[GSBN] earthen floor sealer in Haiti

Sat Mar 19 23:14:49 UTC 2011

As I live in a place populated by visigoths around 400 AC, I guess they
learned with their previous roman neighbors to use linseed oil not only as a
laxative, but I still did not found the formula.
As for the dangers of boiling linseed oil or aerial lime, materials we still
use in this region, I guess its almost the same danger to fry chicken or
fish and ships.

I spent some hours studding this Linseed oil issue and asked some help to a
dear tutor, a retired chemistry Professor, who showed a chinese patience
explaining me the amazing molecular tango that transforms a liquid in to a
solid. Forgive any imprecision, I will try to be accurate sharing with you
this rapid research.

The main question in this discussion its about using linseed oil to protect
the surface of clay floors, or protect wood.
The subsequent question its how to use it.

But the previous question is if, or why, we need to heat it or boil it  by
artificial heat or by sun exposure. Or not boil/heat it at all. Or shall we
instead mixed it with other components.

Like other oils, Linseed oil is a liquid that can be transformed in a solid,
if there is a polymerization, a chemical process to form a polymer, or in
simple words, to form a solid with visco-elastic properties (rubber per
example, is a natural polymer).

Polymers based on linseed oil are developed by using various polymerization
techniques such as free radical polymerization, cationic polymerization and
thermal polymerization.
Each of these polymerizations are different and beeing so they will provoque
different molecular reactions and transformations.  This means that the
result will not be a equal quality of solid, in the molecular chain there
will be parts that could remain liquid, and therefore the result is not so
good and the solid is of poor quality.
What is the best? Recent tests points that cationic polymerization of
linseed oil produces the best product. But before coming to it, lets go back
to polymeration.

To achieve the polymerizations we need a catalyser. This catalyser will
initiate all the necessary chemical transformation of the linseed oil into a
solid. Heat, oxygen, light, silicates, cobalt, lead, zirconium...etc... they
are all catalysers, acting each of them in a different way. With a different
result of the final quality of the solid Linseed Oil.

Linseed oil can be thermal polymerizised by heating at a hight or not so
hight temperature. Or even more slowly, if you put it at the sun. I do not
found any clear scientifical evidence that fast thermal is best then slow
thermal polymerization. But experience is also evidence, and therefore Bill
statement is as best as any scientifical experiment.

>From India we get some other information. A 4 year thesis by Dr. Vinay
Sharma, at the Department of Chemistry, Punjabi University.

http://www.indianscience.in/thesis/2/synthesis-of-linseed-oil-based-polymers-and-their-nano-composites

(...)
In conclusion, it is observed that the polymers from linseed oil via free
radical polymerization are not suitable due to their inferior properties.
 Their dynamic mechanical and thermal properties are not up to the mark.
 The polymers via cationic polymerization have the best visco-elastic
properties, which make them suitable for the shape memory and damping
applications.  The nano-composites from linseed oil have shown remarkable
increase in the modulus and transition temperature with respect to other
polymers.  They show higher thermal stability and two stage degradation.
 The incorporation of the 2.5% nano-filler gives the best properties.  The
linseed oil polymers and nano-composites are very good alternative for the
various applications in lieu of petroleum based polymers. //

So, according to this research, we can achieve a better product if we
polymerize Linseed Oil with 2,5% of Montmorillonite clay. In this case, if I
understood it well, we do not need to heat it, just mixed with this natural
clay catalyser / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montmorillonite

Concerning the thinner and thicker layers, what we need its a solid layer
that covers all pores. The amount of layers may have to be related with the
quality of this solid product (aka Linseed Oil).
I normally use to protect wood a Linseed Oil product called Biofa made in
Germany ( www.biofa.de , with cationic polymerization  and with 0 to 1g/l
VOC, and I was allways told to apply a very fine layer.

But again, I suppose this is also related with the Linseed Oil quality.

The question I could not find yet an answer is about the floor breathability
if we apply too many or even not so many layers of Linseed Oil.

Finally, what oils can we use in Haiti and other parts of the Globe were
Linseed Oil is not available? For answer this, I feel we just need to ask
people who are doind research on this issues.

Kansas Polymer Research Center (
www.savremenimaterijali.info/sajt/doc/file/1-5%20petrovic.pdf ), per
example, recently published a paper about Polymers from Biological Oils,
pointing that vegetable oils, fish oils (not the fish and ships...) and some
algae oils are excellent raw materials for new polymers. The only question
its to know how to polymerize them in the best and more ecological way.

I hope this helps the discussion.

