A stiletto heel is high pressure for a short time (psi=weight of the person divided by 1/2 sq inch of the heel or about 300 psi). An armchair could be less pressure (240 lb person on 4 sq inches of chair feet = 60 psi) but long-term exposure on the same spots could leave dents in the earthen floor over time. I hope you won't have someone standing in stiletto heels at the same spot for months, but furniture does. So the exposure time becomes a factor, like the compression of linoleum tile over time. Stiletto heels won't dent your linoleum from someone walking around, but a refrigerator over months or years will.
Maybe mixing some cement or other hardener in with the dirt, getting it wet, and running a weighted roller on it will yield a harder and more resilient dirt floor. Someone out there probably has more knowledge and experience on this,. but just wanted to clarify the pressure/time issue.
A2B Research and Development, LLC
703/672-6033 (internet phone)
tomhay@verizon.net
Greetings,
I have a pamphlet that I got from Charlene called Earthen Floors by
Athena and Bill Steen. It says that if they are sealed properly, they
can take a stiletto heal walking on them, far more damaging than
furniture. This is what we are planning on putting down.
Bright Blessings,
Garth & Kim Travis
www.TheRoseColoredForest.com
Bedias, Texas
On 4/10/2013 2:43 AM, Jeff J wrote:
> you could lay down a cement base and lay something like slate or
> flagstone right on the caliche as long as the caliche is stable, you
> would want to run a compactor over it before you started laying and as
> you would level the stone the caliche would only have to be close to
> level. I have actually seen whole houses done this way, the house is
> built on a foundation and then the floors are put in later on the bare
> earth, not even as good as the caliche in my opinion. tried to find some
> pictures but couldn't
>
> --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:papercreters%40yahoogroups.com>, "Rusty S" <slaytonfarms@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hello all,
> >
> > First time poster. I am so frustrated with my build and need some
> guidance. We live in West Central Texas. We are at a stand still on our
> build because of the floors. Here is what we have done so far.
> >
> > I have buried 4 layers of tires rammed full of caliche and have 2
> layers above ground making the foundation done.
> > I put in all of the below ground blackwater plumbing. This includes
> the septic tank and leach field.
> > I put in 6 inches of caliche, leveled, and packed as a subfloor.
> > This was all finished 18 months ago. Then we started trying to save
> the 8k needed to pour a concrete slab inside the Tire Foundation. But
> life keeps throwing us curve balls and we can never quite raise the
> money to the full 8k. We even got it to 7k in December and life happened
> taking the lot of it. On a Paramedics wage that was a chore.
> > (You getting the whole story to get a full appreciation of my
> frustration.)
> > The Dang Slab is just not going to happen so we are looking for
> something I can do myself and as money comes in. Because we are not
> going to take out a loan, this is the only absolute in the build.
> >
> > Now with the questions. I have seen alot of people doing adobe floors
> and they always involve saying that the will Groove and or pit depending
> on what kind of furniture you put on it. That sounds horrible to me. I
> found CEBs (Compressed Earth Bricks) stabilized with concrete done by a
> family and was excited about that. But to buy a machine to make the
> bricks is 25k, DANG.
> >
> > The floor plan is huge and a bit embarrassing as we homeschool and
> have incorporated a classroom and office into the home, 2600 sq ft.
> >
> > I can build almost anything, but this floor thing is driving a wedge
> into the effort and I need help. My wife has all but given up on it and
> I need a solution or I will be forced to mortgage my 6th generation
> homestead to go the loan route and I hate that with all I am. Any and
> all suggestions are appreciated.
> >
> > Rusty
> >
>
>
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I have a pamphlet that I got from Charlene called Earthen Floors by
Athena and Bill Steen. It says that if they are sealed properly, they
can take a stiletto heal walking on them, far more damaging than
furniture. This is what we are planning on putting down.
Bright Blessings,
Garth & Kim Travis
www.TheRoseColoredForest.com
Bedias, Texas
On 4/10/2013 2:43 AM, Jeff J wrote:
> you could lay down a cement base and lay something like slate or
> flagstone right on the caliche as long as the caliche is stable, you
> would want to run a compactor over it before you started laying and as
> you would level the stone the caliche would only have to be close to
> level. I have actually seen whole houses done this way, the house is
> built on a foundation and then the floors are put in later on the bare
> earth, not even as good as the caliche in my opinion. tried to find some
> pictures but couldn't
>
> --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:papercreters%40yahoogroups.com>, "Rusty S" <slaytonfarms@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hello all,
> >
> > First time poster. I am so frustrated with my build and need some
> guidance. We live in West Central Texas. We are at a stand still on our
> build because of the floors. Here is what we have done so far.
> >
> > I have buried 4 layers of tires rammed full of caliche and have 2
> layers above ground making the foundation done.
> > I put in all of the below ground blackwater plumbing. This includes
> the septic tank and leach field.
> > I put in 6 inches of caliche, leveled, and packed as a subfloor.
> > This was all finished 18 months ago. Then we started trying to save
> the 8k needed to pour a concrete slab inside the Tire Foundation. But
> life keeps throwing us curve balls and we can never quite raise the
> money to the full 8k. We even got it to 7k in December and life happened
> taking the lot of it. On a Paramedics wage that was a chore.
> > (You getting the whole story to get a full appreciation of my
> frustration.)
> > The Dang Slab is just not going to happen so we are looking for
> something I can do myself and as money comes in. Because we are not
> going to take out a loan, this is the only absolute in the build.
> >
> > Now with the questions. I have seen alot of people doing adobe floors
> and they always involve saying that the will Groove and or pit depending
> on what kind of furniture you put on it. That sounds horrible to me. I
> found CEBs (Compressed Earth Bricks) stabilized with concrete done by a
> family and was excited about that. But to buy a machine to make the
> bricks is 25k, DANG.
> >
> > The floor plan is huge and a bit embarrassing as we homeschool and
> have incorporated a classroom and office into the home, 2600 sq ft.
> >
> > I can build almost anything, but this floor thing is driving a wedge
> into the effort and I need help. My wife has all but given up on it and
> I need a solution or I will be forced to mortgage my 6th generation
> homestead to go the loan route and I hate that with all I am. Any and
> all suggestions are appreciated.
> >
> > Rusty
> >
>
>
------------------------------------
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