Feet on the Ground: Earthen Floors

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The Steens have improved on tradition by making their earthen floors thinner than usual. “Most traditional floors in Mexico are three to four inches thick,” says Athena. “It takes a long time for the earth to dry, and during that process cracking is bound to occur. The more cracking you get, the more vulnerable the floor will be. So, we pour thin layers to reduce the cracking. A half-inch layer provides all the strength you need.” This half-inch layer, though, rests on a three- to four- inch layer of clay, sand, and gravel or crushed stone. If you pour this supportive layer in a damp state—and even add lime to the mixture—it will dry and harden more quickly. “At our house, we have a thin floor in the kids’ room where it gets plenty of abuse. In ten years, I haven’t had to do anything to repair it,” Athena says.

Getting a permit to lay earthen floors may also present a few hurdles. In Bolman’s area, city engineers were reluctant at first. “I made a one-square-foot sample and handed it to the code analyst,” he recalls. “He set it on his desk and poured Coca-Cola on it, then went home for the night. The next day, the Coke had not soaked in, so my floor passed the acid test.”

No matter how you look at it, laying an earthen floor is one labor-intensive home project. “It’s hard work extracting dirt, sifting it through the screens, running it through the machinery to mix it, pouring it, and then smoothing it with a trowel,” Bolman admits. “You can put even more labor into it by burnishing it to try to make it really smooth.” Bolman did, however, come up with a time-tested and true solution for the amount of required labor. “I hosted a work party. You make a big pot of chili and invite a whole bunch of friends. It’s very helpful.”

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