Our bedroom floor is poured adobe...on dirt. I am a pretty good tile layer. I am getting weary of the occasional bug or gopher tunneling up through the adobe floor. I have a VERY small budget. Obviously, digging up the adobe and laying concrete before tiling is ideal. But in our EXTREMELY rural area with huge costs for hauling concrete and no heavy labor assistance...I'd like a less expensive solution.

I was thinking of laying Hardibacker over the adobe and then tiling. My husband objects because between the Hardibacker and the tile that would raise the floor level substantially. He wants to take a pick axe to the adobe floor and go down to the dirt and lay Hardibacker over the dirt. I'm thinking that is going to lead to moisture problems, colder temperatures etc. I also don't think Hardibacker is suitable for laying directly on dirt. The house has NO sub-floor. It is passive solar at 7,400 feet in the norther New Mexico mountains. Temperature range form -20 in he winter to 80's in the sumer with average humidity about 15% I'd appreciate any comments or experience you people can share. Thanks in advance.

Lynne Gudes

"Common sense isn't."