Jorge Van Krieken
Portugal

On Sat, Mar 19, 2011 at 4:05 PM, Tracy Vogel <tactileinteriors at hughes.net>wrote:

> As a project example.  Their is a 3000 sq ft floor in an historic
> restoration of an adobe barn in New Mexico.  As a restoration we were
> dealing with foundation and stem walls that existed - and were exposed in
> areas.  We sealed with the thin >> thick regime 5 coats.  After 10 years it
> has not been reworked and does get a fair amount of use.
>
> Tracy
>
>
> On 3/18/11 6:03 PM, "Derek Roff" <derek at unm.edu> wrote:
>
> > Tracy says that a thinned linseed oil first coat penetrates more
> > deeply, and Beeel says that an unthinned first coat penetrates
> > enough.  Their observations are not necessarily in conflict.
> >
> > 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 Friday, March 18, 2011 5:32 PM -0700 John Swearingen
> > <jswearingen at skillful-means.com> wrote:
> >
> > Although I've also asked Beeel this question about thinning, and
> > received the thick>>>thin regime,  I would go with Tracy's scientific
> > observations, since they also appeal to common sense and/or logic.
> >  So I wonder why Beeel's thick coat is frequently recommended, and I
> > have a couple of thoughts on that..
> >
> >
> > If penetration is the goal, then Tracy's thin>>>thick program would
> > do the trick better.  I wonder, though, if we are we confusing about
> > the proper prophylactics, that is, confusing 'penetration' with
> > 'protection'.  The appealing quality of linseed (and other oils), is
> > that they create a leathery coating at the top of the earthen
> > surface, so a technique that forms a coating in successive layers
> > would be the most successful.  Warm oil will assure easy and
> > sufficient penetration and bonding, then thiner applications build up
> > the protective sheath.
> >
> >
> > Just my two pesos in a wrapper about covering the earth with shoe
> > leather....any more experiences to go by?
> >
> >
> > John "Oiled" Swearingen
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 3:17 PM, Tracy Vogel
> > <tactileinteriors at hughes.net> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Hello all,
> > Great discussion.  Thank you.
> >
> > I¹ve just caught up and read the thread.  A couple of offerings...
> >
> > First thought:  Since doing core tests of 5 different earthen floors
> > sealed with linseed oil I have been a proponent of thinning the first
> > layer and decreasing the thinner in successive layers.  I¹ve done it
> > both ways and do agree that you don¹t need a deep penetration into
> > the floor to get the benefits of the sealer.  However from the core
> > samples, and other tests in my studio the regime with the first layer
> > being thinned penetrates deeper.  If the floor is gauged or injured
> > the deeper penetrated floor does not abrade or dust as much as the
> > thinner penetrated floor.  This is convenient if one can not get to
> > the repair quickly.
> >
> > Second thought:  There was a floor in New Mexico that we tore out to
> > replace.  It was over 45 years old and had five layers of floor that
> > were laid on top of each other over the years.  The first, bottom,
> > layer was a blood floor.  The regime, as I understood it from those
> > who laid it, was fresh blood added to the mix with the water.  They
> > also rubbed a blood clay aliz to finish it. If they could not get Ox
> > blood they would use what was available, cow or elk.  As we chunked
> > the layers out it was amazing in that this first layer was still much
> > stronger than the ones laid on top of it.  It was easy to remove it
> > cleanly from the other layers and came out in much larger plates.
> >
> > Third thought:  Linseed oil in the mix.  I¹m not a big proponent of
> > linseed oil at a plaster wall sealer but was faced with a strange mix
> > last year that we fortified with linseed oil.  At very small
> > quantities in the plaster it did not change color, became amazingly
> > water resistant, stronger and yet was still repairable.  Could this
> > not apply to a floor mix.  Why not put the sealer (linseed oil) in it?
> >
> > Tracy
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 3/18/11 8:32 AM, "Bill" <bill at caneloproject.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > If you're going to use multiple coats of oil on the floor, don't you
> > want the FIRST coat to be thinned, and therefore penetrate better,
> > and then progressively thin subsequent coats less and less?
> >
> >
> > So would a carpenter think so, wood is a lot less porous.  Or so I
> > would say.  Therefore, we've always gotten the best results by
> > applying full strength oil, letting it penetrate, which it does so
> > well and then using the solvents to get a little additional oil
> > soaked in.  But hey, as they say down here, every maestro has own
> > libro (book of tricks) and whatever you can get to work, then that
> > oughta be good.
> >
> >
> > Also:  am I the only one who is uncomfortable about the idea of using
> > edible oils (i.e., food) in construction?  My discomfort is partly
> > because that oil is food to all sorts of critters, but also because
> > one way or another you are, by using it, sort of removing it from a
> > hungry person's mouth.
> >
> >
> > Well since linseed = flax, flaxseed oil is clearly a food and we've
> > never had problems with it especially when one considers that the oil
> > is typically laced with solvents.  If you stop and think about it,
> > most oils are edible in one form or another.  Haven't consumed any
> > used motor oil recently, but I can assure you that the critters won't
> > care for it.
> >
> > At least down here, termites are the big issue and when they have
> > options for mud mixes with straw, I don't think the linseed oil would
> > be of much interest to them.  At least the Mexican termites don't
> > seem to have an interest in flax based products.
> >
> > Bill
> >
> >
>
>
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