FLOOR. (1) ht architecture and building, the lower surface of the different levels of a structure; the material on which one stands and walks and that bears the furniture. By extension the entire story, as a first-floor apart ment. The most common material for floor ing is wood, made in matched boards, which are forced together and nailed to the joists or beams. A high type of wood floor is made double, with the first thickness of boards often at an angle with the walls and the surface boards, carefully cut and fitted to a pattern, blind-nailed to the sub-surface. Very ornamental woods are sometimes employed and artistic patterns followed. Since concrete con struction came in, the tendency to alt-fireproof construction has led to making floors of con crete, and for ornament a pattern of tiles is often set in a bed of cement or asphalt. In less costly construction, a semi-fireproof con dition is obtained by placing asphalt or asbestos paper between layers of boards. Modern steel and concrete buildings are now commonly made with floor beams of steel or reinforced con crete, with flattish arches of masonry between, which may be smoothed over on top so as to make a concrete or cement floor. In factory buildings, by a recent refinement of fireproof method, the floors are sometimes slightly sloped and guttered, so as to carry off water like a ship's deck. When water is turned on to quench a fire it runs off to conduits ar ranged so that there is no flooding of the floors below. (2) In geology and archeology, the part of a cavern corresponding in situation to the floor of a house. Here frequently there
is now cave earth, covered, and therefore her metically sealed for the purpose of the investi gator, by stalagmite, which has been formed by droppings, from the stalactites hanging from the roof. (3) As a nautical term, the bottom part of the hold on each side of the keelson; the flat portion of a vessel's hold. (4) In hydraulic engineering, the inner piece of the two which together form the bucket of an overshot water wheel. (5) In mining, the bot tom of a coal seam; the underlay on which the coal, lead or iron ore rests.
or A stout canvas cloth, heavily painted, for use as a floor covering. The basis of floor-cloth is a strong, open canvas, woven of flax, with a • slight admixture of hemp. Owing to its great width, sometimes six to eightyards, it has to be woven in special looms. It is made in lengths of 100 or more yards. A length of 60 to 100 feet is stretched in a frame, brushed with glue-size and rubbed with pumice stones. It then receives two or three foundation coats of paint on each side. A thick paint is used commonly made of linseed oil and ochre and laid on with a trowel. Each coat on the front is smoothed with pumice-stone. When this operation is completed the cloth is transferred to the printing-room, where the pattern is printed by blocks, as in calico-printing. There is a block for each color. See LINOLEUM.