Installing a floor on dirt
 

I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement. I have heard of free floating
floors and that is the path that I am really considering now. Before I
took over the house my parents had a book that referenced using a
plastic layer on the dirt, then laying gravel on top of that, then
building something similar to the framing of a house on which the
floor would be placed. Since the idea has come up the book has since
vanished and I am at an utter loss as to what I should do. I am set on
the idea of the flooring, but lacking the reference to follow through
as I fear that I will mess up and have a large mess on my hands that
will be a great deal of work to fix. If anyone has any Ideas on what I
can do, or any books, sites or anything that could help me, that would
be great. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Installing a floor on dirt
 

On Feb 8, 10:39 am, "Penguin" wrote:
I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement.

What type of construction was used to build this house. Stick frame?
Pole barn? Masonry? Please provide detailed construction methods
including photos.

Installing a floor on dirt
 

On 8 Feb 2007 08:39:56 -0800, "Penguin"
wrote:

I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement. I have heard of free floating
floors and that is the path that I am really considering now. Before I
took over the house my parents had a book that referenced using a
plastic layer on the dirt, then laying gravel on top of that, then
building something similar to the framing of a house on which the
floor would be placed. Since the idea has come up the book has since
vanished and I am at an utter loss as to what I should do. I am set on
the idea of the flooring, but lacking the reference to follow through
as I fear that I will mess up and have a large mess on my hands that
will be a great deal of work to fix. If anyone has any Ideas on what I
can do, or any books, sites or anything that could help me, that would
be great. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

There is something very quaint and romantic about dirt floors.
Please reconsider and forget messing up that dirt with flooring.

My grandparents had dir floors and they would sweep the dirt just like
it was a floor.

Installing a floor on dirt
 

Lawrence wrote:
On Feb 8, 10:39 am, "Penguin" wrote:
I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement.

What type of construction was used to build this house. Stick frame?
Pole barn? Masonry? Please provide detailed construction methods
including photos.

For the foundation railroad ties were used, then up from there we
mounted on a frame, if I remember correctly the frame was 2' on
center, but am not entirely sure about that, there are the thick
sheets of plywood on the inside and outside of the walls, then
covering the plywood on the outside is siding. The roof was done
basicly the same as the roof but in truss form. Then there are
supports that we did for the roof just as something extra so that it
could withstand anything, that was done with 4x4 and then on one end
it was done in telephone poles... Basiclly that is all that is done to
it at the moment, the major part for the time being is going to be
finishing the floor...then the rest of it should fall in, I
hope...Thanks for the help

Installing a floor on dirt
 

On 8 Feb 2007 08:39:56 -0800, "Penguin"
wrote:

I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement. I have heard of free floating
floors and that is the path that I am really considering now. Before I
took over the house my parents had a book that referenced using a
plastic layer on the dirt, then laying gravel on top of that, then
building something similar to the framing of a house on which the
floor would be placed. Since the idea has come up the book has since
vanished and I am at an utter loss as to what I should do. I am set on
the idea of the flooring, but lacking the reference to follow through
as I fear that I will mess up and have a large mess on my hands that
will be a great deal of work to fix. If anyone has any Ideas on what I
can do, or any books, sites or anything that could help me, that would
be great. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


Unless you have a free source of whatever other material you use,
you will end up spending as much on anything else as you would
on the concrete.

Installing a floor on dirt
 

Penguin wrote:

For the foundation railroad ties were used, then up from there we
mounted on a frame, if I remember correctly the frame was 2' on
center, but am not entirely sure about that, there are the thick
sheets of plywood on the inside and outside of the walls, then
covering the plywood on the outside is siding.

What part of this planet is this house located on? From your
description, I hope it's not in termite regions. If it's not where
termites are a problem, put down more cross ties & 3/4 waffer board on
top of them. Later, paint or tile can be added.

Tom J

Installing a floor on dirt
 

On 8 Feb 2007 09:03:35 -0800, "Penguin"
wrote:


Lawrence wrote:
On Feb 8, 10:39 am, "Penguin" wrote:
I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement.

What type of construction was used to build this house. Stick frame?
Pole barn? Masonry? Please provide detailed construction methods
including photos.

