Free Downloads Earthen Floors: A Modern Approach To An Ancient Practice
For most of human history, people have lived in durable, comfortable buildings made from natural materials such as soil, sand, rocks, and fiber. All over the globe, these ancient traditions persist; a quarter to a third of the world's population today lives in houses built partially or entirely of earth. Conventional Western building techniques using industrial materials may save time and create efficiencies, but these perceived savings come at considerable financial and environmental cost.As well as boasting a unique and beautiful aesthetic, natural building techniques are accessible, affordable, and non-toxic. Earthen Floors: A Modern Approach to an Ancient Practice is the first comprehensive, fully illustrated manual covering the history, use, and maintenance of this attractive, practical flooring option. This detailed, fully illustrated guide explains every part of the process, including: Sourcing and harvesting materials Preparing the subfloor Pouring, finishing, and sealing the floor Living with and maintaining your earthen floorBecause information on creating quality earthen floors was not previously widely available, there have been some negative experiences. Drawing on the combined knowledge of the most qualified earthen floor practitioners, as well their own substantial experience, the authors deliver the definitive resource for this exciting technique, perfect for everyone from the novice to veteran builder.Sukita Reay Crimmel has installed over twenty thousand square feet of earthen flooring, and is one of the preeminent experts in the emerging field of earthen floors.James Thomson is part of House Alive, one of the leading natural building training organizations in the country.
Paperback: 250 pages
Publisher: New Society Publishers (May 13, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 086571763X
ISBN-13: 978-0865717633
Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 7.2 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #228,228 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #43 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Home Improvement & Design > How-to & Home Improvements > Masonry #88 in Books > Arts & Photography > Architecture > Sustainability & Green Design #347 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Home Improvement & Design > How-to & Home Improvements > Do-It-Yourself
I have built several earthen floors. Sukita provides all the basic information if this is your first floor. It's essential reading. I especially liked the information about color washes and sanding the floor, I had never heard of either of these techniques and I will try them on my next floor.
I am giving it 4 stars for lack of detail. Basically this book will sell you on the idea, teach you how to confirm you have the correct materials on site, help you figure out how to get the right materials if you don't have them, teach you how to place, teach you how to finish, and teach you how to care for your aging floor. Really in that respect it is a great book. It did a great job on selling me; I will have a couple of rooms in my house when I finally build that have this.There are some details on how to finish edges and such but much more could be added in this respect. How do you finish against drywall (is there issues with moisture wicking), if you do decide to go without a concrete sub floor how does the interface with the footing look, and there were a couple that I just cant think of right now.I would still recommend this book to anyone considering doing a earthen floor it is good information.
A lovely book: A wonderful workshop that requires no travel and little expense (by comparison); expert teachers w/extensive experience; good info; encouragement for the uninitiated; tips and tricks and confirmation for the growing audience of mud-fans; and stories! Not quite as good as having your hands to hold, but a hekuvalot better than wandering the web! And beautiful floors of mud! Even for those who live in not-so-well-made, impersonally manufactured stick and/or modular homes. Good good good good! Good! (that's five)
This is an excellent book for anyone considering earthen floors. It goes through every step in great detail. There are very few colored pictures, otherwise I’d have given it five stars. But one gets the idea.
Detailed. A good collection of data related to the subject. Would have enjoyed more how to diagrams or illustrations, over all a good book for the serious folks interrelated in earth floors. Worth the money,for sure.
WOW sure would have used this when laying earthen floors all those years ago - now a definitive treatise on HOW TO fantastico ! ! will recommend this to all my clientsTHANKYOU team
Full of valuable information, but B/W pictures?!!!
Finally a comprehensive book on how to do this flooring it's really hard to find this information out that offers constructive detail, it's like trying to find something mystical, if information easy to access it removes it from the world of "too hard" and that's just alternative crap when it should be something we should all being doing.
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