Does anyone know anything about earthen (earthin?) floors?

He may be thinking of tamped earth...somewhat of a lost art. It involves the use of clay based soil and a tool with a long metal handle...the end consists of a heavy metal rectangle about 3" by 6". The soil is beat or "tamped until it is almost concrete-like.....and I've heard you can tell when the compression is correct by a ringing in the handle...supposedly a good floor....but hard work.

 

We toured a reconstructed hacienda in Taos once. Most of the floors in the bldg were earthen. The original method was to pack it hard as above then wet it with ox blood as a binder before tamping again. The reconstruction used linseed oil in lieu of oxblood. Has to be "resealed" as needed.

 

there is a machine to tamp/pack soil for cememt work that will do the job and is cheap to rent, (when you think about sore arms the next day.) a tamped floor is just soil with lime and some clay mixed in (use a tiller to mix) it will take some work to do it and you will still need a concrete foundation 24'' deep. to keep the rodents out .

 

http://www.skillful-means.com/projects/mud/mud_floors.htm

They are usually called Adobe Floors. Here is a site that tells you how. I think you will really like the floors. What kind of house are you putting it in?

 

Another site with info about Cob floors:

http://www.pacificdomes.com/floorplans/cob.html

 

What a great looking floor! I would seriously consider that when we build or house. Looks pretty simple too. Theresa.