[Cob] Re:earthen floors-linseed and related earthen floorconversations

[Amanda Peck]

I've used these instructions (more or less) for a floor.  That I haven't 
finished yet.  No signs on the sample of mold. These guys are in Missouri 
somewhere.  Not at all near the Dancing Rabbit river (creek?) in Arkansas).

http://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/Newsletter0701-floors.html

At a guess, keeping water away from the building.  Having the floor raised 
from ground level on well-tamped gravel.  Drains to daylight both under the 
foundation AND farther out have probably saved me from some problems.  When 
we put hay down on the floor to slow the drying, it molded (of course it 
did, it was collecting moisture from the floor).  Although checking humidity 
levels--dehumidifying if necessary--is probably going to be a necessity 
anyway.
...............
Chuck Learned wrote (snipped a lot!):

I have been meaning to see if anybody has any thoughts related to earthen
floors as I will soon be starting mine and I am hoping to minimize mistakes.
One concern is mold with utilizing linseed oil in an upper midwest climate.
One of my neigbors did a clay, lime, straw, sand floor. In his sunroom he
has had mold form under anything that is in direct contact with the floor.
He does have a covered hot tub in there though. The gal in the
correspondence below also had bad experiences with Linseed oil. I am
wondering if other people in cooler non desert climates have been successful
with linseed oil or have had similar problems.