by Athena and Bill Steen - Cohabitat

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There are a number of varnish combinations which are manufactured in Europe that are composed of varying combinations of linseed oil, tung oils, solvents, dryers and other substances that could also be effective, particularly for the final coat. A source for these products is Sinan (see resources) which is a representative for a European company named Auro which manufactures a complete line of natural paints, oils, solvents and related products. Their linseed oil is organically grown and not diluted with any type of petroleum solvent A solvent for thinning the oil will also be necessary. There a number of options which include everything from common mineral spirits and turpentine to more expensive environmentally friendly thinners diluted with citrus oils, ordorless turpentine and pure citrus oils. Unfortunately almost all of the natural oils and solvents are considerably more expensive. Oils penetrate deeper and more effectively when they are heated, and will also be more readily absorbed, if the surface of the floor and the room are warm. // is extremely important to remember that both oils and solvents are very volatile and flammable and need to be treated with great caution when heating. Any brushes and equipment used during the application are also subject to spontaneous combustion after they have been used and should be carefully stored in closed containers Generally, it is better to apply the oil in a stronger concentration in the initial coats, gradually reducing the percentage of oil to solvent in the following coats. The earthen floor is less porous with each subsequent coat of sealant, and will accept full strength oil more readily at the beginning. Our best results have come from applying full strength oil for the first coat, gradually diluting it in several subsequent coats. Floor Sealing Sequence The floor should be completely dry before sealing. The oil/ solvents to be most effective should be heated, but only with the utmost caution. They should be warmed, but not taken to the point where they began to smoke. Each coat should be applied only to the point that the floor can accept the quantity being applied and no more. If it starts to puddle, the oil/solvent combination may form a cap on the surface of the floor. A large brush can be used to apply the oil. Remove excess oil. Coat 1 - Apply full strength oil Coat 2- Dilute the oil with 25% solvent Coat 3- Dilute with 50% solvent Coat 4- Dilute with 75% solvent Subsequent coats should be applied as soon as the previous one is fully absorbed and no longer tacky to the touch. With 4 coats, the floor should be sufficiently sealed, yet if more sheen is wanted, additional applications of "Coat 4" can be added. Some of the above mentioned varnish preparations might be effective as a final coat. Since no specific testing has been conducted on earthen floors, small samples should be experimented with before attempting an entire floor. Watch that an impermeable cap or skin on the floor is not created. Besides stand oils and linseed oil varnish, Auro manufactures a product called Natural Resin Floor Sealer that is a combination of different stand oils, solvents, and dryers that could be very effective. They also have another product called Clear Amber Varnish which is also a combination of stand oils and solvents, but also includes colophon amber which gives a harder finish.
Periodic Applications of Coat 4" can be used at maitenance coats The frequency of this application will depend upon the amount of wear the floor receives For an average floor, somewhere between 6 months to a year is sufficient. Although, if a high sheen is not important, the Boor can go years without the addition of any further coats or maintenance The application of a hard wax can also be used Recipe for hard wax: 250 kg's of camuba wax, 250 kg's of beeswax and 5 kg's of turpentine or other solvent, all dissolved together in a double boiler Auro produces two different floor wax products that could be used for floor maintenance Beeswax floor care is designed for regular floor care and produces a water-repellent coating while Floor and Furniture Plant Wax contains carnauba wax and gives a harder finish. Repairs If the floor needs repair, open up the crack or hole, splaying the edges, so that the hole or crack is smaller at the top than at the bottom. If the crack or hole is small, it can help to pass the mix through window screen to remove any large particles and debris. Thoroughly moisten the floor when applying the new mix. Seal when dry. There is a variety of reinforced and/or stabilized load-bearing earth and earth/straw in-fills that can be used between floor joists to provide a satisfactory base for an upper-level earthen floor. It is important to establish a solid enough base that doesn't move (so uncharactenstiocharacteristic of many wooden floors). Another consideration is that an upper-story earthen floor will most likely be quite heavy and the calculated loads must be within the limits of the structure Reducing the span between floor joists can help distribute loads along the walls, but also improve the performance of the in-fill material Light clay/straw is possibly the best in-fill, in that it is lighter than solid earth, a good insulator and has good tensile, shear and bending strength. The light day/straw mix can either be packed directly between the floor joists or beams, or can be made into prefabricated panels or blocks, and positioned once dry. Some type of horizontal reinforcing element, such as; lx2's, 1/2" re-bar, 1" bamboo, willow branches, or some other type of branch, spaced every few inches, needs to be integrated into the light clay/straw in order to make it load-bearing in a flat position. These reinforcing elements need to be strong enough to carry the loads imposed on them from above as well as the weight of the infill material itself. Once the infill portion has been completed and is thoroughly dry, a 1 inch thick (two 1/2 inch layers) section of earthen floor can be installed, as described earlier in the text If the floor joists are to be exposed, the infill material should stop 1 inch below their top, and if they are to be covered, the infill material should cover them with at least 2 inches of material. Burlap, coated with a clay slip can be placed on top of the straw/light day if further protection from cracking is desired. Any of the light day/straw infills can then be plastered underneath, on the ceiling side.
Page 1 and 2: y Athena and Bill Steen illustratio
Page 3 and 4: Earthen Floors an introduction Eart
Page 5 and 6: Insulation For insulation, 4 to 6 i
Page 7 and 8: Mixing Test Samples for Finished Fl
Page 9 and 10: Applying the floor mixture is most
Page 11 and 12: The second layer Optimally; the sec
Page 13: Earthen floors can be divided with
Page 17 and 18: Yavapai Sports Surfaces P.O. BOx 17

by Athena and Bill Steen - Cohabitat

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