Cob: Earth Floor!

[Vicki Wicker]

Hi Charmaine
I meant to say tamped on the earth floor. We sprinkle in a layer of mix, 
mist it real good, sprinkle a dry layer on top of that (to keep the tamper 
from clodding up) and then tamp. Keep repeating till get the depth we want 
and then wet the top well and trowel smooth.
This is SO much easier than making the adobe pavers, and since the final 
trowelling is the hardest part of all, I would think easier than troweling 
the entire floor. Also, low level of skill needed, my kids were able to 
help a lot.
P.S. We would also screed between every few layers to keep it fairly level 
along the way.

At 09:50 AM 11/2/01 -0800, Charmaine R Taylor wrote:
>Yes Darel I think you are are a  little bit confused. Your email is an
>odd mix of explaining what you read....and then advice on how to do it.
>
>A wet cobwood mix stabilized with lime and ash as I described shrinks
>very little.  It's thick like dough and is poured and trowel into place.
>
>There is a big difference from reading about how to do something from a
>theoretical point of view, and actually doing it.   I do a lot of
>research and reading myself, but nothing makes up for trying something
>and watching its performance over time. You should see the boxes of
>sample bits I have!
>
>Not sure why I would I want to ram a 2" thick floor. Tamp a floor maybe,
>but my mixes are not clay and sand to begin with.  But let me know
>when you test that out with  14% lime. SOmetimes 2% lime is all that is
>needed, more can be overkill, and wasteful.
>
>Typically we don't slake our own lime here in the States, it is already
>slaked, and hydrated, and is simply soaked in clean water before use. I
>could complain that it isn;t as good as fresh slaked, but since I never
>get to use freash slaked, then it's a moot point, but the Brits who
>visit don't like our lime I hear.
>
>  Ash is a natural pozzolan, as is brick dust, it works  very well, and
>was used by the
>Romans in England while they were building roads, etc., which are still
>functional. I saw an underground water line and spa still in perfect
>condition after 2000 years..it is actually under the floors near the
>large Minster church in Yorkshire. Clay and burnt brick ash, and
>lime...beautiful mosaic work and frescos.
>
>Have you done any floors or test floors yet?
>
>Charmaine  Taylor/ Taylor Publishing
>http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com