[GSBN] earthen floor sealer in Haiti

[forum at lamaisonenpaille.com]

 From discussions with Bill and Athena I understood that they use 
linseed oil for sealing their floors mostly because it is (where they 
have worked) the cheapest one and that they typically let the oil sit 
for a long time (weeks or months I don't remember) in a 5 cm deep 
container under glass and exposed to air (not closed) to oxydise(?) the 
oil so that it will harden faster than if the oil was to be used fresh. 
This might also help improving other oils.

A word of warning for those on this list who might not be familiar with 
working with linseed oil: cloths etc. that have been soaked with linseed 
oil can auto-combust if left on a heap ; when no longer using them leave 
them out to dry or contain them in a closed metal container.

Please make a small webpage showing some pictures that we can all link 
to our websites). If you don't have the time to make such a page, I 
volunteer to make one available on my website if you sent me pictures 
and a small text. I feel it is important to let the world know about 
your SB work in Haiti.

Good luck finishing the building,
André
France


Le 08/03/2011 16:13, Derek Roff a écrit :
> 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?
>
>
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