Cob Re: earthen floors

[Barbara Williamson]

on the earthen floor subject.

a question for finishing.

i saw a program a while ago, i think it was on HGTV where a fellow in
england
made a wax finish for tile floors with bees wax and linseed oil.   i presume
he melted the wax and then carefuly added the oil.
questions are did he do it that way? and what proportion?

as an artist using incaustic wax in my work i melt roughly 10 to 25% gum
damar resin in a double boiler, then i add the wax as it melts at a lower
temp.   i have used linseed oil in a premade encaustic mix(with paraffin wax
and solvents and other crap) to paint with but the results were to soft for
me. the stuff i
make can only be applied hot and cools/dries relatively hard. i use it both
in painting and to coat steel sclupture.
any way i'm thinking bees wax and linseed oil and maybe a little damar might
be a good earthen floor finish or maybe toping over walnut oil/alcohol.
the oil should soften the mix up enough to apply then harden as it dries.
though maybe some solvent would be needed.   so... do any one know the mix?

i'vegototgetthishousedoneandgetbacktoart...chris

christopher c. payne
woodbutcher general(ret.)
3crow stillwaitingontheproperty