Floor

I once attended a workshop at the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, Pa where a Native American talked about how he set up his tipi on a gravel floor and put his fire pit below grade to distribute the heat throughout the floor. Ever since them I wanted to move my rocket stove under a gravel floor.

I read a forum post on permies.com about using gravel under the subflooring to prevent moisture, and it brought me back to the same idea. After reading that I'm wondering now whether or not I should use a vapor barrier.

It would seem to me that if I provide enough 'below grade' drainage along the uphill perimeter of the house that should significantly reduce moisture. Also the river gravel should prevent moisture wicking up from below. Then when I apply heat in the form of solar radiation and a rocket mass heater, that should provide enough evaporation to prevent condensation from building up within the gravel. I'm afraid that if I use a vapor barrier, that might lose breathe-ability, causing moisture pockets. 

Guess we should test for radon :-\

So far, this is the plan. We'll see what happens.