[Strawbale] Sawdust floor

[Rob Tom]

<Raftercat5 at aol.com> and <awl1400 at yahoo.com> wrote:

>> floor is done in 2 layers first layer been of course sawdust mixed with
>> Magnesium oxide (Magnesite) and Magnesium Chloride

> VERY interesting

I remember years ago when Ann Edminsters, David Eisenbergs and Bruce Kings  
roamed the old CREST SB List (no I'm not implying that they are  
dinosaurs... okay, okay, actually I was but only in jest), there was a  
fellow by the edress of "Eco-Eco-somethingorother" (EcoEcoRico?) was  
trying to promote the idea of mineralising straw bales with magnesite as a  
means of preserving the straw to make it immune from the effects of  
moisture.

If I recall correctly, EcoEco's grandfather had invented a process of  
mineralising wood fibres with the magnesite and one of the products was  
building panels of some sort. Apparently the panels were in widespread use  
throughout the UK and Europe, something akin to the ubiquitous Armstrong  
(ie hung ceilings) panels that are used here in North America.

I'm afraid that's about all the Olde Memory can conjure up other than the  
fact that EcoEco's missionary-like zeal in promoting the magnesite  
mineralisation process as being the saviour of SB construction caused more  
than a few Listmembers to roll their eyes.

Another IIRC, was that the extraction of magnesite and production of   
magnesium oxide (MgO) is a fairly energy-intensive process, comparable to  
that for the production of lime and Portland cement, although I remember  
speculating that there was a Green(er)possiblity in that magnesite could  
be extracted from seawater by a solar distillation process.

Sarah "Firebug" Kopp must have been a Listmember at the time too because I  
recall thinking that Israel might have been a good candidate location  
where the idea might be implemented.

Although I'm not privy to the proprietary process by which Durisol  
products are manufactured, I suspect that the wood fibre mineralisation  
may involve MgO.

[Aside: One notes that the mineralised wood fibre material of Durisol is  
fire-proof too, as well as being rot-proof, insect-proof etc.]

If one Googles "Magnesium Oxide cement" one gets quite a few hits which  
talk about it being an "ecoCement" or "sustainable  
environmentally-friendly cement" etc.

Although the "eco" aspect may be a case of Greenwashing (The "may" is just  
that. I'm not saying it is or isn't), perhaps searching "MgO cement" may  
yield some clues as to how one goes about making a magnesite/sawdust floor  
since people seem to be having trouble getting in touch with the contact  
in Beel's email ?

=== * ===
Rob Tom
Kanata, Ontario, Canada
<A r c h i L o g i c   at  c h a f f y a h o o   dot   c a >
winnow the chaff from my edress in your reply