We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent!

ArmsOfLove · 08-02-2009, 05:21 PM

I have been praying, especially this weekend as the date for leaving got closer (we leave Wednesday morning), that God would show me what we're supposed to do for our floor! when I was wandering around Lowe's today I met a couple who have lived off grid for a very long time and told me the best floor they could recommend is a tamped earth floor http://www.grisb.org/publications/pub11.htm

We're going to use dirt from the property, tamp it down until it doesn't shake around, and then cover with canvas

I bought canvas and am going to sew it together and I have seen shows about painting carpets and flooring onto canvas so I'm going to look into doing that when I arrange the tent

I'm very excited--it will be a lot of work, but we can do it

monkeylicious · 08-02-2009, 05:27 PM

TraceMama · 08-02-2009, 05:28 PM

Sounds great!

NovelMama · 08-02-2009, 07:25 PM

Wait--are you moving off the grid THIS WEEK!?

ArmsOfLove · 08-02-2009, 07:42 PM

we leave Wednesday to go up for the month

It's our trial run by fire

We'll be making tons of lists for what we still need to make it work.

Hopefully, we'll be going back and forth for another year before we need to go up full time, but it depends on my pay at this point.

ncsweetpea · 08-02-2009, 07:47 PM

I'm glad you figured out a solution...but I have a question...What does it mean when you say you are living off the grid?

newday · 08-02-2009, 07:49 PM

awesome!

ArmsOfLove · 08-02-2009, 07:50 PM

Well . . . we will be living out on acreage with a well, some generator and solar power, growing our own food . . .

at this point we won't have any satellite access and will need to go into town for internet, but if we end up being there sooner than we hope we will have to have satellite for me to work.

ncsweetpea · 08-02-2009, 07:52 PM

Okay...sounds like what our grandparents did...only in houses!

ArmsOfLove · 08-02-2009, 07:54 PM

We've got a 532 sq ft tent and we're hoping to frame up at least the door this month, and eventually frame up the whole thing

08-02-2009, 07:56 PM

Exciting!

Forsynthianicki · 08-02-2009, 08:30 PM

Read the article and it sounds awesome. So when finished you put the canvas over the top just like a carpet? Do you waterproof the canvas with linseed oil first?

Rabbit · 08-02-2009, 08:47 PM

An earthen floor doesn't even need a canvas. But a really good one takes some patient hard labor.

http://www.ecoact.org/Programs/Green...n_flooring.htm

http://www.dancingrabbit.org/newslet...701-floors.php

http://www.thepositivenetwork.co.uk/...e=novice&id=33

The gloss on this one is just to die for:
http://designbuildlive.org/?page_id=370

A fabulous earthen brick variant:
http://ashevillageinstitute.blogspot...garottage.html

ArmsOfLove · 08-02-2009, 08:53 PM

thank you for those! I was surprised as dh was finding it doesn't need a canvas! But it must be a LOT thicker and has to be sealed in order to not have a cover. But we may do the dirt floor and then use the canvas for "rugs" that we can even move around. Or at least use until we get it all done. I haven't fully decided now that I'm learning more again

---------- Post added at 07:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:49 PM ----------

OH and we're doing this at this point, though I'm learning more

:

1) ground

2) we have a several inch layer of small stones and dirt that is being wetted down and driven over until it's all solid like cement.
3) then we're doing maybe an inch or two of the dirt (which is heavy clay) and tamping it down
4) Canvas like a carpet

Rabbit · 08-02-2009, 09:00 PM

Earthen floors are the creme de la creme of green flooring. Quality spans from weeded dirt beat down by feet to artistic masterpieces built layer by layer to a final finish with the texture and glow of polished leather, beautiful colors worked in from minerals and other dyes.

There is something very spiritual about having bare feet in contact with the earth. To have that in your home is just

.

08-02-2009, 05:21 PM	#1
ArmsOfLove Rose Garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 79,607	We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! I have been praying, especially this weekend as the date for leaving got closer (we leave Wednesday morning), that God would show me what we're supposed to do for our floor! when I was wandering around Lowe's today I met a couple who have lived off grid for a very long time and told me the best floor they could recommend is a tamped earth floor http://www.grisb.org/publications/pub11.htm We're going to use dirt from the property, tamp it down until it doesn't shake around, and then cover with canvas I bought canvas and am going to sew it together and I have seen shows about painting carpets and flooring onto canvas so I'm going to look into doing that when I arrange the tent I'm very excited--it will be a lot of work, but we can do it __________________ Crystal "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." Maya Angelou

08-02-2009, 05:27 PM	#2
monkeylicious Rose Garden here we go! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: maryland Posts: 5,138	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! __________________ jennifer - formerly jhaud Air Force wife to Bill - 2001 mama to Genevieve aka gigi or monkey - aug 2004 mama to an angel in heaven - july 2005 mama to Evangeline aka evie(licious) - june 2007

08-02-2009, 05:28 PM	#3
TraceMama Rose Garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 21,723	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! Sounds great! __________________ *Tracey* Blessed to be married 24 years. Ever-learning Gentle Mama to 3 Amazing Boys (17, 14, 12) I am determined to be invincible until He has finished His purpose in me.

