Muram Flooring

What is muram?

Disintegrated rocks are termed as muram.

Muram flooring are constructed mostly in villages  and have the same merits as that of mud flooring. First of all, the subgrade is prepared up to 6″ thick and then a thick layer of muram is laid above the subgrade. Then 1″ thick layer of powder muram is spreaded over the previously laid muram layer and water is sprinkled thoroughly over the surface. The surface is rammed and then saturated with water so that a thin layer is formed on the top of the rammed surface. Then the surface is trampled well till the cream of muram rises to the top. The surface is allowed in this state for about 20-24 hrs  and then it is rammed again with wooden rammers called thapies for about two to three days. The dry hard surface thus formed is then smeared with a thick coat of cow dung and rammed once again for two days in the morning. Finally the surface is finished with a cement cow-dung plaster 1:4 (1 cement : 4 cow dung). To maintain muram flooring in good condition, it is given a wash of cement cow-dung plaster once a week and the surface is wiped clean immediately.

Advantages of Muram Flooring:

• Muram flooring are cheap and the method of construction is easy.
• It is suitable for all climatic conditions
• It has long life when it is properly maintained
• It provides smooth, hard and less permeable surafce.

Disadvantage:

• The maintenance of this flooring is quite difficult. Because, the surface it has to be given cement cow-dung wash once or twice a week.