Cob earthen floor

[Keith Breuker]

Just finished 820 sq ft of earthen floor last night.  We used a mix
recomended by Bill Steen.  Three parts pea stone and one part clay/sand
mix.  The floor was poured about 2 1/2 inches thich on a subfloor of
compacted road gravel (passive solar mass).

After troweling, this mix will have holes on the surface between the
gravel.  The trick is to get it just wet enough for troweling
workability and no wetter so it will dry in a reasonable time.  We
walked on it today by laying down boards first.  

We have finished one room by using a coat of heavy (like drywall mud)
slip and sand troweled over the surface.  Then three coats of Deep
Penetrating Oil Sealer #5 by Natural Choice.  The result is a handsome
durable floor.

-- 
Keith Breuker 
Engineer
SB Owner/Builder
Flyfishing Author
Beulah, MI