Rammed Clay Floor

Neri and hu designed sticks n sushi.

Rammed clay floor. An alternative to the problematic installation of a rammed earth floor. If you re thinking that a rammed earth floor sounds like it s made of dirt then you d be right. Each of the layers in this method needs to be completely dry before starting the next layer. Historically additives such as lime or animal blood were used to stabilize it.

The principle that you can build a structure from readily available resources on site earth and clay is an obvious way to cover the environmental impact of your new build. Built with gravel sand clay straw and linseed oil it is made of local natural materials except for a plastic moisture barrier necessary in our area. Lay down 10mm final layer of thin mix without straw 3 parts sand to 1 part clay using finer sand. It is usually constructed in modern times with a mixture of sand finely chopped straw and clay mixed to a thickened consistency and spread with a trowel on a sub surface such as concrete once dry it is then usually saturated with several treatments of a drying oil.

At dancing rabbit ecovillage we ve found our earthen floor adobe floor hybrid to be a cheap easy to install durable ecological flooring solution. Oftentimes they are constructed of two or three layers. Soil mix is poured into the formwork to a depth of 10 to 25 cm 4 to 10 in and then compacted to approximately 50. Making rammed earth involves compacting a damp mixture of sub soil that has suitable proportions of sand gravel clay and stabilizer if any into a formwork an externally supported frame or mold.

Once it s been compressed and sealed with natural linseed oil a rammed earth floor is. Cure floor with linseed oil process as per the previous method. It may seem a bit strange but a floor comprised of dirt gravel straw sand and clay actually has many redeeming qualities. How to pour a rammed earth floor adobe floor.

My own earthen floor is or will be i should say composed of two layers the base layer composed of sand and clay at a 3 1 ratio with handfuls of long straw mixed in for extra. Rammed earth is hailed as the most environmentally friendly building material available today. Rammed earth finishes are pure raw clay plaster wall finishes that can be used to create seamless and beautiful re imaginations of one of the world s most ancient of building techniques.