DOT Ag-Base=Recycled Concrete

Sep 17, 2018 16:09:04

Hey All,

Around here (central OK) D.O.T "ag-base" or road base is basically recycled concrete from old roads, etc. Finding what a 'normal' permie (oxymoron???) would call "road base" around here is nigh near impossible. The closest I've found is decomposed granite (love the stuff, but the closest to us is 3 hours away). The question becomes, how far can one deviate from purity when it comes to creating an earthen floor? The second question becomes, what else might one use? We're interested in basically a tamped floor with the option of tile, etc. on top. Our original plan was gravel over tamped grade (4"), then road felt, then decomposed granite and a thinner finish of troweled cob and tile, etc. Now, funds are short. If you've read any of my questions before, you may have gathered that we've had a long line of "unexpecteds" and crazies happen since the beginning of our building ~~fit~~ journey and they have drained our resources. Now we find we need our house to be done. DONE. And I need practical ideas. Yes, I have the book. Whichever one you want to reference. Yes, I've read that article. I promise. Now my brain is smoking and I need your input.

Blessings upon you.

Zee

Oct 01, 2018 11:19:14

A lot of sand and gravel operations will have crusher fines. Some crusher fines are good for floors as is. Sometimes you may need to add sand or clay to make them perform better.

Crushed cement might work - you would probably have to add clay soil to it.

Oct 01, 2018 14:51:49

I have seen many people use soil-cement floors with great success. Till in some cement into the first few inches of soil, get it damp, tamper it down and let it dry. It ends up being a nice semi-waterproof (the more cement, the more waterproof) flat surface that you can put whatever you want on top — wood flooring, tile, cob, etc.

Oct 01, 2018 15:01:15

Paper bags are supposed to make a nice floor surface, and could go over a substrate that's a rubble and earth mix.

Get me the mayor's office! I need to tell her about this tiny ad:

better than composting toilets

https://www.richsoil.com/willow