Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Columbia University Libraries https://archive.org/details/herringbonehouseOOgene Architects, Wood, Donn & Deming Herringbone Houses Being a presentation of some of the advantages of cementine construction for houses, together with mention of products of The General Fireproofing Co., of Youngstown, Ohio to wit: PIN-CONNECTED GIRDER FRAMES, COLD TWISTED LUG BARS, EXPANDED METAL, TRUSSIT, HERRINGBONE EXPANDED STEEL LATH, KEY AND GENFIRE EXPANDED METAL LATH, BOSTON STEEL LATH, UNIVERSAL STEEL CORNER BEAD, ALLUNITED STEEL STUDDING, CRIMPED AND U FURRING, AND FURNITURE AND FILING EQUIPMENT concerning which information may be had as well at branch offices at 161 Devonshire St., - Boston, Mass. 156 Fifth Avenue, - - New York. 794 Drexel Building, - Philadelphia. 725 Fourteenth St., N. W., Washington, D. C. and from agents in all cities of importance 4 16 Hennen Building - New Orleans, La. 420 Lincoln Trust Building, - St. Louis. 115 Adams St., - - Chicago. 82 Second St., - • San Francisco, Office Building of The General Fireproofing Company at \ oungstown, Ohio Siding formed by cement plaster applied over Herringbone Expanded Steel Lath HERE is much to be considered when one plans a home. An arrangement of rooms that meets the needs of everyday comfort, an architectural design that bears the stamp of individuality, a choice of practical materials so that first cost may not be excessive, and that the outlay for maintenance may not transform the investment into an expense—all these call forth the exercise of ingenuity, of good taste, and of judgment founded in practical experience. Stone and masonry offer many advantages for home building, but their use has been limited by the high cost. Wood has been used primarily be¬ cause of the low cost of raw material, the facility with which it may be used, and the reasonably satisfactory results that have been secured. Within the memory of the passing generation, wood was an encumbrance of the hills of the Eastern States. So that the land might be available for grain growing, it was “cleared." Forests were destroyed by fire when they were not immediately accessible to waterways which provided low-cost transportation to the market. When the cost of the lumber was regulated almost solely by the expense of transportation and manufacturing, and not by the supply, advantages of wood as a structural material, naturally, were over¬ looked. Its inflammability, forming a constant menance to lives and property, its lack of permanency, entailing frequent bills for paint to preserve and beautify it, the impossibility of maintaining, summer or winter, an even temperature in a house built of wood—these are some of the disadvantages that seemed to be inevitable, and the wooden house was accepted as a matter of course, the best for the money. Because our forest wealth seemed to have no limit, we have been so prodigal in its use, that Xecessity requires a substitute. The best grades of lumber used for the siding of houses have passed entirely 3 from the market, and within ten years the advance in the prices of the second and third grades has been more than 50%. In a recent bulletin of the government Bureau of Forestry, statistics are given to show that the annual consumption of lumber in this country is about four times the increment. Even now we are exploiting the last great timber supply on this continent—the Pacific coast forests. So, as we have said, Necessity required a substitute for wood, and in her search for the substitute, the Parent of Progress found some¬ thing better,—a new material, Reinforced Concrete, which meets wood in point of price, and which possesses the advantages of being fire¬ proof and not subject to deterioration from any cause. The General Fireproofeng Company manufactures a complete system of materials for reinforcing concrete—Pin-Connected Girder Frames, Cold Twisted Fug Bars, and Expanded Metal — which are used largely throughout the United States in the construction of Fire¬ proof mill buildings, factories, warehouses, and similar structures, where heavy loads tax the strength of the building. On page 27 there are illustrations of the use of our System. Wood buildings could be built little cheaper than these fireproof indestructible structures of reinforced concrete. Another of our products is Trussit, by which fireproof roofs can be built at approximately the cost of wood roofs. We are the largest manufacturers in the world of Metal Path, Steel Studding, and other materials for the erection of steel-and-plaster fireproof partitions. It was in the construction of such partitions that Metal Path was first used. Its advantages for the construction of the outside walls—the “siding”—led many architects of prominence to advocate the cementine construction. The use of our Herringbone Expanded Steel Path as the foundation for cement siding has become so general that cement plaster houses frequently are referred to as 1 lerringbone I louses. It is the primary purpose of this booklet to emphasize