Cob: Re: insulating your floor

[andrea arnold]

Wool is great for insulating walls, ceilings, roofs -
but I can't imagine how you could possibly use it in
an adobe or cob floor.  Here are some clips from "The
Hand Scuplted house".  This book, and almost all cob
and natural building books, have a detailed chapter of
step by step instructions for floors.  If you haven't
done one before, best do some reading first.  Good
luck with your house!  - Andrea 

1.  Dig down to subsoil, make a flat platform 8-12"
below finished floor level.
2.  Compact the subfloor.
3.  Install a layer of gravel, at least 4" thick.
4.  under floor insulation..."insulation is generally
more effective around the perimeter of the building,
within the foundation trench, rather than under the
floor intself, except in tiny buildings in extreme
cold zones, where it may be of benefit to use both. 
If you choose to insulate beneath the floor, lay that
insulation on top of the gravel.  Foam board
insulation is rather spongy and makes laying a rigid
floor difficult....An alternative would be 2-4" of
vermicultie or perlite, with just enough clay to stick
it together."
5.  add 1st, 2nd, and finch layers of poured adobe or
tamped cob on top of the insulation layer.

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