[Strawbale] Two questions:

[Herbert Gruber]

Dear Coralie and Andre

1st) Linseed Oil can be mixed directly to the earthen plaster (instead of
blood, cow-dung, urine, waterglass or salt (borax), as it was done in
history) to make it a little more waterproof. Just make tries to find the
right mixture (depends on the oil-content in clay), but you need only a
little bit. As Canadian tests have shown, waterdamp-permeability is not
influenced much by linseed oil.

2nd) Borax is a salt which gives a relative good protection against mice or
moth, it even protects wood against mould for a certain time (so it is
nearly the only organic-chemical material, which gives no toxic damps to the
air, but is not liked by animals and plants). Because it is a hard but not
waterproof material when it is dry (as salt), it can be washed down by rain,
falls off etc. That means, you have to renew the covering after a time (1-2
years). But be sure to construct your wooden beams so, that no water or damp
can harm it (constructive wood-protection). Borax is not proper for
strawbale- protection, because it is only a covering.

Best wishes
Herbert Gruber 
-------------------------------
asbn austrian strawbale network
herbert & astrid gruber
http://www.baubiologie.at
email: asbn at aon...
-------------------------------

> Von: "Coralie & Andre de Bouter" <m.ep at laposte...>
> Antworten an: strawbale at amper....muni.cz
> Datum: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 22:36:45 +0200
> An: <strawbale at amper....muni.cz>
> Betreff: [Strawbale] Two questions:
> 
> Bonjour,
> 
> Two questions:
> 
> * Can any of you tell me how to use linseed oil to waterproof an earthen
> plaster. It's meant for the shower, yes, a SB shower with earthen plaster.
> Just a little test building in our garden that we will take down in a few
> years so we can see how it holds up.
> 
> * Does any of you have any feelings (and info) on Borax as an anti termite
> treatment (for wood)? Or are all of you so far up north that these little
> critters are no problem for you.
> 
> 
> A little positive news from our house...... we are mud plastering our
> bedroom..... but wait, that's not all.... Coralie is pregnant and is pushing
> hard to have her little nest ready before february.
> 
> Hope you are all well,
> Andre
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ____________________________________________________
> European strawbale building discussion list
> 
> Send all messages to:
> Strawbale at amper....muni.cz
> 
> Archives, subscription options, etc:
> http://amper.ped.muni.cz/mailman/listinfo/strawbale
> ____________________________________________________
> 
> 
>