Turkish Baths

34 THE TURKISH BATH:
does not become unbearably hot to the touch, should the
bather lean against the walls, whereas, with a highly
glazed surface the walls become burning hot, and need
lining with a dado of felt or other non-conducting substance.
And since this latter method overcomes the
objection named, the best possible material for lining the
walls is glazed brickwork. In cases where elaboration
is desired, they may be lined with marbles and faience.
With a judicious selection of colours, however, a very
pleasing appearance can be given by the employment of
simple glazed brickwork, and at a very moderate cost.
The flooring in cheap baths is admirably formed by
simple unglazed tile pavement over concrete. A slight
roughness is very agreeable to the feet.
Glazed tiles are
inadmissible, as they become too hot for the naked feet ;
and if the slightest moisture come upon them they are
rendered dangerously slippery. In elaborate baths,
marble, and marble mosaics may be used, but the
surface must not be too smooth.
In providing floorings,
the greatest care should be taken to avoid anything
liable to become slippery to the tread.
Floors of ordinary-sized baths, where the soil is
reliable, may be of 6 in. of concrete, with mosaics or
tiles laid in cement. The benches for reclining and
shampooing must be built up from this with half-brick
risers and glazed fronts, having weathered marble slabs
with rounded nosings, as illustrated at Fig. 3.
The ceilings of the fire
and heat-proof floors, which,
when there are other apartments above, must be provided
over the hot rooms, may be of plaster. But the heat at
the ceiling level is
very great, and the plaster here