_BUILDING RECOMMENCED—THE TIMBER WORK._
Towards the middle of March, the weather being fine, the works were
resumed, and instructions for executing the floors and roofs had to be
given to the carpenter, that no time might be lost. Paul was beginning
to understand his cousin’s sketches more readily, and to be able to
make himself useful. Besides, he had acquired the excellent habit of
asking for explanations when he had reason to suppose on a first view
that he could not faithfully interpret a rough sketch; and Eugène
was not sparing of explanation and commentaries. His patience was
inexhaustible. Nevertheless, every time Paul was embarrassed and was
unable to solve a difficult question, before putting him in the way to
do so, Eugène used to let him try for a reasonable time.
“Reflect,” he would say to him, “and you will be sure to find
some solution. If it is not the right one, I will help you; but
you must get some result for yourself. It is impossible to have a
clear understanding of a solution given by a person who understands
the matter, until we have thoroughly considered it, and made some
efforts to solve the given problem ourselves. This is a necessary
preliminary exercise, and one which puts the mind in a right state for
comprehending. Draw a general section of the main building through the
billiard-room and your brother-in-law’s study: I mean a transverse
section which will indicate the walls, the floors, the fireplaces, and
roofs. You have nearly all the necessary elements. Endeavour to arrange
the whole in proper order, that you may make all the parts of the
building clear to yourself. I do not wish to see this section till you
have finished it. Not till then shall I correct it; and that correction
will be of advantage to you.”
Making use, therefore, of the details already drawn, Paul drew the
transverse section, not without difficulty; but the roof-timbers were
singularly conceived,—their composition appeared to him difficult and
complicated. He did not know how to close the wide opening between
the billiard-room and the drawing-room. The dormer-windows of the
roof embarrassed him considerably. Besides, he had much difficulty in
realizing the junction of all these parts. In spite of all his efforts
he could not succeed in representing clearly their relative positions.
He was not satisfied, and frankly told his cousin so.
“I am very glad,” replied the latter, “that you are not satisfied.
It would be a bad sign if you were, for it would prove that you had
not made any great effort. Your walls are fairly in their right
place according to the section we have taken. But the timbers, the
dormer-windows!—this could not hold together, and is wanting in
simplicity. Why so many pieces of wood?... Have you assured yourself of
their utility? We have walls; let us make use of them. Why not make use
of the wall which separates the billiard-room from the study to bear
the roofing timbers in part?—especially as this wall receives chimney
flues, which must surely be carried up through the roof. You did not
remember the chimneys; that is thoughtlessness, for you see them marked
in the plans of the ground floor and of the first and second floors.”
“I certainly thought of them,” replied Paul; “but I did not know how to
carry them up through the roof.”
“And so you did not draw them; that is certainly a way of avoiding the
difficulty; but yet you know they must go up through the roof. That I
cannot approve of; putting aside a question is not solving it. Come,
let us revise all this together.”
[Illustration: FIG. 46.—TRANSVERSE SECTION OF THE HOUSE.]
The section was soon corrected (Fig. 46), and Eugène did not fail to
furnish it in detail, according to the uses of the apartments through
which the section was drawn; which pleased Paul greatly, as he could
thus realize the billiard-room completed, with its opening into the
drawing-room, his brother-in-law’s study, with its doors; then above,
his bedroom, dressing-room, and the two attic rooms. This drawing
appeared to him charming; he could fancy himself already entering
the apartments and enjoying his sister’s surprise on examining these
interiors. He was wanting to show all these pretty things to Madame de
Gandelau directly, but Eugène persuaded him to have a little patience.
“All this,” he said, “is a mere trifle indeed—nothing but fancy;
we shall have to furnish the details of the woodwork and internal
arrangements, and when we come to study them we shall find much to
revise. Leave off looking at these interiors for a few minutes, and let
us examine the timber-work of the roof. Let us draw it in plan.” (Fig.
47).
[Illustration: FIG. 47.]
“The walls A B are the gables which are to support the purlins. We have
at C D two cross-walls, which also form gables, and will also receive
the purlins. But the spaces E C are too wide for purlins from E to C.
They measure 22 feet between; now the purlins must not have a bearing
of more than 13 feet if we would avoid their bending. Intermediate
principals are therefore necessary at G H, against the sides of the
middle dormers I. The purlins from A to G will not then exceed 13 feet
in length, and we shall be able to strengthen them by means of struts
from the end gables. From K to L there will be valley-rafters at the
penetration of the roofs. Let us first consider the principals G H
(Fig. 48).
[Illustration: FIG. 48.]
