386. - All walls, ceilings, soffits and partitions throughout the building to be plastered three coats, in the best manner, as specified below.

The first and second coats to be of (Acme) cement plaster or dry mortar - the first coat on lath work to be fibred material.

The material to be mixed with clean water to the proper consistency and applied in the usual way. The first coat to be scratched or broomed to form a rough surface for brown coat. Apply the brown coat as soon as the scratch coat is two-thirds dry or has set sufficiently to receive it, bringing the mortar out even with the grounds and to a true surface. Scratch roughly for all stucco cornices and mouldings.

Sand Finish. - After the brown coat has been on twenty-four hours finish the walls and ceiling of (hall and vestibules) with (Windsor) sand finish, mixed with clean water only and floated to a true surface with clear soft pine or cork-faced floats.

[Or lime putty and sand may be used as in ordinary plastering.]

Hard Finish. - When the browning is two-thirds dry, finish all other walls and ceilings throughout the building with a white coat made of equal parts of lime putty and plaster of Paris, troweled and brushed to a hard and uniform surface.

[For a better grade of finish add a quart of marble dust to each batch of plaster, or use Windsor cement instead of plaster of Paris.]

All brick and tile walls and all wood laths to be well wet just before plastering.

Only as much mortar as can be used within one hour is to be mixed at one time, and under no circumstances shall any mortar that has commenced to set be retempered.

The plasterer must strictly observe and follow the directions accompanying the plaster.

[Specify for patching, cornices, etc., as in Section 385.]