What to Tellthe Homeowner onthe Care of the Wood in the Home

By Georse M. Hansen \flest Coast Lumbermen's Association

The wood in a house is truly versatile. As flooring it gives beauty, warmth and resiliency underfoot. Ease of working makes it adaptable for woodwork and casings of doors and windows. Strength is given in framing; insulation in sheathing, roofboards and subfloor. In addition the siding and shingles deflect rain and wind. Foundation timbers, beams and joists unite the whole into a firm unit and tie it to the ground.

But the homeowner appreciates most that the wood in his home is easily cared for, assuming it has been properly used. Many of the oldest houses in America still in use are built of wood and have kept their usefulness because the wood was correctly used and maintained.

Finely finished floors, whether they be hardwood or softwood, usuallv get the most care because they are seen the most. A mistake made by some homeowners is to allow the finish to become damaged by wear, often through to the wood itself. The preventive is the frequent application of one of the floor waxes. Let the wax take the wear.

Should a wood floor become worn and discolored or if it is desired to change the color it is comparatively easy and inexpensive. It may be that the solid color of paint is desired. If so, it is necessary only to sand smooth the rough spots and carefully remove all wax and grease with reliable cleaners before following the new paint manufacturer's instructions.

Many fine old homes have been given a nelv lease on iife by sanding the floors down through darkened layers of varnish to expose the beautiful wood grain again. Such a resurfaced floor is the same as new and is refinished just like new laid flooring. A simple and economical finish any homeowner can apply is one or two coats of shellac followed by tu'o or three coats of good varnish, each coat preceded by a light sanding and very careful removal of all dust. Protect the finish with frequent applications of wax, ,especially in doorways.

A squeakv floor is annoying but usually can be easily fixed if the sub flooring can be reached from below. The cause is usually friction where inadequate nailing allows the floorirrg to move when walked upon. The remedy is to put a screw up from below to catch the loose board. First drill a hole through the subflooring larger than the screw. If the finish flooring is hardwood, drill a hole slightly smaller than the screw for the last fourth of the hole's depth. The screw will then pull the loose board of flcoring tight against the subfloor.

Perhaps windows and doors do not move easily. The cause is probablv one of three things: paint may have accumulated between sliding or moving surfaces, the house may have settled or perhaps moisture is getting into wood and causing it to swell. Excess layers of paint can some- times be removed by inserting a piece of sandpaper between the tight surfaces and forcefully rubbing the painted surface against the sandpaper. Sometimes rubbing parafine in a window groove lubricates enough to allow it to move easily.

If the house has settled, the evidence will be cracked walls and ceilings or opening of joints, in the woodwork around doors and windows. A wood house is light and least likety to settle. However, if the ground movement has been great enough to cause trouble, the leveling of the wood house foundation posts and beams is comparativelv simple.

Mcisture in wood usually causes trouble and indicates that something is wrong either in the construction of the house or in the use of the house appliances. A most obvious symptom of too much moisture is condensation on the windows. The remedy may be a simple regulation of the humidifier on the furnace or opening a window in the laundry or in'the bathroom after taking a shower. Cooking and dishwashing put a great deal of moisture into the air. An exhaust fan in the kitchen is good for removing the moist air as well as cooking odors. Ventilation of attics, basements and crawl space areas is important. Condensation of moisture in the attic space can cause damage to ceilings and walls. Excess moisture in basements and crawl spaces can induce decay. A good rule is to provide I to I square inch of ventilator opening per square foot for attics (flatter the roof-larger the opening) and 2 square feet of opening for 100 lineal feet of foundation wall in hasementless houses. Needless to say the. basement of any house should have the walls waterproofed and adequate drainage provided for outside water. A clothes drier any place in the house should be vented or a fan provided for exhausting the moist air.

Another sign of too much moisture getting into the wood might be peeling or blistering paint on the exterior walls. Such damage might stem from moisture-laden air inside the house pushing out through the sidewalls. leaky roofs, poor exterior joints, lack of or damage to fashing or even clogged gutters. If the wood is wet behind the loosening paint, something is wrong with the construction of the house and no paint will hold until the error is corrected.

But that is too much emphasis on an. unlikely circumstance. Chances are the paint is just dingy and only needs to be freshened up. If the surface is sound and in good condition. it may be that hosing or scrubbing of the old paint is all that is needed. If repainting is required, r'ood siding offers an deal surface for the exciting new pastel shades or the ever popular trimness of a white house.

With a wood house, maintenance is simple; and properly built and given reasonable care it s'ill outlive a homeowner and his children.

Simpson Logging Company Holds Open Awarded 25-Yet Servicc Enblcm Watches House at New Los Angeles Offices

The Simpson Logging Company held an informal open house at their new offices in Suite 1006, 3440 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, on Friday, December 5, 1952. from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. A large number of lumbermen and friends inspected, during the afternoon, their offices which are attractively finished in products manufactured by the company. Refreshments were served.

George S. Melville, Regional Sales Manager, and his entire staff were on hand to greet the visitors, as also rvere C. L. Emery, General Sales Manager of the Simpson Logging Company, Seattle, and W. L. Brauning, the companv's Redwood Sales Manager, Arcata, Calif.