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earthen floor

Clayless in Seattle

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posted 1 year ago

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Hi Folks,
I'm looking to source clay for an earthen floor and cob. I'm not actually in Seattle! I haven't found anything, the soil here is generally quite silty, there are no brick factories or riverbanks where I could dig. Any ideas? Where do you source your clay?
Thanks folks!

Tj Simpson

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posted 1 year ago

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You would need to be a bit more specific about your location but you could have some shipped from Port Angeles or Olympia. I think Monroe used to have brick factories.

You can also make clay by sifting dirt but that would take a while to do a floor that way.

Maybe call a local pottery store if there is one and ask where they source theirs.

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Douglas Alpenstock

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posted 1 year ago

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Hey Max, just a tip o' the hat for your thread title. Made me chuckle!

Max Di Giovanni

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posted 1 year ago

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T Simpson wrote:You would need to be a bit more specific about your location but you could have some shipped from Port Angeles or Olympia. I think Monroe used to have brick factories.

You can also make clay by sifting dirt but that would take a while to do a floor that way.

Maybe call a local pottery store if there is one and ask where they source theirs.

Hey,
I'm based in northern Italy. I checked the pottery store, they order online from an arts supply type shop. There are no brick factories around, mostly derelict car manufacturers...

Christopher Weeks

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posted 1 year ago

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When I've dug natural clay for pottery, I did it by scrutinizing road-construction sites for colored (yellow and red in my case) clay.

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Anne Miller

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posted 1 year ago

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Have you searched online for 50 lb sacks of dry fire clay?

Here in the US, there are several sources online, one being Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/50-lb-clay/s?k=50+lb+clay

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Max Di Giovanni

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posted 1 year ago

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Christopher Weeks wrote:When I've dug natural clay for pottery, I did it by scrutinizing road-construction sites for colored (yellow and red in my case) clay.

Wow, good one! Will keep an eye out

Dian Green

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posted 1 year ago

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Have you talked to any local potters or clay artisans? Anyone running local classes in pottery may also be able to give you direction.
Historical recreationists may be another local source of info.

All true wealth is biological.
Lois McMaster Bujold

John C Daley

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posted 1 year ago

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I believe the claymix you need is diffrent from whatyou arelooking for. Bricks need a high% of clay, Floorsneed a lower %

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Anne Miller

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posted 1 year ago

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This thread might be of interest:

https://permies.com/t/224187/find-vein-clay#1914458

Dear hubby also said to check out construction sites as a good source of clay.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

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