Metal Building Material

1895

It is well within the memory of many persons when metal as a building material was practically unknown. But within a few years building has been almost revolutionized by the use of metal in various forms and for various purposes.

Iron beams, columns, girders, rafters and window sashes have come into use, and now we are to have as a regular addition to our list a great variety of stamped out sections. These have heretofore been made mostly of galvanized iron or some composition of the spelter sort, or, in fine and high priced work, bronze has been employed. Steel is, however, found to answer all demands far better than any other metal used for this purpose.

Door and window casings will be made of metal, and indeed all parts of a house may be constructed of something besides wood. With paper pulp doors and floors, metal frames and finish, slate or tin roofs and portland cement or concrete walls, our houses may in time come to be actually fireproof, as they have for a long time unjustly claimed to be. — New York Ledger.