08-02-2009, 07:25 PM	#4
NovelMama Rose Garden Our sweet family, 2017 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Woodlands, TX Posts: 8,882	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! Wait--are you moving off the grid THIS WEEK!? __________________ Alison wife to Daniel mother to AJ (12/28/05) and PJ (03/19/08) Inspirational Women's Fiction author Children's storybook author Homeschool coach

08-02-2009, 07:42 PM	#5
ArmsOfLove Rose Garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 79,607	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! we leave Wednesday to go up for the month It's our trial run by fire We'll be making tons of lists for what we still need to make it work. Hopefully, we'll be going back and forth for another year before we need to go up full time, but it depends on my pay at this point. __________________ Crystal "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." Maya Angelou

08-02-2009, 07:47 PM	#6
ncsweetpea Deactivated Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 6,374	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! I'm glad you figured out a solution...but I have a question...What does it mean when you say you are living off the grid?

08-02-2009, 07:49 PM	#7
newday Deactivated Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 11,249	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! awesome!

08-02-2009, 07:50 PM	#8
ArmsOfLove Rose Garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 79,607	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! Well . . . we will be living out on acreage with a well, some generator and solar power, growing our own food . . . at this point we won't have any satellite access and will need to go into town for internet, but if we end up being there sooner than we hope we will have to have satellite for me to work. __________________ Crystal "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." Maya Angelou

08-02-2009, 07:52 PM	#9
ncsweetpea Deactivated Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 6,374	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! Okay...sounds like what our grandparents did...only in houses!

08-02-2009, 07:54 PM	#10
ArmsOfLove Rose Garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 79,607	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! We've got a 532 sq ft tent and we're hoping to frame up at least the door this month, and eventually frame up the whole thing __________________ Crystal "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." Maya Angelou

08-02-2009, 07:56 PM	#11
Atarah Guest Posts: n/a	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! Exciting!

08-02-2009, 08:30 PM	#12
Forsynthianicki Climbing Rose Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,252	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! Read the article and it sounds awesome. So when finished you put the canvas over the top just like a carpet? Do you waterproof the canvas with linseed oil first?

08-02-2009, 08:47 PM	#13
Rabbit Deactivated You know how we say, "It works both ways!" Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In the Neighborhood Posts: 39,704	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! An earthen floor doesn't even need a canvas. But a really good one takes some patient hard labor. http://www.ecoact.org/Programs/Green...n_flooring.htm http://www.dancingrabbit.org/newslet...701-floors.php http://www.thepositivenetwork.co.uk/...e=novice&id=33 The gloss on this one is just to die for: http://designbuildlive.org/?page_id=370 A fabulous earthen brick variant: http://ashevillageinstitute.blogspot...garottage.html

08-02-2009, 08:53 PM	#14
ArmsOfLove Rose Garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 79,607	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! thank you for those! I was surprised as dh was finding it doesn't need a canvas! But it must be a LOT thicker and has to be sealed in order to not have a cover. But we may do the dirt floor and then use the canvas for "rugs" that we can even move around. Or at least use until we get it all done. I haven't fully decided now that I'm learning more again ---------- Post added at 07:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:49 PM ---------- OH and we're doing this at this point, though I'm learning more : 1) ground 2) we have a several inch layer of small stones and dirt that is being wetted down and driven over until it's all solid like cement. 3) then we're doing maybe an inch or two of the dirt (which is heavy clay) and tamping it down 4) Canvas like a carpet __________________ Crystal "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." Maya Angelou

08-02-2009, 09:00 PM	#15
Rabbit Deactivated You know how we say, "It works both ways!" Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In the Neighborhood Posts: 39,704	Re: We figured out what to do for our floor in the tent! Earthen floors are the creme de la creme of green flooring. Quality spans from weeded dirt beat down by feet to artistic masterpieces built layer by layer to a final finish with the texture and glow of polished leather, beautiful colors worked in from minerals and other dyes. There is something very spiritual about having bare feet in contact with the earth. To have that in your home is just .

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