Cob floors

[Eric Hart]

At 01:30 PM 12/6/97 -0800, you wrote:

>>[Will Firstbrook  WCB of BC]  
>>Great Idea. Did you do your floor like the one described in the Cobbers
>>companion? Being a little impatient the thing I wonder about is would I wait
>>that long before I start the walls.
>
>Will  -  Yes,  I used the directions in the "Cobbers Companion".  Very easy
to understand and full of >information.  My first introduction to cob floors
was at a basic cob building workshop.  My second >was visiting Eric Hoel in
Salem, Oregon.  He installed a cob floor prior to walling, and I was
inspired by its look, feel and practicability.
>
>As far as waiting for the floor to dry:  The dying time depends on how thin
your floor "batter" is, and >upon the weather.  I did not find I had to wait
any significant nail-biting time.  There is ALWAYS >something to do and you
do not have to wait for a complete cure.  You will be able to walk and >work
on it in its leather hard state.  Besides, either way you go on the floor,
installing before or after >the wall, you are going to have to wait for it
to dry.  I suspect that the floor will dry much more >quickly without walls
around it rather than waiting until after the building is up.  You will get
much >more air flow. Remember though, you still want a temporary roof over
your structure.  
        Exactly how long did you wait for the floor to dry?  How thin was
your floor 'batter'?  I know somebody in Wisconsin who did an earthen floor
and it took at least two months to dry (to even be firm enough to walk on
it).  So I'm curious to know how long it takes and a drying time of less
than a month would be the best.  I'm thinking it wouldn't be very practical
to put in  your floor and then build the walls while it dries.  Floors
always get trashed during construction and I would imagine a curing floor
would be easily damaged.  So, I guess you have to exterior finishing work
while the floor is drying.  If you have a detailed work schedule that
involves an earthen/cob floor I would be interested in seeing it.  Putting
in the sub floor and then putting up the walls sounds like a good idea.  How
long does the finish coat take to dry?  Its the thinnest so might only take
a week or two.  

Eric D. Hart
Community Eco-design Network
PO Box 6241
Minneapolis, Minnesota  55406  USA
(612) 306-2326
http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/m037/kurtdand/cen/