HARD-WOOD FLOORS Finish for Hard-wood Floors.— Rub down a new floor with sandpa per, and polish with pumice mois tened with a little water. Wads clean, let dry, fill the nail holes with putty, and if the grain of the wood is open, apply a suitable filler. Avoid a cheap filler, based on plaster of Paris and the like, as these are not durable. The best filler consists of ground quartz mixed with linseed oil about as thick as white-lead paint. The particles of quartz are angular and adhere to the grain of the wood. When nearly dry, or as soon as it be gins to " flat," go over it with a cloth or other polisher, and wipe clean all that will come off. Let stand a day or two and polish lightly with the finest grade of sandpaper. Wipe off the dust with a soft cloth and follow with two coats of the best quality of pure shellac. Avoid cheap shellac, as it is much less durable. This gives a high gloss. But if a dull finish is required, the shellac may be rubbed down by means of a piece of felt tacked over a flat surface as a block of wood, with pumice stone mois tened with cold-drawn linseed oil or olive oil.
Or to refinish a hard-wood floor that has become defaced by age or wear, remove the previous finish by washing the floor with a strong solu tion of sal soda, or, if necessary, caus tic potash or soda lye. Or if this does not remove the spots, apply turpentine. After the wood has been perfectly cleaned, proceed as above.
Was for Hard-wood Floors.—Shel lac alone makes a tough and dura ble finish, but on account of its high gloss it readily mars and scratches. And these defects are very appar ent. Moreover, a shellac surface can not be touched up in spots because the brush marks will show. When defaced, it must be refinished all over. Hence it is customary to fol low the shellac with a protective coat of wax.
Or wood may be oiled with cold drawn linseed or other clear fixed oil, and a coat of wax applied directly to the oiled surface without shellac. This last is the usual custom abroad.
A suitable wax properly applied gives a hard, glossy surface, is not sticky, and does not rub off. Scratches or mars on any part of the surface can be waxed over at any time, and the whole surface can be repolished frequently with a weighted brush.
Floor oils, unless rubbed and pol ished with great care, tend to stain skirts, rugs, and draperies. Hence wax is the most satisfactory of all floor dressings.
To Wax Floors.—Apply, by means of a flannel cloth, beeswax thinned with turpentine and rub down with a weighted brush. This is a hard wax and difficult to apply without turpen tine. But the turpentine quickly evaporates, and the wax then forms a very durable coating.
Or as a substitute for beeswax, use paraffin wax, which is cheaper, soft and easy to apply, but less durable. Paraffin is one of the petroleum products, and if not properly refined, tends to combine with the tannin of oak floors to form black petroleum stains, which are difficult to remove.
Or fasten together four or more common red bricks. Lay one or more thicknesses of felt over the largest surface, surround the whole with flannel or other soft cloth, sew it on and attach an old broom bandle with which to push or drag it over the floor. This is equally as effective as a weighted brush and costs nothing.
Steel Wool for Waxed Floors.— To scour a hard-wood floor when scratched or marred, or to remove dirt that is ground in, use steel wool, which comes by the pound for this purpose. It can be used in the same fashion as cotton waste, and is a very effective scourer, which will not in jure the finest surface.
Polish for Waxed Eloors.—Sub stances recommended for polishing waxed floors are beeswax or rosin, thinned with turpentine, or paraffin wax. Stearin and even tallow can dles are sometimes used for the pur pose, but are much less suitable. Pure beeswax thinned with turpen tine is the simplest and perhaps most desirable polish, but the following are recommended: Rub through a coarse grater 6i pounds of beeswax. Add 3 pounds of pearlash and a little water. Bring to a boil and stir well until they cease to effervesce. Now stir in 3 pounds of dry yellow ocher and pour all into a tin pail, having a tight cover, in which to preserve it for use. Thin when required for use with boiling water to the consistency of cream, and apply while hot with a soft cloth. Polish with a weighted brush and wipe up with a coarse flannel.