[GSBN] earthen floor sealer in Haiti

Wed Mar 9 15:28:30 UTC 2011

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.
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.
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.
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.
Going on to Tim's comments re: Robert Laporte on cheap cooking oil I don't see any basis for them.
The only downside would be that the sealed floor would be less hard.

Bill
Bill Steen
bill at caneloproject.com
www.caneloproject.com
www.caneloproject.blogspot.com
HC1 Box 324
Elgin, AZ85611

On Mar 8, 2011, at 3:09 PM, Graeme North wrote:

> 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.
> 
> 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.
> 
> 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
> 
> cheers
> 
> Graeme ("stuck down") North 
> Graeme North Architects
> 49 Matthew Road
> RD1
> Warkworth
> tel/fax +64 (0)9 4259305
>  
> graeme at ecodesign.co.nz
> www.ecodesign.co.nz
> 
> 
> On 9/03/2011, at 7:41 AM, Tim Owen-Kennedy wrote:
> 
>> Briefly,
>> 
>> 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).
>> 
>> TIm
>> 
>> On Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 10:19 AM, Andy Horn <andy at ecodesignarchitects.co.za> wrote:
>> I have an old reciet from the 1600's here in the Cape ....also known as the
>> Cape of Storms where the governor of the dutch east Indians had to ban the
>> building of thatch roof buildings because of a series of devatating fires
>> that were experienced at the Cape colony. So flat roofs were mandated. The
>> governor sent out for a top mason to give a recipe for waterproofing of
>> flatish mono pitched Giorgian type buildings. Apparently despite much
>> scepticism given the ferocity of the storms we get, it worked...and indeed
>> there are still the odd example to be found around.
>> 
>> The receipt says they made use of cocoa nut oil.....
>> 
>> 4 parts stamped lime shells taken out of the gravel of the oven (lime kiln),
>> 2 parts ordnary masons lime, 2 parts finely powdered bricks ....well mixed
>> dry, then all this was mixed with coaoa nut oil....until mixed like dough.
>> Then laid immediately 1 1/2 inches thick and rubbed in with a trowel and
>> steadily beaten with wooden mallets. Gentle beating with not too heavy
>> mallets. Whilst busy the 2nd layer was prepared with 10 parts finely sifted
>> lime, 3 parts finely sifted gravel of baked bricks and 1 part Bengal gor or
>> sediment of sugar (draf zuker = molasses). Treated the same way as the first
>> mix and applied the same way. Finally a liquid composec of lime, oil and Gor
>> is made with a strong hand and a smooth trowel well rubbed on the last coat.
>> 
>> 
>> We also have a tradition of sealign earth floors here in the rural areas and
>> on some of the old farms with either ox blood ....burnished into the clay
>> coating or else cow dung or both. Normally the cowdung is smeared on while
>> fresh as a thin coating ...and it hardens creating the finish (though a bit
>> rough for my taste). However this is something done periodically to freshen
>> up a space.
>> 
>> Andy
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: GSBN-bounces at greenbuilder.com [mailto:GSBN-bounces at greenbuilder.com]
>> On Behalf Of Chug
>> Sent: 08 March 2011 05:44 PM
>> To: (private, with public archives) Global Straw Building Network
>> Subject: Re: [GSBN] earthen floor sealer in Haiti
>> 
>> I know a little about this from my involvement in biofuel and as Derelict
>> wrote some oils are termed drying oils as they dry to a hard finish at
>> normal room temperature,
>> 
>> Dammar oil, from the Canarium strictum,
>> Linseed oil, used in paints, also suitable for human consumption.
>> Poppyseed oil, similar in usage to linseed oil but with better color
>> stability.
>> Stillingia oil (also called Chinese vegetable tallow oil), obtained by
>> solvent from the seeds of Sapium sebiferum.
>> Tung oil, used in wood finishing.
>> Vernonia oil is produced from the seeds of the Vernonia galamensis.
>> (Ironweed)
>> 
>> In addition to the oils listed here, walnut, sunflower and safflower oil are
>> 
>> also considered to be drying oils
>> 
>> regards
>> Chug
>> chug at strawbale-building.co.uk
>> http://www.strawbale-building.co.uk
>> .
>> 
>> 
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>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> Tim Owen-Kennedy, Owner
>> Vital Systems, natural building & design
>> P O Box 751, Ukiah, CA 95482
>> www.vitalsystems.net
>> 888.859.6336
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