“The height between the floors of the story in the roof should be 10
feet. We will put two main supports A, fixed into foot-pieces connected
by a tie-rod, which will pass under the floor; upon these supports a
tie-beam B; then to secure the tie-beam to these supports, clip-braces
C. On the ends of this tie-beam will rest the purlins D. The blades
E will fasten into this tie-beam and into the king-post F. Beneath
the second purlins H, it will be necessary to put clips G, forming
a collar-beam. The ridge-pole I will be carried by the king-post,
with diagonal struts. The other ends of the purlins will rest in the
gables. Thus we shall be enabled to fix the rafters which will receive
the battens and the slates. These timbers (tie-beams, collar-beams,
and blades) may pass through the longitudinal wall K, containing
the chimney flues, and in turn the roof-timbers will stay the wall,
while the wall supports and stiffens the roof. As to the middle of
the building, having the two walls C D, it will suffice to rest the
ridge-pole L across, and relieve its bearing with two struts M, tenoned
into the ends of a beam N, which will prevent their spreading. At
the level of the latter we will place the beams _a b_ (see Fig. 47),
which will receive the ridge-poles O of the cross-roofs. These beams
will also be relieved by struts R. On the ridge-poles O will come the
meeting of the valley-rafters S (shown in elevation at S). Thus the
raftering will be everywhere well supported; and, relatively to the
surface of the building, we shall use but a small quantity of timber,
since we take every possible advantage of the support afforded us by
the interior walls. The gables will enable us to avoid the necessity
of hip-roofs, which are difficult to contrive and require a good deal
of timber. There remains the roof of the staircase. In order that you
may understand how to construct it, I am going to draw it for you
in perspective. This roof is supported by walls which rise above the
cornice of the building, but it penetrates the main roof at X (see Fig.
47). If you examine the drawing (Fig. 39), you will observe that the
walls of the staircase leave an angle without any vertical support over
the entrance-hall. It will be necessary then to provide a bearing for
the hip of the roof which comes over that space. To effect this, we
will place on the two wall ends a small principal which shall receive
the foot of the hip-rafter V, denoted in Fig. 47. This arrangement is
apparent in the perspective drawing (Fig. 49), which gives the square
tower of the principal stairs with its roof-framing. We will raise the
oblong newel A of this stairs up to the level of the cornice. Upon
the walls we will lay the wall-plates B; then from the three angles
to the newel, the foot-pieces C. On the ends, halved together, of
these foot-pieces we will erect the two king-posts P, and the three
hip-rafters E. The feet of the two king-posts will be connected by the
clips F. As to the back hip-rafter G, it will fix into the front of the
king-post of the little principal, as I show you at G´; and in order to
hinder the principal from being thrust out by this hip-rafter, clips H
will connect the head of the king-post of the little principal with the
king-post D of the roof. On the angles of the hip-rafters at I, it will
be necessary to fix some blocks to carry the ends K of the purlins,
which will support the bearing of the rafters.
[Illustration: FIG. 49.]
“At L you see the gable which has to join the roof of the staircase;
and do not forget that stone filletings M must be built into the walls
against which roofs abut, forming a weather-moulding above these roofs,
to hinder the rain-water from getting in between the slating and the
wall. Filletings are most commonly made with mortar or cement, on the
roofing itself; but as that is subject to movement, these filletings
break away and have to be constantly renewed. Built into the masonry
above the slope of the roofing, they cover the junction of the slate or
tile with the walls, and, being independent of the roof, they cannot
suffer from any giving in the timbers.
“You will draw the roofs to a scale of a quarter of an inch to a foot;
I will correct your drawings, and we will give them to the carpenter,
in order that he may prepare his timbers as soon as possible. We
will figure the scantlings of these timbers. Thus, the blades on the
principal rafters should be 8 inches × 7 inches, the collar-clips 3½
inches × 7 inches, the king-posts 7 inches × 7 inches, the tie-beam the
same, the main supports 8 inches × 8 inches, the rafters 3 inches × 4
inches, the purlins 8 inches × 8 inches, without sap or flaws.”
“What do you mean by flaws?”
“Depressions; deficiencies of material apparent at the corners when
timbers are squared which are rather crooked, and which thereby leave
sap visible on these corners and even a hollow place, such as I mark
here at A (Fig. 50). You will be careful not to allow flaws in timbers
which the carpenter may employ for the roofs and joists.
[Illustration: FIG. 50.]
[Illustration: FIG. 51.]
“In considering our floors, I see that for the billiard-room, the
dining-room, and the drawing-room, we shall do well to have in each
of these apartments two beams to take the joists, on account of the
width of bearing, and the partitions which come over these floors. You
remember that we deferred this question, and that in the detail (Fig.
42), and in the section (Fig. 46), we have supposed the existence
of these beams. The joists in these three rooms, instead of bearing
from one side wall to the other, will bear from the gable walls on to
the beams. But these beams, though cut from the best oak, invariably
deflect sooner or later; which, to say the least, looks very bad. We
will therefore make them each in two pieces, sawn through in the manner
I showed you for lintels, and between the two pieces we will interpose
a thin plate of iron. That will enable us to treat the beams like the
wall bearers, and fit the joists into their sides, instead of laying
them on the top, and consequently avoid a too great projection below
the ceiling. Thus (Fig. 51), having two pieces of timber A, 12 inches
× 6 inches, we will put between them a plate of iron ⅛th of an inch
thick. We will bolt the whole together at regular intervals as marked
at D, and, in the notches C, we will fix the ends of the joists E. A
few iron straps will be nailed across to connect these ends one to
another, and we shall obtain in this manner perfectly rigid floors.
