Exciting news on the natural building book front — Earthen Floors, a book all about installing and living with earth-based floor systems, is due out April 1, 2014. Written by two very experienced natural builders, Sukita Reay Crimmel and James Thomson, the book is the first of its kind dedicated solely to the art of making inexpensive, durable, and beautiful floors made mostly of sand, clay, and fiber. There are a host of books that touch upon the topic of floors, but few that delve very deeply into the nitty gritty details. This will be a welcome addition to the natural building library.

Learn More About Earthen Floors

Sukita is well-known for her floor work, having installed many over the past decade through her company From These Hands, based in Portland, Oregon. She’s also led the development of Claylin, a ready-made earthen floor mix that is commercially available in North America. Her floors are of a quality that many strive towards.

Sukita and one of her earthen floors

The creation of a floor seems simple enough, as it is mostly a combination of sand, clay, and fiber, but creating a surface that will not crack, create grit, and will hold up to heavy use over years is another issue. Many details come into play when you have to consider moisture, properly sealing your floor, and if you want to embed tiles around entryways.

I look forward to this title and seeing what this duo has learned over their years of experience. You can pre-order the book now and save 20%.