[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Viroc

[Lawrence Lile]

The cheapest non-toxic concrete stain, if you like a rust red color, is
Ferrous Sulphate.   You should be able to do several thousand square
feet for $10 in materials.  Here is a good article on how to do it:

http://www.cathy-moore.com/house/stain.html

Copper sulphate will give an interesting blue-green color, same process.
These chemicals are available at any good garden store for a pittance,
try them out on a piece of concrete stepping stone to perfect the
strength.  

Green Building Supply in Fairfield Iowa sells nontoxic floor sealers at
a reasonable price

http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com//Public/Home/index.cfm

or you can use a few coats of floor wax, also cheap as dirt.  Floor wax
may not resist as many stains as a sealer, but you can't beat the price.


 
 
Lawrence Lile, P.E., LEED AP


-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Jason
Holstine
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 1:16 PM
To: 'Ava Kuo'; greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] Viroc
Importance: Low

Another last minute suggestion: if it's concrete floor stain it. There
are a
couple soy-based nontoxic concrete stains and seals which we're going to
pick up. Doesn't make for a particular comfortable floor, but it will be
cheap and durable.

Jason

Jason Holstine
Amicus Green Building Center
www.amicusgreen.com and www.amicusdb.com


-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Ava Kuo
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 1:55 PM
To: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Viroc


Thanks for everyone's comments re: Viroc (and EIFS).  Actually, I was
contemplating using it as flooring material for an artists' housing
(multifamily) project.  The gray color has the bare-bones artists' loft
look
(though the units will not be lofts).  In the Washington DC Design
Center
there's a great Design House exhibit that uses Viroc for the walls and
floor.  I've been searching for a "think outside the box" solution to
cheap,
green flooring and thought it might be worth exploring.  The default
flooring right now is linoleum (either sheet or Click -- thanks Jason
for
the suggestion) but it would be great -- since this is affordable
housing
and we need to cut the bduget -- to find something even less expensive.

Ava
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