Cob: Insulation

[Sojourner]

"Shannon C. Dealy" wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 18 Jul 1999 Keftydia at aol.com wrote:
> 
> It might help also to sink the floor below grade to get
> a better cooling effect (with proper drainage).

Could you elaborate on "proper drainage" for a below-grade floor?  Also
how to enclose such a beastie and seperate it from the regular ole
exterior dirt?

I'm getting ready to install an earthen floor in a pole frame house
(currently under construction).  I've been assuming I would start at
grade on the W. end (the high end) , then step down to come out slightly
above grade on the E end (low end).

There's about 18" drop over a 24' length.  Was planning on using RR
ties, landscaping timbers, or brick (I favor the brick, here in the
rocky Ozarks I do not have enough suitable stone on my land to do it
with stone, which is great news for gardening but not so hot for
building) to create the wall between steps on the interior, and PT 2x
lumber as interior bottom wrap to enclose/retain the interior earthen
floor.  I am assuming a 4" layer of gravel with earthen floor laid up on
top of that.

The only earthen floor info I have found on the web, the guy laid up on
a concrete slab.  I'm planning on going directly atop the gravel.

I figured my bottom wrap should extend a minimum of 4" below the bottom
of the gravel.

I would rather do it all on one level if I could which would pretty much
mean I would have to be below grade for at least part of the floor
unless I want to truck in a lot of fill or extra gravel.  I want to
build a masonry stove and would prefer to have it located as close to
dead center in the 18x24 structure as possible, which would be tough to
do if I have to put the floor in at 2 different levels.

Holly ;-D