitutes a large element of hardwood manufacture. The physical qualities and appearances of Beech and Maple are so similar that Beech flooring can be used where Maple is intended, but in some instances Beech is frequently preferred to Maple when certain artistic effects are desired, because its color is of a darker and warmer hue and as its grain is more open it takes and retains a fine stain and finish. BIRCH THIS tree is known as black birch, cherry birch and sweet birch and is one of the best known and most highly prized natives of the northern forests. It is round, with slen- der branches, and in height ranges from thirty to ninety feet. Its bark is dark brown and smooth when young, but rough as the tree grows old. The diameter runs from two to four feet in forest growth. Of Birch lumber, Wisconsin and Michigan produced 51 per cent of the cut of 1908, accord- ing to the Forest Service Re- ports. Fcrmisnion 0/ Anterican Lumberman. Page I'l ITS CHARA.CT ERISTICS & USES THE grain is close, the structure compact and the wood heavy, strong and hard, taking stain and a high poUsh very readily. The heart- wood is dark brown tinged with red, while the sapwood has a yellow tone. Representative uses of Birch are for furniture, interior finish, doors, veneers and flooring. Because of its fine physical characteristics and color and because it lends itself readily to staining in imitation of mahogany, it has become a great favorite with the furniture-maker. For interior finish it is be- coming very popular in this country and abroad. Its rich, cheerful color and ability to hold color, as well as its durability, make it a favorite for doors and trim. There is a certain sheen to Birch that is possessed by few woods; under a smooth and perfect finish it has a sparkling luster, due to the grain and linings of the pores. It makes a most beautiful, artistic and durable floor. Page 15 Comparative Wearing Qualities TESTS observed show the following comparative values for wearing qualities, under practically the same conditions, of woods used for flooring: First — Maple Second — Beech and Birch Fourth — Oak, Quarter-Sawed Fifth — Yellow Pine, Quarter-Sawed Sixth — Fir, Quarter-Sawed Seventh — Oak, Plain Sawed Eighth — Yellow Pine, Plain Sawed Ninth — Fir, Plain Sawed Tenth — Norway Pine Eleventh — White Pine Residence of J. M. Longyear Brookline, Mass. Built at Marquette, Mich., in 1891, torn down, removed and rebuilt in Brookline, Mass., in 1904. The original Maple Flooring was found in excellent condition and shipped to Brookline and used in reconstructing the residence. Duluth High School Duluth, Minn. Built in 1891. The Maple Flooring laid in this building in 1891 was examined in 1910 and found to be in excellent condition after nineteen years' hard use. None of it has ever been replaced. Page 16 Experience of John Wanamaker FOR steady wear and grind of a flooring material, probably about the hardest place in the country is at the foot of the main staircase in the big store of John Wanamaker of Philadelphia. On this particular spot the heavy tread of many thousands descends daily, with the result that the frequent visitor at this establishment cannot fail to notice new floor patches at this spot at very short intervals. It is said that Wanamaker has employed almost every known floor material at this point, but all have shared a like fate and soon have worn out. Oak, Yellow Pine of all sections, tile, marble and stone have suc- ceeded each other in rapid turn. Resort was eventually had to Maple flooring, and while even that eventually wears out in this trying place, yet it has stood the test better and longer than any other -material used in the past. This fact should be a good advertisement for the wear-resisting qualities of Maple, as John Wanamaker is not celebrated for making sentimental purchases. — From American Lumberman Page 17 Wanamaker Building, Philadelphia Association Flooring; used in all l)uil(linY" Face Flooring H" AND lij" Thick 50% S7Y2% S3Y% 24% Page 23 Emerson School, Salt Lake City High School, ^ladison, Wisconsin High School, Yuma, Arizona Stale Normal School, San Diogo, California High School, Boyne City, Michigan High School, San Jose, CaUfornia High School, San Diego, California Uses of Different Thicknesses & Faces Thicknesses ^HE xf-inch thickness of Maple, Beech and Birch flooring is most commonly used. It can be laid directly on the joists, or on strips imbedded in cement when the latter is used for fireproofing, but is