Description
Book SynopsisDown and dirty -- a complete step-by-step guide to making, installing, and living with beautiful, all-natural earthen floors
Trade Review"At last! The mystery is removed from most wonderful floors in the world. First thing you do: go find an earthen floor, pull off your shoes and socks, have a little walkabout, and discover great surprise and tactile delight. Next thing you do: buy this book, learn everything you need, and go make one yourself. Thank you Sukita and James for making this ancient treasure accessible to all." ---Bruce King, PE, Director, Ecological Building Network "Earthen floors have long been shrouded in mystery... Natural building enthusiasts have known about them and lusted after them, but despite the vast amount of natural building information produced in the past two decades, a tested and true treatise on earthen floors has been missing. No longer! This book is full of information, hard-won lessons learned and the real heart and spirit of natural building. The authors successfully de-mystify the process of mixing, installing, finishing and maintaining an earthen floor in a way that will help novices and seasoned builders alike to produce floors that are the most beautiful, sensual and eco-friendly option available. Thanks Sukita and James!" ---Chris Magwood "With Earthen Floors: A Modern Approach to an Ancient Practice, Sukita and James have come up with the ideal mix of inspiration, experience, technique, and instruction. This book will be of use and benefit to both experienced practitioners and those just dipping their toes into the subject of earthen floors for the first time. It is always a delight to find a well-written, clear and practical guide to natural building practice, and a special treat when fun and informative personal stories are interwoven with good graphics to bring the whole process to life. This book makes a great contribution to the field on every level. " ---David Eisenberg, Director, Development Center for Appropriate Technology "Earthen Floors fills a long-standing gap in the catalog of natural building publications in providing reliable and thorough instruction in earthen floor construction. With a style that is both comfortable and authoritative, this book offers the detailed instruction necessary for executing a quality earthen floor in a variety of different contexts. Crimmel and Thomson have drawn upon their extensive and direct experience in their craft and share valuable lessons learned with their readers. From the exploration of the historical roots of earthen floors to a look at the future of how we can improve upon this practice, Earthen Floors is the most comprehensive and thorough resource on earthen floor technology available today. With Earthen Floors, Crimmel and Thomson offer a gift to the natural building community that makes this technology more accessible to DIYers and professionals alike." ---Jacob Deva Racusin, Author, The Natural Building Companion, Co-Owner, New Frameworks Natural Building, LLC "This book is a welcome treasure, a long awaited and generous sharing of the detailed knowledge gained by the authors through years of testing and teaching and designing and installing earthen floors. In a thoughtfully presented text, we are now gifted with a compendium of information in one place, rather than the myriad conversations, tips, trials and experiments common in the last years of rediscovering and refining this valuable and timely technology. My clients and I will be indebted to Sukita and James for years to come. " ---Laura Bartels, Green Weaver Inc.
Table of Contents 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
