FAQs
Answering your most common questions
What is an earth floor?
An earthen floor is a natural, durable flooring technique that has been used for centuries and modernized in recent years, particularly in the western United States. It is made from locally sourced materials such as gravel, laterite, sand, clay, and water and is built in layers to maximize strength and resilience.
The installation process involves:
Gravel layer – Provides a stable base.
Laterite layer – Adds structural support.
Clay/sand/laterite mix – Forms the main body of the floor, compacted manually.
Top layer – A fine sand and clay mix, troweled flat for a smooth finish.
Sealing – The floor is sealed with a drying oil that polymerizes (hardens) into a protective, plastic-like resin.
In the U.S., linseed oil is commonly used, but in Rwanda, we developed an alternative. Since linseed oil is expensive, not locally available, and slightly noxious, our co-founder, Rick Zuzow, formulated a safer, eco-friendly drying oil from soybean oil. This locally produced oil performs similarly to linseed oil but is healthier, free of toxic fumes, and significantly cheaper.
Thanks to this innovation, our earthen floors are 70% cheaper than concrete while being durable, sustainable, and healthy for homes in East Africa.
How much does an earth floor cost?
We charge about 4 US dollars per square meter for a floor that we estimate will last 5-10 years. A typical home is 20 square meters, costing $80 USD. We are exploring ways for our customers to be able to pay just a few dollars each month to make payment easier for them.
Is the varnish totally safe for people?
Our varnish is completely safe for people, both for our customers and for our employees who work with the varnish on a day-to-day basis. In contrast to double-boiled linseed oil, which is widely used in the U.S. and other developed countries, our own varnish is free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and poses no health risks.
Are you a non-profit, for profit or hybrid ?
EarthEnable has a hybrid organizational structure. EarthEnable, Incorporated is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in the United States that 100% owns EarthEnable Rwanda, EarthEnable Uganda, and EarthEnable Living Limited (Kenya), the for-profit subsidiary enterprises in East Africa. This structure reflects our deep commitment to our social mission of improving health for the world’s poor as well as our belief in market-based solutions. Any profits generated by the for-profit subsidiaries will be directly donated to the nonprofit umbrella organization to fund start-up costs in new markets and further R&D.
What percentage of customers must pay for the floor vs get them for free?
Roughly 10% of our customers get free floors. We install free “innovation floors” for our masons to test a new technique once a quarter (e.g. a new material, method, or embellishment such as color and tiles). However, other than these innovation floors, customers pay for their floors.
How long do earthen floors last?
In the US, earthen floors last 20-30 years as long as they are maintained with a fresh coat of oil every 3-5 years. In our operating areas, given that floors are typically washed every day, we’ve learned that the floor will last 5 -10 years with proper maintenance.
What is the evidence that earthen floors can make on impact?
Research has shown that replacing dirt floors with solid surfaces significantly improves health outcomes. In Mexico, studies found that switching from dirt to concrete floors reduced diarrhea by 49% and parasitic infections by 78%.
We believe earthen floors provide similar benefits. By creating a hard, impermeable barrier between people and the bacteria, parasites, and dust in the ground, our floors help eliminate common sources of infection and disease.
In June 2023, we completed a biological plausibility study to assess whether replacing dirt floors could improve health. Though not an RCT or health impact evaluation, the study revealed promising correlations:
Hookworm prevalence (Ancylostoma spp.) decreased by 62% three months after floor installation.
Hookworm reinfection rates were significantly lower, with only 9.3% of children in the intervention group reinfected, compared to 26.5% in the control group.
Reduced exposure to E. coli, as measured by a decrease in soil dust contamination in household courtyards.
We are currently conducting a health impact evaluation comparing the health of our customers before and after receiving our floors to similar control households in areas where we have not yet scaled. This research will further quantify the benefits of earthen floors in improving health outcomes.
Why don’t you use cement?
Cement has two major drawbacks: it is expensive and highly energy-intensive to produce, making it environmentally harmful.
In Rwanda, cement is particularly costly because most of it is imported. Being a landlocked country, Rwanda faces high transportation costs for heavy materials like cement. As a result, most concrete floors in Rwandan villages are made with minimal cement and thin pours, leading to widespread cracking. Once cracked, cement floors are nearly impossible to repair, whereas earthen floors can be easily re-sealed and maintained.
Cement and concrete also account for 8% of global carbon emissions. Cement is the second most-used material in the world after water and requires significant energy to produce. In contrast, earthen floors have 90% less embedded energy while still being strong, waterproof, and abrasion-resistant. More sustainable building materials exist, and part of our mission is to help guide the developing world toward a greener future.There are significantly more environmentally sustainable building materials than cement, and part of our mission is to put the developing world on a more sustainable development path.
Are customers able to pay your floors at the current price?
Our customers are generally poor, living in rural Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. Even though our price is 70% cheaper than concrete, it can be expensive for them to pay out of pocket. Thus, we incorporate financing options for customers to pay in installments. A 20 square meter floor will cost roughly $80 USD, which is not affordable to most of our customers up front, but over the course of the floor’s life (5-10 years), is certainly affordable.
We currently offer payment options to pay roughly 25% of the price in 4 installments over 1.5 months, and are looking to finance our floors over the course of several years so that customers are only paying a few dollars each month, which we believe will drastically increase access.
Why are you a for-profit organization in Rwanda and Uganda?
We are a for-profit in our operating areas (Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya) because we strive to be a financially sustainable business rather than always being grant subsidized. Having customers pay for their floor ensures that EarthEnable is accountable to customers, and that customers feel ownership and pride of in their floor.
How Are The Customers in Rwanda Reacting To Your Floors?
Customers are thrilled to have a floor that looks like concrete—sometimes even better, with added color and patterns—at a much lower cost. They are especially excited that our floors don’t crack, unlike traditional concrete floors.
Customer satisfaction remains high, with 98% of clients reporting improved living conditions and a strong willingness to recommend our products.
How long does the installation of a floor take?
For a 20-square-meter floor, the initial labor takes 3–4 days. This process includes:
Preparation – Removing the top layer of soil (which often contains bacteria), leveling the ground, and compacting layers of gravel, laterite (small pebbles with clay), and our earthen mix of clay, sand, and laterite.
Smoothing – Troweling and pressing a fine clay and sand mixture onto the floor.
The floor then needs 5–10 days to dry, depending on humidity and ventilation. If cracks appear, we repair them and allow additional drying time.
Once dry, we apply four coats of our custom varnish over two days, followed by a final drying period.
In total, the process takes 2–3 weeks before the floor is ready for use.
How much training is needed for a mason to learn the technique?
We train apprentices for 1-3 months alongside an already trained mason.
While they work with the trained mason, they learn not only about the technique of mixing the correct proportions, recognizing sufficient compaction, trowelling, but also about how to handle common issues such as leaky roofs and uneven house foundations
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