more frequently laid on a subfloor. For ordinary purposes a diagonal sub- floor made of softwood boards, surfaced one or two sides, is sufficient. This may be used for the work floor during the progress of building and the hardwood floor should not be laid until the building is dry. For factories and warehouses where greater strength and slow-burn- ing construction are required, the subfloor should be made of matched softwood 1^ inches thick. The liV-inch thick hardwood flooring is sometimes preferred when the floor is to be subjected to extraordinary hard wear and usage, but the xf-inch is suitable for general purposes. The 3^-inch thickness is suitable for apartment buildings, churches, clubs, offices and similar buildings. Under ordinary foot wear it is as serviceable as the yf-inch and costs less. If the subfloor is uneven, the 3/2-inch flooring will produce more satisfactory results than the %-inch thick. The 3^ -inch is the most popular thickness under xf-inch. It is superior to parquetry because the sides and ends of the flooring are matched so that it can be laid with the nails entirely concealed, and they cannot work out. It is suitable for residences, apartment buildings, offices, churches, etc., where both its appearance and utility are impor- tant. Factory xf-inch Maple or Beech makes an ideal subfloor for the 3/8 -inch. Faces In xf-inch and 3/2-inch flooring, the 23^-inch face is usually preferred and in the %-inch the 1 3/2-inch face is a happy medium. Narrower faces require a larger quantity of flooring to cover a given area and the labor cost of laying is greater, but the resulting floor is worth the additional investment when one is looking for something better than ordinary. The wider faces are not so desirable in appearance but usually cost less for material and labor. Page 25 Association Standard Lengths The standard lengths in the different grades are as follows: Clear — 2 feet to 16 feet May contain what 2 feet to S]4, feet the rough lumber pro- duces up to 10 per cent. No. 1— IH feet to 16 feet May contain what 13^^ feet to 3}^ feet the rough lumber pro- duces up to 25 per cent. Factory — 1 foot to 16 feet May contain what 1 foot to 33^^ feet the rough lumber pro- duces up to 50 per cent. Architects will find it more advantageous to specify and use the Standard run of lengths in the different grades instead of special long lengths because lengths selected 4 feet or 6 feet and longer are much more expensive without compensating benefits. Modern perfected methods of manufacturing hardwood flooring pro- duce a larger proportion of shorter lengths than the old-time methods, because the defects are cut out closer, thus improving the average qual- ity of the flooring, and experience has demonstrated that shorter lengths combined with longer lengths cost no more to lay and make as good or better floor at a material saving in cost than all long lengths . The shorter lengths can also be used to advantage in closets and other small spaces. The stand of Maple, Beech and Birch stumpage is limited and is becoming rapidly depleted and the sentiment in favor of conservation of forest resources is strongly in favor of the utilization to the greatest extent of these valuable woods, especially when the result attained in the finished floor is in nowise depreciated. Page «8 Ely Walker Dry Goods Co., St. Louis Care After Leaving Factory HARDWOOD flooring is air-seasoned and thoroughly kiln-dried and it should not be exposed to dampness and the same care which the manufacturer uses to keep it dry should be continued after it leaves the factory. Therefore Don't unload it in damp weather. Don't store it in newly-plastered buildings. Don't store it in an open shed with one end exposed to the weather — the exposed ends will absorb moisture and swell wider than the inside ends. Don't take less care of it than you would of inside finish. Kenilworth Assembly Hall, Kenilworth, Illinois Page SI A group of New York City buildings floored with Association Flooring /.j^/4 Macey's Store McCreery Building Bush FacLory Building John Wauamaker's Slon Bryant Park Studios Altman Store Saks & Company's Store Gimbel Brothers Belnord ApartiucnLs aying the Floor THE flooring should never be laid until all dampness is out of the building, otherwise the flooring will bulge or buckle up and pro- duce an uneven surface. When floor lining is used the hardwood flooring should be laid cross- wise or diagonal to the subfloor, which should be smooth, clean and