Chapter II: Preface: p. iii

CHAPTER I. THE WALLS--STONE AND STONE-WORK.

Introduction, 9--Principal varieties of building stone,
10--On quarrying stone, 13--The application of electricity to the
blasting of rocks, 17--Sawing the stones for the mason,
22--The processes of stone-masonry, 22.

CHAPTER II. ON THE DURABILITY OF STONE BUILDINGS.

On the choice of a stone for building purposes, 27--Examination of a
variety of buildings as to the durability of the stone employed
therein, 28--The stone for the new Houses of Parliament--how chosen,
32--An easy method of determining whether a stone will resist the
action of frost, 33--Directions for practising this method, 38.

CHAPTER III. THE WALLS--BRICKS AND BRICK-WORK.

Early use of bricks, 40--Floating bricks, 41--Making bricks by hand,
42--Varieties of bricks, 44--Tiles, 45--Making bricks and tiles by
machinery, 46--The Marquis of Tweeddale’s method, 46--Another method,
47--The processes of bricklaying, 48--Mortar, 48--Defects of modern
brick houses, 52.

CHAPTER IV. THE ROOF--SLATES AND OTHER ROOF COVERINGS.

Slate quarries, 54--The process of slating, 57--Paper roofs, 58--Their
advantages, 60--Terrace roofs, 61--Asphalte roofs, 61--Scotch fir
roofs, 61--Iron roofs, 62--Zinc and other metallic roofs, 63--Thatch
roofs, 63.

CHAPTER V. THE WOOD-WORK--GROWTH AND TRANSPORT OF TIMBER.

The oak as a timber tree, 66--The two chief varieties of oak,
67--Teak, 69--The fir and pine as timber trees, 69--The Norway spruce
fir, 70--The Scotch fir, 73--Transport of timber from the forests,
77--Historical notices, 78--Rafts on the Rhine, 80--The slide of
Alpnach, 81--Cutting the Norway deals, 83--The cutting and transport
of Canadian timber, 83--Lumberers, 83--Saw-mills, 84--Rafts on the
American rivers, 85--Miscellaneous kinds of timber, 86--Fancy woods,
87.

CHAPTER VI. THE WOOD-WORK--CARPENTRY.

Sawing timber, 89--Scarfing or joining timber, 89--Trussing or
strengthening, 90--Details of roof, 92--The mortise and other joints,
93--Distinction between carpentry and joinery, 95--The tools employed,
96--Glue, 98--A window sash, as an example of joiner’s work, 99--A
second example of joiner’s work, 100.

CHAPTER VII. THE FIRE-PLACE.

Open fire-places, 102--Philosophy of a chimney, 103--Defects of open
fires, 103--Remedies for some of these defects, 106--The register
stove, 108--Smoky chimneys, 108--Causes of, and cure, 108--Close
stoves, 111--The German stove, 112--Dr. Arnott’s stove,
113--Objections thereto, 115--Warming buildings by heated air,
116--The Russian stove, 116--Other methods, 117--Sir Stewart
Monteith’s stove, 118--Warming buildings by steam, 118--Warming
buildings by hot-water, 119--The high-pressure system, 120.

CHAPTER VIII. THE WINDOWS AND LEAD-WORK.

Introduction of glass windows, 122--The manufacture of crown glass,
122--The manufacture of plate glass, 129--Cutting glass, 133--The
process of glazing, 134--Sheet lead for roofs and cisterns, 135--Lead
pipes, 136--The process of plumbing, 136--Solder or cement for metals,
139--Autogenous soldering, 140--Its advantages, 144.

CHAPTER IX. THE INTERIOR--PLASTERING AND PAPER-HANGING.

Plastering walls and ceilings, 148--Plaster and papier-maché ornaments
for rooms, 149--Whitewashing and stuccoing, 150--Origin of
paper-hangings, 150--The manufacture of paper-hangings, 151--Stencil,
washable, and flock paper-hangings, 153--The process of paper-hanging,
155.

CHAPTER X. THE INTERIOR--PAINTING AND GILDING.

Reasons for painting a house, 158--Materials used in house painting,
158--Preparing the paint, 160--The process of painting, 160--Graining
and marbling, 162--Gilding as an interior decoration, 164--The process
of burnish-gilding, 165--The process of oil-gilding, 167--Gilding
enriched ornaments, 168.

CHAPTER XI. A MODEL DWELLING-HOUSE.

The late Sir John Robison’s house at Edinburgh, 170--The Interior,
170--Warming, 170--Ventilating, 171--Lighting, 172--Gas cooking
apparatus, 172--Flues, 173--Interior decorations by Mr. Hay,
173--A beau-ideal English villa, 174--Situation, 175--Style,
175--Arrangement of the interior, 176--The principal apartments,
bed-rooms, &c., 177--The kitchen, 179.

CHAPTER XII. FIRE-PROOF HOUSES.

Hartley’s method of making houses fire-proof, 181--Earl Stanhope’s
methods, 181--Pambœuf’s method, 183--Fire-proof paint,
184--Experimental trials, 184--Leconte’s method, 185--Varden’s method,
186--Frost’s method, 186--Loudon’s methods, 187--General remarks, 188.

CHAPTER XIII. MISCELLANEOUS PROCESSES.

Manufacture of nails, 188--Locks and keys, 188--Stoves and grates,
190--Bells, 190--Brass handles, ornaments, &c., 191--Preservation of
timber, 191--Various methods, 193--Kyanizing, 194--Soluble glass,
194--Its uses in preserving timber, &c., 197--Veneering, 198--Brunel’s
method of cutting veneers, 198--Russian method, 199--The process of
veneering, 199--Manufacture of glue, 201--The house decorator of
Italy, 201--Fresco painting as applied to the decoration of houses,
206--Nature and difficulties of the art, 207--Notices of the ancient
custom of decorating walls, 208--The practice of fresco painting,
208--The Cartoon, 209--The preparation of the wall, 210--The process
of painting, 210--The colours and implements, 211--A fresco painter at
work described, 212--General remarks on fresco painting, 214.