Cow Dung Floor.

[John Sayers]

A girlfriend is building her own house and she's doing it on the cheap. Fortunately where she is is right on the border of her shire in the forest where they aren't too specific about building standards, well, that's what she says Wink

So far she has laid down a termite nest floor made by grinding up used termite mounds, common in her area and floor type used by our pioneers.

She is now adding a finishing layer which is a 2:1 mixture of cow manure and clay. She tells me it has come out really smooth and she's happy with it but wants to seal it.

I remember laying a brick floor once where we were particular about not getting the cement on the brick surface so we actually poured cement into the 1/2" spaces between each brick. We then finished it with coat upon coat (10+) of Johnson's Durosil floor wax. The final finish was very nice, smooth and soft to walk on and the grey cement had turned a soft fawn and the colour in the bricks really shone through. Unfortunately Johnson have discontinued that product.

So - has anyone had any experience in this?? any suggestions to seal and finish her cow dung floor??

cheers
john

[tomsdesk]

Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 10:30 am
Posts: 554
Location: where the skies are not cloudy all day
John, do a search for mud floors...I seem to remember a hot linseed oil coating mixture for our sodhouse dirt floors? I'll have time tomorrow.
Best, Tom.
(What an innovative way to mix in the brick straw BTW :`)

[not registered yet]

Try egg white (albumin). In the UK I used to live in a 16th century stone farmhouse and the sandstone fireplaces had all been sealed with albumin. 200 years ago this was a local building practice. I can vouch for its toughness because to remove it I had to have the stonework sandblasted.

It's other advantage is that it's entirely natural.

Good luck

P: akzidenz

[charevir56]

As Tom said hot linseed oil coating we you used for spanish clay brick, if you want more burn you could use mix burn diesel (used diesel).

[John Sayers]

wow - thankyou guys - the hot linseed oil sounds like a good idea. I'm not sure that her chooks could keep up with the egg white though Wink

cheers
john

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