[Cob] oiling cob

[Shody Ryon]

I don't know about your specific question. For me and
any projects I work on, oil going rancid is a major
problem. I agree that oil from plants (well petrolem
was algea long ago, but I think it is far beyond being
rancid ... maybe someone can use this fact to process
more recently made oil?)
I worked a few weeks on a building that we installed a
floor done with boiled linseed oil and turpintine.
They put ashes from the fire place on the floor, I
forget how long after the linseed oil. When it was
applied it smelled bad but later it didn't smell too
bad... well I can't really remember. A few months
later, in the rainy season, black hairy fungus grew
several inches high on the floor and everyone that
lived there got sick at the same time and they had to
move out and redue the floor! I don't know how they
redid it, accept that they put a membrane under it and
installed gravel underground along the ext walls.
I wondered about the mineral oil sold in drug stores
that people used to drink but it is clear, so I
assumed that it had been "bleached" with dioxin (one
of the most toxic chemichals know) like paraffin is,
so I started to wonder about asphalt emulsion, a
waterbase black petroleum product that I applied to
the inside of a metal water tank, as per the
instructions of the farmer I was working for early in
my construction career. The water tank was used for
potable water. The tank had only a small opening and I
remember being suprised that did I not die of
affixiation in the tank. The fumes were superisingly
low and the consistancy upon drying was not very tar
like. I mixed the asphalt emulsion with a lot of
water, I can't remember how much, perhaps 25 to 50%
water with the rest of the mix was asphalt emulsion.
The water lightened the color and it dried kind of
fast, like latex paint. I guess asphalt emulsion is a
common product to use with cob for waterproofing and
to isolate cob from potentially non-compatable
building materials such as Portland cement.
I assume that the latex type finish would not wear
well on a floor, oh well. 
Shody





 
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