The beams will be supported in their bearings by corbels, and will not
go more than six inches into the wall. This then is another detail
to be got ready for the carpenter. Mind and see that the ends of the
beams within the wall have a coat of red lead, and are enclosed in a
box of sheet zinc, No. 14, to prevent the moisture of the wall from
penetrating the grain of the wood. Well! that is something done: draw
it all out neatly. To-morrow, when I have looked over your drawings, we
will send for Jean Godard, and we will go and select the wood in your
father’s timber-yard.”
Next day Paul presented his drawings. Many corrections were, indeed,
necessary, still on the whole his cousin congratulated him on the
result. Paul was taking pains, and was endeavouring to understand
everything thoroughly; and though he could not always find the simplest
and most natural solutions, he showed at least that he had reflected
before putting anything on paper.
Jean Godard having been summoned, the drawings were presented to him.
Some explanations were given him, after which Eugène asked him if he
had any observations to make. Jean Godard was scratching his head, but
said nothing.
“Is there anything in all this that you do not clearly understand, or
that seems faulty?” said Eugène to him.
“No, sir; but yet these are floors that are out of the common way; it
will be difficult—we are not accustomed—and you see—it isn’t what we
generally do in carpentry.”
“Which means that you must be paid more than for floors made in your
way.”
“Yes, to be sure—you understand—there is labour to be considered—all
these timbers here must be sawn—planed, perhaps.”
“Consider well, Jean. The joists must be sawn on two faces only—the
two faces that are seen; but all joists are sawn out. If we asked
you to supply the wood, you might say that you would not find joists
of this kind; but in this case you have to select from our wood. If
you use small timber it will be enough to saw two faces thus (Fig.
52): you may, if you like, leave the faces A roughly squared and only
cleared of sap. If you cut your joists out of large timber (Fig. 53)
you will only have to run the saw-cuts as I have sketched here at B.
But I prefer to use small timber, because it does not crook in drying,
as timber which is quartered is sure to do; and I think we shall have
enough of the former to prevent us from being obliged to employ this
last method. We shall have, then, to pay you only for the sawing of the
two faces, as for the joists you usually employ. As for the beams, they
will be also sawn on two faces only, for if we cut them from a single
trunk we shall put the two sawn faces outside (Fig. 54), and the plate
of iron being interposed at D we shall put below a moulded board C,
to cover the joining, and the flaws, should there be any. With regard
to the triangular notchings to be made at E, they are less difficult
to fashion than mortises, and as the joists bear in full they have no
tenons. It is the same with the bearers which, along the walls, receive
the ends of the joists, and take the place of cornices.—Well, what do
you say about it?”
[Illustration: FIG. 52.]
[Illustration: FIG. 53.]
[Illustration: FIG. 54.]
“Why—still it isn’t flooring such as we see everywhere.”
“What does that matter, if it gives you no more trouble to make? We
shall take account of the time you spend, as we furnish the wood;
consequently you are secured against loss. Make a careful estimate,
and if you like we will make a bargain. We will pay you by the cubic
foot as for ordinary flooring, or take account of the time employed in
working and pay you for that time. Make your choice!”
Jean Godard twirled his cap about some time, looked at the drawings
in every possible way, scratched his right ear again, then his left,
and after a good half-hour declared that he consented to be paid for
floors of this kind at the same rate as for ordinary floors according
to measurement.
“And you are right,” said Eugène; “for if you manage your work well,
if there is no bungling, you will gain more by this bargain than if
we paid you according to time, because there is less work in flooring
of this kind for the same quantity of material than in those you are
accustomed to make, especially in this neighbourhood.”
Jean Godard, however, asked for an additional consideration for the
bearers that were to be substituted for the rough fixing in the walls.
“Granted,” said Eugène; “we save plaster cornices, and it is right that
we should make you an allowance on that account.”
It was therefore resolved that they should make a separate payment for
the labour on the bearers, that is, for their notches and chamfers.
Next day four pit-saws were at work, cutting up the timber that had
been stored. The scene of labour had resumed all its activity. In
the masonry department a design for a dormer-window remained to be
furnished, but which was soon supplied (Fig. 55), and besides this the
direction of the chimney flues.
Eugène on giving Paul the particulars of the dormer-windows, section
A and exterior elevation B, drew his attention to their construction.
Raised on a gutter-wall 20 inches thick, they were to consist of two
jambs of three courses each. On the first two courses would be left
a string-course C, designed to cover the slate of the roofing and to
form a filleting. These two jambs would carry the lintel and two
stones forming corbels. Two pieces on this lintel would receive the
gable knees, and would form the jambs of the higher opening designed to
ventilate the attics. The gable would consist of two courses surmounted
by a finial. The section indicated how the slopes of the coping would
form a filleting on the small roofs of these dormer-windows behind, and
a drip in front, to hinder the rain-water from running down the faces
of the stone-work.
[Illustration: FIG. 55.]