Re: [Strawbale] earthen floors

we have had a mixed bag with our various (12) earthen floor approaches. If at all possible do as large a sample as you can (2 square meters +). our most successful combinations have been with a significantly stable sub floor. Bill steen showed us a version he has used with crushed rock (>1cm including the fines) mixed with just enough clay slip to bind it together. I'm using this now on my new Cob office and am really excited about the stability and tooth it will give to the mix (basically high straw earth plaster) that I'm putting on top. The Linseed oil seems to work well in the multiple penetrating layers technique though I'm of mixed mind about what the final finish is. I'm concerned about sealing the moist floor and linseed oil in - we've seen mold under plants or a section of plastic on the bottom of furniture and I think it was trapped moisture with the linseed oil. We've used commercial carnuba floor wax, AFM Hardseal, and mexe-seal, and a host of others with moderate success. I'm concerned about sealing the moist floor and linseed oil in - we've seen mold under plants or a section of plastic on the bottom of furniture and I think it was trapped moisture with the linseed oil. I'm also concerned about water penetrating the floor from moping and plants that could weaken the upper surface. In my office I'll use what we cook up (raw linseed oil, carnuba, and beeswax) for a finish that will hopefully be a good balance of water impervious and slightly vapor permeable. one other caution; several clients have wanted really deep burgundy floors (harkening back to the blood stabilized dung floors of Africa and elsewhere without knowing it). we've used iron oxide pigments in floors and it can leave a weak crust on the surface that the oil fails to penetrate well and has started flaking up in one house we did.