For the foundation railroad ties were used, then up from there we
mounted on a frame, if I remember correctly the frame was 2' on
center, but am not entirely sure about that, there are the thick
sheets of plywood on the inside and outside of the walls, then
covering the plywood on the outside is siding. The roof was done
basicly the same as the roof but in truss form. Then there are
supports that we did for the roof just as something extra so that it
could withstand anything, that was done with 4x4 and then on one end
it was done in telephone poles... Basiclly that is all that is done to
it at the moment, the major part for the time being is going to be
finishing the floor...then the rest of it should fall in, I
hope...Thanks for the help


Is it safe to assume, then, that you don't have to worry about
meeting code, or making inspectors happy?

Installing a floor on dirt
 

Goedjn wrote:
On 8 Feb 2007 09:03:35 -0800, "Penguin"
wrote:


Lawrence wrote:

On Feb 8, 10:39 am, "Penguin" wrote:

I

but if you put a floor in, where will you run your kerosene powered
computer?

Installing a floor on dirt
 

"Penguin" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement. I have heard of free floating
floors and that is the path that I am really considering now. Before I
took over the house my parents had a book that referenced using a
plastic layer on the dirt, then laying gravel on top of that, then
building something similar to the framing of a house on which the
floor would be placed. Since the idea has come up the book has since
vanished and I am at an utter loss as to what I should do. I am set on
the idea of the flooring, but lacking the reference to follow through
as I fear that I will mess up and have a large mess on my hands that
will be a great deal of work to fix. If anyone has any Ideas on what I
can do, or any books, sites or anything that could help me, that would
be great. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


On the off chance that this is legit,

Bagged cement poured 1-2" thick over plastic would be as cheap as anything
you could build.

PT lumber is very expensive now.

Installing a floor on dirt
 

On Thu, 8 Feb 2007 16:15:24 -0500, "Colbyt"
wrote:


"Penguin" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement. I have heard of free floating
floors and that is the path that I am really considering now. Before I
took over the house my parents had a book that referenced using a
plastic layer on the dirt, then laying gravel on top of that, then
building something similar to the framing of a house on which the
floor would be placed. Since the idea has come up the book has since
vanished and I am at an utter loss as to what I should do. I am set on
the idea of the flooring, but lacking the reference to follow through
as I fear that I will mess up and have a large mess on my hands that
will be a great deal of work to fix. If anyone has any Ideas on what I
can do, or any books, sites or anything that could help me, that would
be great. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


On the off chance that this is legit,

Bagged cement poured 1-2" thick over plastic would be as cheap as anything
you could build.

PT lumber is very expensive now.

Installing a floor on dirt
 

Penguin wrote:
I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement. I have heard of free floating
floors and that is the path that I am really considering now. Before I
took over the house my parents had a book that referenced using a
plastic layer on the dirt, then laying gravel on top of that, then
building something similar to the framing of a house on which the
floor would be placed. Since the idea has come up the book has since
vanished and I am at an utter loss as to what I should do. I am set on
the idea of the flooring, but lacking the reference to follow through
as I fear that I will mess up and have a large mess on my hands that
will be a great deal of work to fix. If anyone has any Ideas on what I
can do, or any books, sites or anything that could help me, that would
be great. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Think carpet. That's what the Bedouin have been doing for millenia.

Installing a floor on dirt
 

On Feb 8, 5:35 pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
Penguin wrote:
I have got a house that I am working on, built it from the ground up.
It has got dirt floors at the moment, and as it turns out, I am
lacking the money to put in cement. I have heard of free floating
floors and that is the path that I am really considering now. Before I
took over the house my parents had a book that referenced using a
plastic layer on the dirt, then laying gravel on top of that, then
building something similar to the framing of a house on which the
floor would be placed. Since the idea has come up the book has since
vanished and I am at an utter loss as to what I should do. I am set on
the idea of the flooring, but lacking the reference to follow through
as I fear that I will mess up and have a large mess on my hands that
will be a great deal of work to fix. If anyone has any Ideas on what I
can do, or any books, sites or anything that could help me, that would
be great. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Think carpet. That's what the Bedouin have been doing for millenia.

Just paint the dirt

Installing a floor on dirt
 

need plastic as a vapor barrier, concrete will be a cheapest floor
material and ultimately durable

pressure treated wood costs a fortune today

Installing a floor on dirt
 

On Feb 8, 5:10 pm, " wrote:
need plastic as a vapor barrier, concrete will be a cheapest floor
material and ultimately durable

pressure treated wood costs a fortune today

I agree that you should avoid treated wood. The basement in my own
house has about 2" of concrete poured basically onto clay and it is
fine (done 90 years ago). If you have time and no money (and a
strong back and a weak mind) look into adobe floors (google it).