Gorblimey, Andy! I was very interested in the recipe, but got stuck on the Bengal Gor...is that dung of a Bengal tiger--seems a bit difficult to obtain. Or is it something obtained from the planet Gor--equally difficult to obtain, but much more entertaining. Or is it more prosaic?<div>
<br></div><div>John "Mundungus" Swearingen</div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 7:28 AM, Bill Steen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:bill@caneloproject.com">bill@caneloproject.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">Well I certainly can't talk about environments as wet as Graeme describes and perhaps the use of linseed oil will yield the results along the same lines.<div>
What I will add is that the type of effects being described can often happen when the oil doesn't penetrate well and it is left on the surface of the floor.</div><div>The idea is to get it to penetrate fully and have no residual oil left on top. Typically that happens as a result of applying too much oil or the surface of the floor being troweled to the extent that it is densely compacted and the oil can't penetrate.</div>
<div>When it comes to hardness, I can see little need for anything that provides a harder surface than the linseed oil without jumping to a harder floor material.</div><div>Going on to Tim's comments re: Robert Laporte on cheap cooking oil I don't see any basis for them.</div>
<div>The only downside would be that the sealed floor would be less hard.</div><div><br></div><div>Bill<br><div>
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
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<div>Bill Steen</div><div><a href="mailto:bill@caneloproject.com" target="_blank">bill@caneloproject.com</a></div><div><a href="http://www.caneloproject.com" target="_blank">www.caneloproject.com</a></div><div><a href="http://www.caneloproject.blogspot.com" target="_blank">www.caneloproject.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div>HC1 Box 324</div><div>Elgin, AZ85611</div><div><br></div></div></span><br></div></span><br></span><br>
</div>
<br><div><div>On Mar 8, 2011, at 3:09 PM, Graeme North wrote:</div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">Boiled linseed oil toughens and seals - but it is inclined to pick up moisture in high humidity situations and go sticky - this is a problem in my own place in high summer with humidities approaching 100% and chair, and table legs stick to the floor surface and pull the surface off the floor - a bit messy. This floor was saturated with linseed oil mind you - nearly 4 litres per sq.m. A great surface apart from this issue.<div>
<br></div><div>Tung oil, unlike linseed oil which forms single linkages, forms double linkages that make for a tougher surface which is less inclined to pick up humidity, so I tend to use this now, more sparingly as it is more expensive too. A bit of cow dung in the mix forms a wonderful satiny surface to the floor.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I have passed some of this query on to a paint and oil natural oil expert I know on these matters - hopefully he can cast some light on this for us</div><div><br></div><div>cheers</div><div><br></div>
<div><div>
<span style="border-collapse:separate;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><div>
Graeme ("stuck down") North </div><div>Graeme North Architects</div><div>49 Matthew Road</div><div>RD1</div><div>Warkworth</div><div>tel/fax +64 (0)9 4259305</div><div> </div><div><a href="mailto:graeme@ecodesign.co.nz" target="_blank">graeme@ecodesign.co.nz</a></div>
<div><a href="http://www.ecodesign.co.nz/" target="_blank">www.ecodesign.co.nz</a></div><br></span>
</div>
<br><div><div>On 9/03/2011, at 7:41 AM, Tim Owen-Kennedy wrote:</div><br><blockquote type="cite">Briefly,<br><br>We have used Coconut oil at a clients request once because it wouldn't get rancid. Though we have used Cheap cooking oil without complaints (based on a workshop I took from Robert Laporte back in '95 so I don't know if that has been thoroughly tested). If you can't find a hardening oil and with cost a main issue I would be tempted to use filtered old cooking oil and heat it up (if you can filter it enough).<br>
<br>TIm<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 10:19 AM, Andy Horn <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:andy@ecodesignarchitects.co.za" target="_blank">andy@ecodesignarchitects.co.za</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);padding-left:1ex">
