greatest shed floor ever

We bought a property that has. A shed from the 80s. Is was a horse stable at one point. We have been using my 69 bay window van as storage but its time she got back on the road. I am thinking about a quick concrete floor poured pretty thin as a floor but would like to add some good Georgia red clay to cut cost. I know cement is the devil but I need a cheap quick fairly permanent solution. I'll get to my question before anymore details. How much clay can I mix with cement without losing structural integrity? Its just bare earth now, well packed but dusty, and it stays dry.

brandon gross wrote:...How much clay can I mix with cement without losing structural integrity? Its just bare earth now, well packed but dusty, and it stays dry....

If "structural integrity" is the actual goal...No cement can be added to a "clay matrix." This is one of those "I think" attempts at "stabilized earth," modalities. Overall, there are much more natural and environmentally conscious systems to use.

As a comparisons over the years, just dirt and/or gravel floors do very well all on there own for such structures. If wanting something more "robust" and uniform in nature wood plank floor made of green fresh lumber is a wonderful system and we have used such to good effect. The countless barns and coverage bridges over a few centuries old would speak to the strength, durability, and "structural integrity" of them compared to most concrete bridges and floors that begin to crack and fail in less than 30 years of service in many applications...We can usually beat or match the cost for most wood plank floors compared to concrete on many jobs, I would add.

If you haven't read the following, it may prove of some value:

Tataki 三和土

Limecrete-flooring

I would add a lime or natural cement...before I would ever add a OPC concrete, but wood is almost always my first choice, then stone, then one of the systems above it possible...

Hope that all helps a little...

Admitted I haven't checked the links out yet only because my phone is super old. I plan on playing with poured earth flooring as we work on the ran down house on site. But for the barn main adjective is to cut down dust it will be for storage. The other side of the barn will just continue ass good oil dirt. We hope to set up a composting tolite it the side of the shed I need to put the floor into. But need it pretty fast, which leads to poor planing permiculture proves.

Hi Brandon,

Good luck with it all, and I understand the goal...Wood (even if green and from a local sawyer) will cost money...but so does cement. I would offer having to "redo something" is also a factor to consider as well, compared to a better system the first time. Yet perhaps the building does not warrant special consideration do to it's present condition? I am presuming that the term..."oil dirt"...is a typographical error of some form? "Oiling dirt" with used motor oil is a common practice in some regions, but is highly toxic, highly polluting and does not offer a serviceable floor by any means comparatively...

If determined to have a "stabilized soil system" I can say that most are not more durable than a good wood floor unless done really well such as the Tataki 三和土 system I mentioned above. If going for a "hardened earth floor" I would again strongly recommend a "natural cement" if cement is you choice or better a lime alone.

As you seem to reflect already understanding, OPC cements are not a great choice for a number of reasons...Below are some more links that maybe found useful:

Lime Stabilization

Lime soil stabilization on Google

Brandon, just be sure that whatever you use as flooring, the floor you walk on needs to be up 6" off the ground, the siding needs to come down over the exterior edge of the floor by a couple inches, otherwise rain water will catch on the exterior of the floor and infiltrate the inside floor, either rotting wood sills, wood flooring, or making the cement wet, creating mold inside and rusting whatever precious motors, chainsaws, saws, tools, and metal things you store in there.

You can't seal it, you can't stop water seeping, been there, done that