[Cob] Earthen Floor Question

[rhays]

An unfinished earthen floor can be easily stained, easily scuffed, and
possibly dusty.  Finishing can take awhile and still can be stained and
scuffed after the fact.
As others have mentioned, I would do all of the subflooring minus the last
1/2" to 1".  Then after all the other interior work is done, I would do the
final earthen floor layer(s).
 
Also, on a related note, we just finished an earthen floor where we used
tamped road base till the last 1/2" and then the final layer of earthen floor.
 We did many samples in framed 3'x4' plywood sections without cracking.  We
chose our earthen floor mix from the one that did not crack nor pull away from
the edges but the actual floor we did still cracked.  Since then we have
redone the same test samples over compacted roadbase (rather than on plywood)
and have had quite the different results from those we did over plywood.  We
would not have chosen the same mix that we chose from the plywood samples by a
wide margin (the sand to clay ratio changed from about 2sand:1clay to
3-1/2sand:1clay.  We didn't use any fiber/straw for our floors)  So, our word
of advice is to do your test samples over the same medium that you will be
using for your subfloor.

-- Royce

b wrote:


>>I want to share a question posed by a friend of mine.  I have never done the

earthen floor in this order but find it interesting.  I can see a few possible
objections depending upon local weather conditions, but still . . .

>>
>>Comments please