Cob: Earth Floor!

[Charmaine R Taylor]

I can respond on a poured stepping stone and step off from a patio I
made of clay-lime and volcanic ash.   I doubted clay and sawdust-lime
could stand up in our wet weather, but had to cover a small bumpy tree
stump just off a patio slab. So I framed it roughly, and poured a mix of
woodchips, sawdust and clay-lime last  June. 2000  The mix stood up well
over the winter, did not dissolve, but was crumbly on the edges. I did
not put down a sand pad or anything but pull out the weeds in my way.
This summer I poured a new mix of the clay-with volcanic ash and am more
pleased. The  wide step-off is spongy to the foot, but does not crack or
move, even near the edges. The first night a real live bear tred on it
and 3 Racoons left prints too...I sorta like them there, but the "step"
is holding up well, and I'd like to pour a "floor" under a work area
which is just gravel now, and in future will pour a floor over  a cement
floor in my studio just to see how it holds up and feels.  You can patch
any earth floor.

Charmaine  Taylor/ Taylor Publishing
http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com