Earthen Floors (eBook)

lt;p> Sukita Reay Crimmel has installed over 20,000 sq ft of earthen flooring in the past decade. As well as presenting extensively on this exciting technique, she founded From These Hands, a green and natural building company located in Portland Oregon which specializes in earthen construction. Sukita is also the developer of Claylin - the first commercially available ready-made earthen floor product in North America. She holds a Bachelor of Science in environmental studies and architecture from the University of Oregon. She is considered one of the preeminent experts in the emerging field of earthen floors.

James Thomson is a workshop facilitator with House Alive, one of the leading natural building training organizations in the country. His early experiences with alternative, mainly owner-built natural building projects grew into his current interest in integrating these practices into more conventional, urban homes. Since beginning to include earthen features, including floors, in sustainable renovations, James has become passionate about this satisfying, practical technique. He has lived on (or near) earthen floors for most of the past 10 years.

Foreword by Paula Baker-Laporte and Robert Laporte
Acknowledgments
Introduction

SECTION 1
About Earthen Floors
Chapter 1: The History of Earthen Floors
Chapter 2: Understanding Earthen Floors

SECTION 2
Materials and Tools
Chapter 3: Materials
Chapter 4: Tools

SECTION 3
Preparing for the Pour
Chapter 5: Making the Floor Mix
Chapter 6: The Subfloor
Chapter 7: Preparing the Work Area

SECTION 4
Installing the Floor
Chapter 8: Pouring the Floor
Chapter 9: Finishing the Floor
Chapter 10: Living on, Maintaining and Removing an Earthen Floor

SECTION 5
Beyond the Basics
Chapter 11: Artistic Touches and Other Techniques
Chapter 12: Floor Experiments
Chapter 13: Using Radiant Heat
Chapter 14: The Future of Earthen Floors

Conclusion

Appendix A : Glossary
Appendix B : References
Appendix C : Resources
Appendix D : Building a Compacted Gravel (On-Grade) Subfloor
Appendix E : Oil and Wax Safety

Notes
Index