Jen’s Boot Camp and Allerton Abbey Experience

Thanks, Ty! And ha, I noticed a few days ago that I appear to have a new muscle in my forearm. I would like to start a hand tool collection soon; I will be sure to scour all the secondhand shops and pawn shops for good old stuff!

Worked on the floor divider logs for the Abbey today and got them in place.

I am feeling a little sad that English Fred left today, but we knew from the beginning that he couldn’t stay. He is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, as well as being creative, meticulous, and a hard worker. We all miss him already, and I’m so glad I got the chance to know him. He surprised me before he left with a beautiful wooden comb he made for me—just exactly what I’ve been wanting! No plastic detangling combs for me

(Day 15)

More work on the Abbey today. Logs are in place and cob floor continues. We decided to try one cell without the plastic tarp on top of the gravel. We laid boards down to distribute our weight so we don’t displace the gravel while laying in cob.

(Day 16)

I _think_ the poly-under-cob question is about moisture transmission up through the floor. If so, for anybody interested, here are some links concerning some techniques used to try to keep slab floors dry. The cob floor you're putting down is, I believe, the functional equivalent of a concrete slab, so the technical points in keeping water from coming up through the floor should be similar. Unfortunately, there are no silver bullets.

Here is an excerpt from the first link where some engineers, architects and contractors discuss the question of a capillary break below a slab:
"
kslee1000 (Civil/Environmental)
2 Jan 09 19:38
For interior slab on grade, can anyone enlighten me when, why and how a "capillary break" becomes important factor on top of such typical concerns over strength of sub-base, and wet floor? We specify compact fill for strength concern, vapor barrier to prevent wet surface, drainage layer to divert seepage/uplift, what does "capillary break" serve?
msucog (Civil/Environmental)
3 Jan 09 09:13
it minimizes wicking of moisture up to the underside of the slab. even when there's a "vapor barrier", moisture can still transmit through to the slab. vapor barrier is a relative term unless you're really using something like a 30+ mil vapor barrier. the heavier the vapor barrier, the less moisture will transmit from one side to the other. the typical vapor barrier is very thin, easily torn and can transmit a fair amount of moisture. in other words, if moisture is present on one side of the "vapor barrier", some amount of that will likely be present on the slab side as well.
"

And the link:
https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=234007

And here is a more technical article:
http://www.nrmca.org/aboutconcrete/cips/29p.pdf

The theory is that if the aggregate under the slab has large enough cavities, pores, holes, whatever you want to call them, in it, then water will not be able to soak up through it. Common usage says that means 3/4 inch washed crushed stone, all one size. Ie. "uniformly graded" with no fines (small diameter material like clay, top soil). If the cavities between stones in the aggregate are not large enough, the aggregate will soak up water just like a sponge.

The general consensus in the discussion link above seems to be that the poly is what keeps the water vapor and liquid away from the bottom of the slab. However, a couple of contributors very specifically state that even poly only _retards_ moisture and liquid - it's not _water Proof_.


Regards,
Rufus

Worked at the Abbey this morning and spent the afternoon demolishing part of the deck around the patio/pavilion space we’ve been working on.

(Day 17)