SB: Re: silicate sealers was non-oil earthen floor finish

[mark a demaio <mdemaio@juno.com>]

 thanks for your timely response, bill

anyone out there good with geochemistry and know whether decomposed
granite has silicon sand? my guess is it does. 
i've basically put down a 2 to 3 inches of 1/4" minus psyllium husk
amended decomposed granite floor that still has some imperfections from
trowelling/rolling 1/4" "rock" in the mix and cracking that will need to
be patched. so i was thinking about a finish plaster thickness of
Decomposed granite fines topcoat of 1/8-1/4" with waterglass mixed in,
with maybe a coating of water glass on top. when completed, the topcoat
texture will be about the same exposed surface pore size as a  concrete
floor.  would something like this make a well sealed floor?  i'm not
talking a shower pan, but something that would meet from a sensible
persons perspective the code requirement of a washable floor in a
kitchen.
As an environmental engineer with some toxicology experience (not
training, mind you!), i'm not crazy about heterogenous volatile compounds
in the interior environment.  I have heard from more than one chemically
sensitive person that they do not tolerate low molecular weight products
very well, to the point that aged high molecular weight plastic furniture
is preferable to a new linseed oil or other natural stained product. my
guess and experience tell me that whatever you do to linseed oil, it will
still outgas, and outgas for a long time, particularly at the rates
required for floor applications.  Looking at the global costs, though, it
might make better sense than manufactured products.  But we've used
little oil or plastic in the house to date, and it is remarkably odor-
free, and i don't want to compromise that with the nearly last thing i
install. at least not yet.

oh, The tradeoffs we make in green building- as the late David kibbey
said (paraphrasing, i'm a little longer winded and it was some time
ago))- "don't be so hard on yourself if you can't make the right choice
on everything (product decision) due to costs, availability, timing, etc;
in contemplating and inquiring about alternative materials, just
following up and evaluating is more than most people in our society do,
and this inquiry and evaluation are part of the process of change."

In Peace & Sustainable Community, Mark DeMaio, Concord (CA) Oasis
Ecohousing
Where we completed a research quality straw bale flexible floor plan home
and are seeking future owners/residents with community/ environmental
interests.
Green building site tours with hands on opportunities are being held on
weekends.
925-687-2560(site/ message), 530-694-9501(weekday eves),
coasis@crosswinds.net


On Fri, 14 Dec 2001 17:13:44 -0700 Athena and Bill Steen
<absteen@dakotacom.net> writes:
> 
> 
> > From: mark a demaio <mdemaio@juno.com>
> >
> > the concensus i got was that Waterglass, and more particular 
> Potassium
> > silicate > > 
> Mark,
> I don't think it will work as a vehicle to resist water penetration. 
>  It
> will definitely make the earth mix harder and abrasive resistant if 
> included
> in the mixture provided it contains a significant percentage of 
> silica based
> sand.  It is included in a penetrating sealant manufactured by AFM 
> in San
> Diego, but it contains some percentage of acrylics.  Short of oil 
> and
> acrylics I can't think of anything that would really repel water
> effectively.  I guess you could try wax, but you really need some 
> sort of
> solvent or oil to get it thinned well enough to make it work.  And 
> then you
> loose the hardening benefit you get from the linseed oil.  Why not 
> just use
> a non-toxic linseed oil  If you want to be 100% correct, but an 
> organic oil
> that has been cold pressed, sun thicken it to make it dry faster and 
> you
> should have a decent product.  And I would suspect that it would be 
> cheaper
> than water glass when you are done.  If you want the postassium 
> silicate you
> can get it from Cedar Rose Gulbreath who runs Building for Health in
> Carbondale.  She basically has it drop shipped from AFM, who uses it 
> in
> their sealant, but don't sell it separately.
> 
> Bill
> 
> 
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