[GSBN] earthen floor sealer in Haiti

Sun Mar 13 23:27:44 UTC 2011

"Bengal Gor" is what is stated in the archives. Some form of Molasses..was
possibly a brand name of the times???

I've yet to try it.

cheers

Andy Horn

  _____  

From: GSBN-bounces at greenbuilder.com [mailto:GSBN-bounces at greenbuilder.com]
On Behalf Of John Swearingen
Sent: 09 March 2011 06:44 PM
To: (private, with public archives) Global Straw Building Network
Subject: Re: [GSBN] earthen floor sealer in Haiti

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?

John "Mundungus" Swearingen

On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 7:28 AM, Bill Steen <bill at caneloproject.com> wrote:

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 <http://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 <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 <http://www.vitalsystems.net/> 
888.859.6336
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-- 
John Swearingen
Skillful Means Design & Construction
2550 9th Street   Suite 209A
Berkeley, CA   94710
510.849.1800 phone
510.849.1900 fax

Web Site:  http://www.skillful-means.com
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