Limecrete floors

[tumbledown]

I have been reading a lot about limecrete floors. They sound a great idea, but as I have a large area to cover (70m2) and on a very limited budget, it sounds just too expensive. Any ideas for the cheapest, acceptable method of achieving a nice dry breathable floor? I was thinking of using bloor bricks or flagstones - being to favour flagstones..

 

[RobT]

Hi Tumbledown,

you could always use crushed chalk.

Simply distribute chalk onto floor and compress with a whacker.

Flags or other flooring material e.g floor bricks can then be bedded onto a layer of lime.

I've used this technique without any problems.

regards

Rob

 

[rshartley]

What were the floors originally? I'd try to follow what was there in the first place.

We've got two rooms with brick floors laid straight onto sand and we restored these by filling in the gaps with matching reclaimed bricks. They seem to be quite readily available although they aren't cheap. Laying them is quite straightforward.

Likewise pamments are easily available, either reclaimed or new:

http://www.pamments.co.uk/

 

[tumbledown]

I think that originally there were floor bricks, but these are long gone.
how thick would the chalk and line need to be laid, Rob? Do you usually grout between the bricks/flagstones/pammets, or are they just left close together and left like that?

I know that sometimes they use underfloor heating with limecrete - is this still possible with other methods?

 

[RobT]

Hi,

we used a thickness of around 8cm plus 2cm of lime to bed the pamments & bricks in.

We placed the pamments & bricks close together and grouted where necessary.

regards

Rob

 

[tumbledown]

Thanks Rob, sounds like a metyhod worth trying - doesn't sound too complicated. Do you know a good supplier? I'm trying to try and put together some idea of cost.

 

[tumbledown]

One other question regarding the clark/lime method: would it be possible to lay under floor heating with this method? It's something we have been considering.

 

[RobT]

Hi,

take a look at this pdf:

http://www.limecrete.org.uk/ty_mawr_limecrete_calculation.pdf

It provides a decent diagram showing the construction of a limecrete floor as well as confirming that underfloor heating is suitable.

On the crushed chalk/limestone front I would simply ring rounda few building suppliers.

regards

Rob

 

[CHRIS]

You can get crushed chalk from Anglia Lime near Belchamp Walter, Sudbury and you can also get fine crushed chalk to make a fine lime filler.

you have to watch out for very fine bits of flit as I gave myself the mother of all finger slices!!!!!

 

[tumbledown]

The limecrete url had a lot of good into, thanks. If I simply wentcrushed chalk/limestone option, would underfloor heating still be possible, as it is with the limecrete?