The Treatment of Wood Floors, Old and New - The Use of Linoleum, Tiles, and Cement for Floor Coverings.

The Floor As The Decorative Foundation Of The Room

The floor is the decorative foundation of the room, the starting point in the ascending scale of color tones, and as such should always be darker in value than the side walls, in the same degree that the side walls are darker than the ceiling. The floor should not be inlaid in complicated designs and covered with patterns which prove distracting. It should be as inconspicuous as possible and should be a restful background for the rugs and for the furniture of the room.

Light Floors Should Be Stained Darker

In the more inexpensively constructed homes of to-day the light oak, maple, or pine floor is often used, varnished or waxed until its mirrorlike surface compels attention. The most beautiful rugs and the finest of furniture are dimmed by its saffron splendor, which is at once the pride of the enterprising landlord and the despair of any tenant who wishes to create a homelike interior. Fortunately, however, all houses are not owned by landlords and even occasionally, when the house is rented, the owner may be brought to see the error of his ways and may allow a stain to be applied which will darken the floor to a satisfactory tone.

The Use Of Wood Stains

Wood stains may be purchased in various colors which are already dissolved in alcohol, or a good stain may be made by mixing oil paint and turpentine. Color cards of wood stains can be procured which may be brought into the room where the floor is to be darkened and the desired hue and value decided upon. Shades of brown, of silver-gray, or of brownish green are usually best, giving the effect of Flemish oak, weathered oak, brown weathered oak, or green weathered oak. If the stain purchased is too dark, it may be lightened by the addition of a little wood alcohol, and the dye may then be applied with a camel's-hair brush. Open ground woods should have the pores filled with a paste filler. These fillers may be purchased containing any stain desired, and should be used on oak, ash, and chestnut floors. Maple, birch, hard pine, and sycamore are close grained and do not require a filler.

Varnished And Waxed Floors

The finish for stained floors may be either wax or varnish. Varnished floors are the most easily cared for. Durable, water and heat proof varnishes are now on the market, and two coats applied once a year are all that are needed for the average floor. Waxed floors are more beautiful, but require constant care. For waxed floors a ready prepared wax may be used, or beeswax melted with turpentine to the consistency of lard is equally satisfactory. Two coats of wax are usually necessary, and they may be applied with a soft rag or, better, with a weighted brush which is manufactured for that purpose. The wax should be rubbed on only a few feet of the surface of the floor at a time and this portion polished before proceeding farther. One coat of varnish should always be given to the wood before the wax is applied, for the wax alone is not a sufficient protection to the wood against grease and moisture.