the points of excellence of the Herringbone House. The pictures tell better than words how well this type may be adapted to widely differing architectural styles. They suggest the fact that where beauty, excellence of con¬ struction, and permanence rather than cost are the primary considera¬ tions Herringbone is used. Yet builders’ experience proves conclusively that wood siding, “lap boards” as they commonly are termed, or shingles, with their many disadvantages, will cost not less, and prob- THE GENERAL FIREPROOFING COMPANY IN 4 HERRINGBONE HOUSES ably more, than Herringbone and cement siding. It also is clear that the architects who are designing Herringbone Houses are leaders in the profession,—and many of them have chosen this type of construc¬ tion for their own homes. Briefly, Herringbone is used in this way: After the frame of the house is erected, the sheathing, or rough siding, is nailed to the studding. It is preferable that the siding be applied diagonally—“on the bias'- rather than straight, as this greatly stiffens the framing. Over the siding y 4 -inch wood strips are nailed, or strips of metal, crimped or U shaped, are stapled, and to these furring strips, Herringbone Lath is fastened by staples or wire. The purpose of the strips is to allow sufficient space behind the lath so that when the plaster is applied, it may completely envelop the metal, and protect it from corrosion. Herringbone is unique in this respect—that the coat of plaster applied on the front side will, if it is of the proper consis¬ tency, spread about the strands, and completely envelop them. Some architects, as an additional precaution against corrosion, specify that the lath be painted or galvanized, and it may be had with either of these finishes. Several coats of cement plaster are used, and the last may be finished in any one of a number of ways—smooth, by being worked with a wooden float ; slightly roughened, by covering the float with burlaps; or where a rougher finish is desired, the surface may be worked with a trowel, small pebbles of uniform size may be imbedded, or by means of a wisp of twigs—the Germans, who excel in cement finishing, call it a “besom"—very wet mortar, rich in cement, may be thrown on in drops, giving a surface of any desired degree of roughness. The matter of plastering should be left to the judgment of the architect, whose knowledge of local materials and methods enables him to write specifications which will insure the best results. We have, however, copies of specifications that have been used successfully and these will be furnished to architects, owners or plasterers who may be interested in receiving them. Herringbone Houses do not show the thumb marks of time. No paint is required to preserve or beautify. The walls grow stronger, more stone-like with age, are free from cracks, seams and joints, and will not burn. Such a house is cool and comfortable in summer, warm in winter, commands a low insurance rate, and insures greater safety- in short, provides all the advantages of stone or masonry at the cost of wood, and is from every standpoint ideal. THE GENERAL FIREPROOFING COMPANY Residence. Mrs. Cyrus Strong. Binghamton, N. V. HERRINGBONE HOUSES i Residence. General R. F. Ligon. Montgomery, Ala. Architect, Benjamin Bosworth Smith THE GENERAL FIREPROOFING COMPANY EELdHE 7 MB — Country Home, E. M. Barton, Sedgeley Farm, Hinsdale, III. Architects, Frost & Granger Architect. Frank I.lnycl Wright Residence, \V \V. Willets, Highland Park. III. 8 HERRINGBONE HOUSES Residence, T. C. Colket, Bryn Mawr, Pa. Architect, D. Knickerbacker Boyd 9 THE GENERAL FIREPROOFING COMPANY Cincinnati Country Club, Cincinnati, Ohio Architects, Elzner & Anderson Residence. Mrs. A. M. Kintran, Chevy Chase, Md. Architects, Sonncinann »V Ma» tier 10 Residence. I. H. Kempner. Galveston. Texas Architects, C. \V. Bulger & Son 11 THE GENERAL FIREPROOFIN Architects. Foltz Ar Parker Residence, F. Cl Darlinyton, Indianapolis. Ind. 12 HERRINGBONE HOUSES Residence, W. F. Vernon, Beechmont, New Rochelle, N. Y. Architect, J. H. McGuire ^R&i Architects, Foltz & Parker Residence. Harry Long, Indianapolis, Ind. 13 THE GENERAL FIREPROOFING COMPANY Residence, H. J. Schlacks, Architect, Wilmette. Ill. Residence, S. Scott Joy, Birmingham, Ala. Architects, Whcclock, Joy & Whcclock 14 Architect, L. C. Waters Residence. \V. II. rstorrs, Knoxville, Tenn. 15 THE GENERAL FIREPROOFING COMPANY Architects. Miller & Martin Residence, C. A. Stillman, Birmingham, Ala. Residence, Noah 11. Swayne, 2d.. Haverford, Ra. lfi Arvliltccts. M« llvaln *V RokrU HERRINGBONE HOUSES Residence, D. \Y. Kempner, Galveston, Tex. 17 Architects. Mauran, Russell & Garden THE GENERAL FIREPROOFING COMPANY Architects, Foltz & Parker New Orphans' Home, Indianapolis, Ind. im Hjij ■l Wh\ I 1 1 Mill I \ -^i i v ; THE GENERAL FIREPROOFING COMPANY NO MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WOOD. Slower firb>Insurance rates. NO / PAINT BILLS. DURABLE AS STONE> LESS DIFFICULT TO HEAT IN WINTER- LOWER FUEL BILLS. COOLER IN SUMMER- GREATER COMFORT.