Lime-ash floors were an economical form of floor construction from the 15th century to the 19th century, for upper floors in parts of England where limestone or chalk were easily available. They were strong, flexible, and offered good heat and … Continue reading →
Caliche: calcium carbonate formed in the soils of semiarid regions. “I sifted the caliche through a chicken wire sieve to get rid of the larger material. This leaves a good size aggregate for a 4-5inch think pour, thicker floor better … Continue reading →
Glue log ends in place with construction adhesive.
Continue reading →Readers often ask our advice about the most practical floors for do-it-yourselfers. If you’re building your own sustainable home, I suggest building floors on grade. This eliminates the need for posts, beams, floor joists, subflooring, toxic glues and other materials … Continue reading →
Earth coupled floors – high mass floors in contact with the soil below (slab on grade, tile, stone, CEB, earthen floors, salvaged brick) – are ideal for keeping homes cool in hot climates. They are not recommended for cold climates … Continue reading →
An inexpensive option to thick concrete floors. The diagram below is from the 1972 book “The Owner Built Home”, by Ken Kern. In this discussion Kern describes a lightweight 1″ thick fiber reinforced floor system that had been tested extensively … Continue reading →