we used Murco mud as well, i think its the H-100 one thats hypo allergenic. we just found out there paint is actually pretty natural as well eventhough they don't advertise that in any way. we got the full ingredient list from someone there (they were very open to sharing) and i cant remember there being anything scary in it. definitely would recommend looking into it!
Mudding compound doesn't get thought about much but what a big impact it has during a project - so much small particulate everywhere! Glad there are a few options available that are a little better on this front. We avoid latex formulations but I bet the Murco paint options are better than most modern options out there. So hard to know since most modern coating formulations are proprietary.
Interesting sounding application! Feel free to share details via info@earthandflax.com as I'll need a little more info. on the project to offer the best application suggestions. I'm wondering if it is a boat or dock or house located near the water. If it is bare wood, since all these traditional coatings do not create a barrier that traps moisture, you probably have several options. Looking forward to your follow-up.
Nice! Did y'all use any kinds of waterproof caulk or silicone at certain moments where materials or surfaces join? If so, did you find a groovy option or did you just use the conventional/toxic stuff?
Great question! I did not use any modern caulk or sealer products on this project. There are no vertical tile seams, so it was really just where the floor trim met the tile along the walls. I decided I would rather allow the moisture to dry out (did apply thinset, tile, and grout up to the walls under the trim) vs. using a sealer that may fail and cause issues (as well as those products being gross!) down the road. I do plan to wipe up any standing water, etc. to keep ahead of moisture sitting for long periods of time.
we are doing our bathroom right now and the sink is supposed to attach to vanity with silicone but i am trying to avoid that. have you encountered that and know any safe product for that? @@Earthandflaxstudio
In terms of VOCs it's important to note that even though linseed oil is natural and all, while drying the paint will "gas off" VOCs, that are not healthy. So for the 48 hours that boiled linseed oil drys it's important to not stay in a room that has a lot of linseed oil paint or wood finish drying, and to ventilate the room (which has the nice side effect of faster drying)
This is an interesting topic. Purified/degummed linseed oil should not have any harmful VOCs. Most of what we deal with is basically food-grade flax oil that is only naturally processed/heated. It can be an irritant to some who are sensitive and I always recommend air circulation certainly but it is not carcinogenic like harmful VOCs from formaldehyde for example. Some linseed oils or products with linseed oil can be harmful for sure and this can be based on additives (solvents, dryers, mildewcides, etc.) or in the chemical processing of the oil. All the papers I’ve read on harmful off-gassing of products with linseed oil are either petrochemical-based or the product brand/type is never even defined. Don’t lock yourself in an unventilated freshly oiled/painted closet by any means, as that will probably give you a headache but we are very far from the long-term health impacts of complex petrochemical formulations.
Waw nice project
we used Murco mud as well, i think its the H-100 one thats hypo allergenic. we just found out there paint is actually pretty natural as well eventhough they don't advertise that in any way. we got the full ingredient list from someone there (they were very open to sharing) and i cant remember there being anything scary in it. definitely would recommend looking into it!
Mudding compound doesn't get thought about much but what a big impact it has during a project - so much small particulate everywhere! Glad there are a few options available that are a little better on this front. We avoid latex formulations but I bet the Murco paint options are better than most modern options out there. So hard to know since most modern coating formulations are proprietary.
Very nice work! I'm actually looking for a natural sealer oil/treatment for salt water protection for wood. Exploring all options . Thank you 🙏
Interesting sounding application! Feel free to share details via info@earthandflax.com as I'll need a little more info. on the project to offer the best application suggestions. I'm wondering if it is a boat or dock or house located near the water. If it is bare wood, since all these traditional coatings do not create a barrier that traps moisture, you probably have several options. Looking forward to your follow-up.
Nice! Did y'all use any kinds of waterproof caulk or silicone at certain moments where materials or surfaces join? If so, did you find a groovy option or did you just use the conventional/toxic stuff?
Great question! I did not use any modern caulk or sealer products on this project. There are no vertical tile seams, so it was really just where the floor trim met the tile along the walls. I decided I would rather allow the moisture to dry out (did apply thinset, tile, and grout up to the walls under the trim) vs. using a sealer that may fail and cause issues (as well as those products being gross!) down the road. I do plan to wipe up any standing water, etc. to keep ahead of moisture sitting for long periods of time.
we are doing our bathroom right now and the sink is supposed to attach to vanity with silicone but i am trying to avoid that. have you encountered that and know any safe product for that? @@Earthandflaxstudio
In terms of VOCs it's important to note that even though linseed oil is natural and all, while drying the paint will "gas off" VOCs, that are not healthy. So for the 48 hours that boiled linseed oil drys it's important to not stay in a room that has a lot of linseed oil paint or wood finish drying, and to ventilate the room (which has the nice side effect of faster drying)
This is an interesting topic. Purified/degummed linseed oil should not have any harmful VOCs. Most of what we deal with is basically food-grade flax oil that is only naturally processed/heated. It can be an irritant to some who are sensitive and I always recommend air circulation certainly but it is not carcinogenic like harmful VOCs from formaldehyde for example.
Some linseed oils or products with linseed oil can be harmful for sure and this can be based on additives (solvents, dryers, mildewcides, etc.) or in the chemical processing of the oil.
All the papers I’ve read on harmful off-gassing of products with linseed oil are either petrochemical-based or the product brand/type is never even defined.
Don’t lock yourself in an unventilated freshly oiled/painted closet by any means, as that will probably give you a headache but we are very far from the long-term health impacts of complex petrochemical formulations.