Cement Floors 101

(an observation of the construction process by Jim Bezemer)

One of our goals here on Tiger Island is to supply the local villagers with cement floors for their homes. As our pictures indicate, most homes are constructed with sticks and corrugated steel or plastic sheeting for walls; the roof joists are tree branches and the roofing material is usually clay tiles or more steel sheets. Since money is in extremely short supply, most homeowners cannot afford to supply a floor for their homes, which presents a number of health problems. While the ladies do sweep their dirt floors, they can never be cleaned properly and hold disease-causing bacteria that are transmitted to the occupants, and especially the toddlers who spend most of their time on the floor. In an effort to improve the lives and health of the local population, the Carpenteros believe that, after latrines and clean drinking water, one of the main priorities is to provide cement floors. This year we have committed to supplying twenty homes with cement floors.

The Diaconia Nacional/CRWRC, working with the local village leaders, decides which homes are to receive the floors. With funds supplied by the Carpenteros, the local representatives arrange for sand and gravel to be delivered to a few central areas near the main roads. The cement is delivered to, and stored in, the local community center. From these central drop-off points, each homeowner is allotted an appropriate amount of sand, gravel and cement, which must then be transported to the individual work sites. This is no small feat, since many of the homes are accessible only on foot. Many of the pathways are littered with boulders or follow steep inclines and, therefore, all these materials are carried on the backs of the local population. It is amazing to see women carry huge bags of sand and gravel on their shoulders or on their heads… it is even more incredible to see children as young as five or six years old carrying bags of sand that weigh almost as much as they do.

As Carpenteros, we hire local tradesmen to assist with our projects and to ensure that all the work is completed as promised, even if we run out of time on our visit. This year we have hired several local “masons” who are experts in how to construct, and more importantly, how to finish the floors so that they are smooth and waterproof. The Carpenteros group is divided into three teams in order to tackle three projects at once, and each team is assigned at least one mason to supervise the work and teach us the techniques used here.

Prior to our arrival at the work site (6:00 am), the homeowners are expected to have the home emptied of furniture and belongings. Sadly, this is generally not much more than a few hammocks, one or two plastic chairs, a table, a few shelves and, sometimes, a bed. Also in preparation for the work, the homeowner is expected to have water available for use in the cement mixing process. Virtually all the homes have a tap, however, water supply from the local well can be sporadic, so in anticipation of a possible interruption of water service, the homeowner fills up their “pila” (a water storage container similar to a laundry tub) prior to our arrival. In fact, they usually fill up every barrel, pail and bowl available! But sometimes we still run out of water, and then the lady of the house (and the children) will haul 5-gallon pails of water from a neighbor.

The homeowners are also expected to have their floor leveled and ready for the cement. This leveling is usually done with stone and soil. A number of the residents told us that they wanted a good base under the cement floor, so they spent up to a week breaking volcanic rocks (which are found everywhere on the island) with a hammer and placing them individually, in order to insure proper coverage. Some of our pictures show the results of their labor, which is a testament to their skill, pride of ownership and the importance placed on these new floors.

Once the Carpenteros team arrives at the work site, the first job is to find a level spot beside the home large enough to mix cement (not always an easy thing considering the local terrain). Next, we pile the required 40 shovels of sand, 20 shovels of gravel, and one bag of cement. This is all mixed together with several pails of water and the resulting concrete is then either wheel-barreled, or carried in pails, into the home where it is leveled under the direction of the mason. Again, some of our pictures will show how the perimeter of the room receives the concrete first, and when this sets it is used as a leveling point for the rest of the floor. Once the entire floor is poured and leveled, the mason finishes the concrete with a sponge and the final product is beautifully smooth and very easy to keep clean.

Standing back and looking over the finished floor gives us a real sense of accomplishment. The homeowners cannot express their gratitude enough, as they tell us of the difference this will make to them and their children. In a video taken here last year, one mother explained how her two-year-old son could not yet walk because she knew it was not healthy to let him crawl on the floor, so he spent his time sitting in a hammock. Once she received her new cement floor, she placed her son on it and within weeks he was toddling about the home. That is thanks enough!!