Earthen Floor Brownstone

Posted by Gennaro Brooks-Church

January 11, 2010

The correct way to finish off a brownstone is to put lots of insulation and then a concrete slab, right? Correct maybe but not the greenest way. Concrete creates way too much CO2. The greenest way and a great alternative to concrete is to put lots of insulation and then an EARTHEN floor. Yes earth, as in the same earth you dug out to make room for the insulation in the first place.

People have only been using earthen floors since humans evolved out of the trees….earthen floors can be hardened to be durable and they last many years. Unlike other materials they can be “healed” by adding some more earth and water to any crack or scratched spot. Then you seal the patch with a natural hardener like linseed oil.

Next time you need to redo your basement call us to install an earthen floor! An earthen floor is a green alternative to a concrete basement slab.

Taken from EcoAct:

Earthen flooring is exactly what it sounds like – humble, natural earth can be compacted with straw or other fibers and stabilized with various natural oils to form attractive high-quality flooring.

Advantages of earthen flooring:

Eliminates construction waste – excess earth can be reincorporated into the landscape
Attractive, comfortable, slightly spongy surface, sometimes compared to leather
Inexpensive materials
Minimal to zero pollution – Earthen materials require only simple processing and little or no transport. Even when produced by a machine, a finished earthen slab is estimated to have 90% lower embodied energy than finished concrete. (Adapted from Adobe and Rammed Earth Buildings, 1984)
Durable with proper care, and repairable
Low maintenance, able to be swept or moist-mopped; properly sealed, stabilized earthen flooring is not dusty

Disadvantages of earthen flooring:

Labor intensive to install
High traffic areas such as entries or workspaces may require additional materials – such as flagstone – for protection
More vulnerable to scratching and gouging than hard tile or cement – but earthen flooring is more durable than vinyl because it is repairable.
Few local contractors are experienced with earthen flooring

Earthen flooring can be a durable, inexpensive, environmentally sound, and uniquely aesthetic complement to a home or office. Because “dirt” is of course plentiful and locally available, earthen flooring virtually eliminates the waste, pollution, and energy necessary to manufacture a floor, and can save money.

One of the keys to a good earthen floor is the proper mixture of dirt, clay, and straw. (Stabilizers such as starch paste, casein, glues, or portland cement can be added for a harder floor.) Earthen floors are usually sealed with any oxidizing oil such as linseed or hemp oil.

Here is an example of earthen floor layers. The first one of course is LOTS of insulation.