dressed to even thickness. A subfloor, however, is not absolutely neces- sary under y| -inch and thicker hardwood flooring, as it can be laid on joists or deafening strips without reference to breaking joints on the joists because it is all side-matched and end-matched, the end-matching practically making one continuous strip of flooring from wall to wall. Every fourth strip of flooring should be driven up snugly by using a wooden block and a sledge. The flooring is furnished mixed lengths together, which facilitates rapid laying, as it enables the workmen to combine the lengths econom- ically and avoids unnecessary waste in cutting. The shorter lengths are particularly handy in this respect as they fit in readily and can be driven together quickly with a tap of the hammer. When it is necessary to trim a piece of flooring to finish out a course , it is better to use a piece of sufficient length so that the part trimmed off may be used for starting a new course. This is an economy which will suggest itself to competent floor-layers. It has been found of some advantage in urgent cases when the floor- ing viiist be laid before the building is dry to leave open spaces about a foot or so wide at intervals in the floor to allow for expansion and then finish laying the flooring in these vacant spaces after the building is dry. While this method lessens to some extent the always unsatisfactory re- sults of laying hardwood floors in damp buildings, it does not by any means eliminate them. Wait until the building is dry and have a per- fect floor. The appearance of good flooring is sometimes spoiled by improper finishing and it is recommended that you consult a competent floor finisher in your city or obtain iirformation from the manufacturer who furnished the flooring as to the best method of finishing the floor for the use intended, and its subsequent care. Page 29 Post Office, Coldwater, Micfiiyan Post Office, Omaha, Nebraska Post Office and Court House, Eau Claire, Wisconsin Post Office, Dixou, Illinois Post Office and Court House, Lincoln, Nebraska Post Office Grand Rapids, Michigan The Proper Nail to Use IT is very essential that the proper nail be used in laying hardwood flooring to prevent splitting the tongue and bruising the face. For the best results the following are recommended : 3-Penny Finishing Nail for %-inch thick used 9 inches apart. 3-Penny Bung-Head Casing Nail for 1 2-inch thick used 12 inches apart. 4-Penny Bung-Head Casing Nail for fs-inch thick used 12 inches apart. 8-Penny Cut Flooring Brad for if -inch thick used 16 inches apart. 10-Penny Cut Flooring Brad for l-jiy-inch thick used 16 inches apart. 16-Penny Cut Flooring Brad for IW-inch thick used 16 inches apart. 16-Penny Cut Flooring Brad for ly^-inch thick used 16 inches apart. The 3- and 4-Penny are wire nails and on account of the small gauge and medium length are best adapted to thin flooring. The 8-, 10-, and 16-Penny are steel-cut nails, manufactured especially for laying hard- wood flooring and are being used by all up-to-date contractors and floor- layers. This nail is the same thickness from point to head and has two Page SI 'The Home of Shredded Wheat," Niagara Falls, New York McKinley High School, Chicago, 111. Guarantee Trust Bldg., BirmiQgham, Ala. Post-OfEce, Atlanta, Ga. Home for Adult Blind, Oakland, Cal. Empire Building, Birmingham, Ala. Henry W. Oliver Building Pittsburgh, Pa. Securities Building, Des Moines, la Packard Motor Car Co., Detroit, Mich. Hibernia Bank Bldg., New Orleans, La. New Cliff House, San Francisco, Cal. Bowen High School, Chicago .III. Laying Hardwood Flooring smooth sides which are set parallel with the tongue, eliminating the strain from the narrow part of the tongue. It is wedge-shaped in width, which puts the entire strain lengthwise of the tongue. The rough edges give this nail drawing and holding qualities not contained in any other nail, and after being driven its entire length, it remains in position, pro- ducing and maintaining a perfectly tight joint. The nails should be driven at an angle of 4.5 degrees and it has been found that better results can be accomplished by using no nails within six inches of the end of a piece of flooring. The use of these nails draws the flooring to its proper place and obviates the necessity of boring the flooring. Consequently the practice of boring is being discontinued by the manufacturers, because it has been demonstrated to be of no practical value; and as it is not an essen- tial