I have an old reciet from the 1600's here in the Cape ....also known as the<br>
Cape of Storms where the governor of the dutch east Indians had to ban the<br>
building of thatch roof buildings because of a series of devatating fires<br>
that were experienced at the Cape colony. So flat roofs were mandated. The<br>
governor sent out for a top mason to give a recipe for waterproofing of<br>
flatish mono pitched Giorgian type buildings. Apparently despite much<br>
scepticism given the ferocity of the storms we get, it worked...and indeed<br>
there are still the odd example to be found around.<br>
<br>
The receipt says they made use of cocoa nut oil.....<br>
<br>
4 parts stamped lime shells taken out of the gravel of the oven (lime kiln),<br>
2 parts ordnary masons lime, 2 parts finely powdered bricks ....well mixed<br>
dry, then all this was mixed with coaoa nut oil....until mixed like dough.<br>
Then laid immediately 1 1/2 inches thick and rubbed in with a trowel and<br>
steadily beaten with wooden mallets. Gentle beating with not too heavy<br>
mallets. Whilst busy the 2nd layer was prepared with 10 parts finely sifted<br>
lime, 3 parts finely sifted gravel of baked bricks and 1 part Bengal gor or<br>
sediment of sugar (draf zuker = molasses). Treated the same way as the first<br>
mix and applied the same way. Finally a liquid composec of lime, oil and Gor<br>
is made with a strong hand and a smooth trowel well rubbed on the last coat.<br>
<br>
<br>
We also have a tradition of sealign earth floors here in the rural areas and<br>
on some of the old farms with either ox blood ....burnished into the clay<br>
coating or else cow dung or both. Normally the cowdung is smeared on while<br>
fresh as a thin coating ...and it hardens creating the finish (though a bit<br>
rough for my taste). However this is something done periodically to freshen<br>
up a space.<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
Andy<br>
</font><div><div></div><div><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a href="mailto:GSBN-bounces@greenbuilder.com" target="_blank">GSBN-bounces@greenbuilder.com</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:GSBN-bounces@greenbuilder.com" target="_blank">GSBN-bounces@greenbuilder.com</a>]<br>
On Behalf Of Chug<br>
Sent: 08 March 2011 05:44 PM<br>
To: (private, with public archives) Global Straw Building Network<br>
Subject: Re: [GSBN] earthen floor sealer in Haiti<br>
<br>
I know a little about this from my involvement in biofuel and as Derelict<br>
wrote some oils are termed drying oils as they dry to a hard finish at<br>
normal room temperature,<br>
<br>
Dammar oil, from the Canarium strictum,<br>
Linseed oil, used in paints, also suitable for human consumption.<br>
Poppyseed oil, similar in usage to linseed oil but with better color<br>
stability.<br>
Stillingia oil (also called Chinese vegetable tallow oil), obtained by<br>
solvent from the seeds of Sapium sebiferum.<br>
Tung oil, used in wood finishing.<br>
Vernonia oil is produced from the seeds of the Vernonia galamensis.<br>
(Ironweed)<br>
<br>
In addition to the oils listed here, walnut, sunflower and safflower oil are<br>
<br>
also considered to be drying oils<br>
<br>
regards<br>
Chug<br>
<a href="mailto:chug@strawbale-building.co.uk" target="_blank">chug@strawbale-building.co.uk</a><br>
<a href="http://www.strawbale-building.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.strawbale-building.co.uk</a><br>
.<br>
<br>
<br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Tim Owen-Kennedy, Owner<br>Vital Systems, natural building & design<br>P O Box 751, Ukiah, CA 95482<br><a href="http://www.vitalsystems.net/" target="_blank">www.vitalsystems.net</a><br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><font face="'trebuchet ms', sans-serif"><span style="font-size:x-small"><font color="#666666">John Swearingen<br>Skillful Means Design & Construction<br>2550 9th Street Suite 209A<br>
Berkeley, CA 94710<br>510.849.1800 phone<br>510.849.1900 fax<br><br>Web Site: <a href="http://www.skillful-means.com" target="_blank">http://www.skillful-means.com</a><br>Blog: <a href="https://skillfulmeansdesign.wordpress.com" target="_blank">https://skillfulmeansdesign.wordpress.com</a></font></span></font><br>
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