[Strawbale] Chris Green's links to Diato sites

[Chris Green]

Raftercat5 at aol.com wrote:
> Chris:  Thanks for the great research/info you dug up on this  new-to-me 
> flooring.  
Hi, Kathy:
I'd never heard of it before the post a few days ago either. I liked the 
idea of this stuff, and think if it's used in "industrial" buildings, it 
must be strong stuff. From the few photos on those links, the type 
without sawdust added seems to look really nice if done properly.
> Seems strange it's concentrated so much just in  Calif. 
This could be a big hint that it's expensive stuff, or at least the 
installation of it is.

The up side to that is that since this has come up on our list, more 
people wil be looking into it. Perhaps some magazine articles will come 
out of it and stimulate a wider interest in it. Then there will be a 
bigger need  for installers and contractors. So that's a heads up for 
anyone looking for a new and challenging opportunity.

I'd like to find a supplier of the ingredients and experiment with it. 
Perhaps one might be able to substitute the South African magesite 
flooring mix for rigid styrofoam under an infloor heating system, since 
the sawdust does have insulating properties.
That will require some experimenting of some kind.
The South African company, Corcoleum, whose letter was quoted by Bill 
Steen in his January 5th post entitled  Sawdust Floor,  has a web 
address, but the ISP only has a holding page there at this time. The 
company's web page hasn't been put up on line yet, but they have an 
email addie.
Email : davek@*corcoleum*.co.za
The web address is:
http://www.corcoleum.co.za/
If anyone is interested in talking to or writing the folks at Corcoleum, 
the contact information, phone #, fax, street address, are found here:
*http://tinyurl.com/ybgjlg*

I didn't see that "the flooring lady," whose link I also sent, has any 
contact information anywhere on her website.
>  Being that I'm 
> located near the other big pond, if we can't find a  local source, we'll 
> probably go with a concrete floor.  I'll be doing some  research before throwing 
> in the towel tho.
>   
Right. If this material has a lower embodied energy content than 
concrete, and is equally durable,  it'll be worth using.  Kindly report 
back if--or rather when--you find out more.

Thanks,

Chris Green.