feature in the manufacture and grading of flooring, the absence of it will not be considered a basis for any reclamation. Mormon Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah Page SS A few of many Cotton Mills floored with Association Maple Flooring Pacific Mills, Lawrence, Mass. Graniteville Mfg. Co., Graniteville, S. C. Cannon Mfg. Co. and Patterson Mfg. Co., Kannapolis, N. C. Everett Mills, Lawrence, Ma The Lancaster Cotton Mills, Lancaster S C Hamburger Cotton Mills, Columbus Ga' Nonqmt Cotton Mills, New Bedford Mass* The Courtenay Mfg. Company, Newry, S C Dwight Mfg. Company, Alabama City, Ala Jointed Flooring JOINTED or Square-Edge flooring is used in factories, mills, ware- houses and other places where the wear is rapid and continuous. In cotton, silk and paper mills the flooring under the machines receives no wear, but in the alleys and runways the wear of the trucks is excessive. This style of flooring has no tongue or groove and the pieces which wear out can be quickly and easily replaced. It may be either end-matched or butted. The nails are driven through the face of the piece and the heads countersunk. Thicknesses T^-inch and 1^6 -inch are the standard thicknesses. In modern fac- tory construction a Maple, Beech or Birch wearing floor is laid over a heavy pine, spruce or hemlock subfloor. Economy is attained in certain cases by subfloor. using liij-inch or lyTr-inch matched Maple to eliminate the Faces The faces or finished widths are 2^-inch, 3^-inch, 4-inch and inch. S}/2 - inch and wider flooring is usually manufac- tured with a double groove in the back. This is intended to resist the tendency of wide flooring to curl at the edges. The 33^-inch face is more generally used. Measurement Jointed flooring is meas- ured as the rough lumber from which it is made, 3^ inch being added to the face for waste in ripping and dressing to size. For example, tc inch x 33^2 inches is measured 1 inch x 4 niches. New Carnegie Library, New Orleans Page 35 41/ Cobb Building, Seattle, Washington Residence, Los Angeles, California Emporium Building. San Francisco, (JaliEorni; Residence, Pasadena, California White Building, Seattle. Washington VVlf II .tTr''^ Lo^ Angeles, California V\hitL- House Budding, San Francisco, California Maple Bowling- Alley Flooring Finished Size ^ inch x 3}/2 inches. Measured 1 inch x 4> inches. The flooring is surfaced on two edges and tongued and grooved in the center on the sides. In building an alley floor the lengths are sorted evenly and the flooring bored by the floor-layer for a J^-inch bolt every 28 or 30 inches. It is then set on edges, nailed through the tongue every 24 inches with a 7-penny nail, and screwed up firmly with a 3/2-inch bolt run through from side to side. The head and nut of this bolt should be countersunk in the tongue and groove. When the floor is put together as described, it is planed and scraped to an even surface. On account of the excessive waste, only selected stock is manufac- tured into bowling-alley flooring. After being thoroughly air-dried this stock is carefully kiln-dried before manufacture. Minneapolis Club House, Minneapolis, Minn. Page 37 Normal and Latin School, Boston, Mass. Waterville Trust Building, Waterville, Me. Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis Unitarian Church, Helena, Mont. R. A. Long Building, Kansas City, Mo. Elks Club House, Des Moines, la. Buick Automobile Factory, Flint, Mich. Rules For Grading Maple Flooring Adopted October 27, 1909 Clear — Shall have one face free of all defects, hut the question of color shall not be considered. Standard lengths in all widths in this grade shall be trimmed 2 to 16 feet, inclusive; the proportion of lengths 2 to S}/2 feet shall be what the stock will produce up to 10 per cent. No. 1 — Will admit of tight, sound knots and slight imperfections in dressing, but must lay without waste. Standard lengths in all widths in this grade shall be trimmed \}/2 to 16 feet, inclusive; the proportion of lengths 13^ to 33^ feet shall be what the stock will produce up to 25 per cent. Factory — Must be of such character as will lay and give a good serviceable floor, with some cutting. Standard lengths in all widths in this grade shall be trimmed 1 to 16 feet, inclusive; the proportion of lengths 1 to 33^2 feet shall be what the stock will produce up to 50 per cent. Maple Flooring Manufacturers' Association Jk Rogeirs &Goinpa.]xy- Chloa4a -Now York f f t ■10 ^ CONSERVATiOH REVIEW:.... •••••• •••-,; ^ J^SSS'