[GSBN] earthen floor sealer in Haiti

[Derek Roff]

Some vegetable oils harden naturally, in the sense of readily forming 
a tough, non-soluble film when exposed to air.  Some do not.  (The 
terms "curing" and "drying" are also used, and all three of these 
terms are sometimes used with other meanings).

Oils also differ in how readily/rapidly they go rancid, and this is 
affected by the extraction and processing methods.  Obviously, a 
hardening oil is more effective for coating an earthen floor, and it 
is important to avoid using oils that might go rancid on earthen 
floors.  Oils that don't harden naturally can be modified with heat, 
high or low pressure, and additives.  However, I don't think that is 
safe or practical outside of a factory.

I haven't been able to find any references on whether either palm oil 
or avocado oil is a naturally hardening oil.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drying_oil>

Related questions:  Is any oil needed?  Would lime/earth be an 
available and useful option?  How about lime/earth/oil, in which the 
lime/oil mixture reacts to form an insoluble soap-like compound?

Derelict

Derek Roff
Language Learning Center
Ortega Hall 129, MSC03-2100
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
505/277-7368, fax 505/277-3885
Internet: derek at unm.edu



--On Tuesday, March 8, 2011 9:06 AM -0500 andy mueller 
<info at greenspacecollaborative.com> wrote:

The last component of the building to be completed is the earthen 
floor. Our team is struggling with securing an effective and durable, 
topically applied oil or penetrant that can be found within country. 
We assume that avocado and palm oils are available however, we are 
coming up empty handed on how to process them as a sealer/penetrant.

--On Tuesday, March 8, 2011 3:28 PM +0100 Rikki Nitzkin 
<rikkinitzkin at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Although I have no idea how long they last... I have sealed
> exterior earthen plastered walls with both Olive and Veggie oil
> with success (only a small section, so as not to impead
> transpiration!).
>
> I would guess that almost any oil could be used (not just linseed).
> I actually wanted to ask someday: why is it we always use Linseed
> Oil? Have other oils been tested and seen as lasting less time?