Bentonite clay

[Shannon C. Dealy]

On Tue, 15 Oct 1996, Eric D. Hart wrote:

> At 12:15 AM 10/14/96 -0400, patrick newberry wrote:
> >> Eric Hart wrote:
> >>
> >>.
> >>on the wall every 3 or 4 years.  I have also heard that clay dust isn't too
> >>good for you, so it might be advisable to seal at least interior plaster
> >>that is clay based.  Might be advisable to do the exterior also (would also
> >>make it wear better).  I don't know how 'breatheable' the wall would be with
> >>this type of plaster.
> >>
> >>
> >.Seal it with what????
> >Linseed oil?
>    I think linseed oil will work, but I'm not sure.  Maybe somebody else
> knows how this works.  
> 
It should work since there isn't much difference between earthen plasters
and cob floors which are sealed with linseed oil.  My main concern is that
it will seal the wall where this is done, killing the breathability.  I
hadn't heard about clay dust being hazardous, anyone have more info?
It may be that the problem is not the clay so much as the fact that it's
dust, I read an article a few years back indicating that the real
health hazzard from smog in L.A. appeared to be due to the levels of
particulates in the air, not the various gases associated with the smog.
It might be better to just use a natural paint over the wall to control
the dust problem while still leaving the wall breathable.


Shannon Dealy
dealy at deatech.com