crazy idea- linseed oil for concrete sealer??

[Lynn Kasdorf]

Ok- my barn-restoration-into-workshop conversion is finally moving along. I have slabs poured on the ground level now.

I'm thinking that as long as I have these pristine slabs-o-concrete here, I might as well put a sealer of some sort on them, to make them easier to cleanup and so that oil won't stain the concrete, etc.

I have about 1800 ft2 to treat. To buy good enviro-seal it costs about $107/5 gallons and I think I'll need 15 gallons. Ouch. Especially since there are several upcoming expenses on the barn, and a couple of auctions I want to go to.

So- I happen to have 55 gallons of old linseed oil. It got me thinking- i wonder what this stuff will do on concrete? I think one problem is that it may take forever to dry, so maybe I could buy some japan dryer.

This is indoor only, by the way. I wonder if the linseed solids would do any good at all for repelling water or oil or other staining stuff? It may be better than nothing (of course, it may be worse too!)

I plan to try some of some broken up chunks of concrete to see what it does.

[Matt Meiser]

I accidentally spilled a quart of 1/3 BLO, 1/3 Naptha, and 1/3 poly on my concrete floor. It sealed it nicely in that area. Nice enough that when I find some kind of deal on poly (i.e. surplus place or clearance), I'm going to buy more.

I would think just BLO would stay sticky for a long time, but adding something to make it flash off might prevent that. I'd try it on the scrap concrete.

[Steve Jenkins]

let us know how it works Lynn. I'm going to have 2800 ft to seal in the near future and am wondering what to use.

[Steve Clardy]

Wondering how long the SMELL would linger?

[Jim Becker]

Linseed oil is not going to "seal" anything...

[Richard Wolf]

Lynn, didn't someone give you that 55 gal. drum of linseed oil? I know you have been losing sleep thinking how you could use it.

[Larry Copas]

Linseed oil has been used for years to seal concrete. Mix it 50/50 with kerosene or mineral spirits and slosh it on with sprayer or roller. It’s not the best or longest lasting...expect to re-apply it to concrete outside every year or two. Will darken the concrete at first but lightens after a while.

And the smell does linger for a while.

[Charles McKinley]

I'll scond Larry on this one. If there is an area that will be getting salt on it use a better sealer in that area.

[Steve Aiken]

20 Years ago I remember seeing a Province of Saskatchewan, Dept. of Agriculture brochure that recommended BLO for exterior concrete applied every other year. Said it would prevent/ reduce spalling and significantly increase the life of the concrete. Of course, I threw out the brochure long ago.

Steve

[Lynn Kasdorf]

Linseed oil has been used for years to seal concrete. Mix it 50/50 with kerosene or mineral spirits and slosh it on with sprayer or roller. It’s not the best or longest lasting...expect to re-apply it to concrete outside every year or two. Will darken the concrete at first but lightens after a while.

And the smell does linger for a while.

Well, now. Maybe I wasn't so crazy after all. The slab is indoors- this will be an area where I restore antique tractors, change the oil in cars, do welding, sandblasting, painting, etc. The woodworking goes on upstairs in the barn.

I would consider using it if I could make it dry quickly. I plan to try some on some scrap concrete tomorrow and see what it does.

As to the smell- I really like it! When I use BLO in the shop, I always love the odor- it takes me back to a furniture shop that I visited with my family when I was a wee lad.

[Lynn Kasdorf]

I did a bit off googling for linseed oil and concrete- it is indeed well acknowledged as a concrete treatment. Who woulda thunk!

"Linseed Oil is also a valuable tool in the preservation of concrete. An application of linseed oil, penetrates the surface of the concrete forming barrier to water. It stabilises the surface of the concrete, reduces the formation of dust and prevents corrosive breakdown of the steel reinforcing rods. "

I found this navy document that suggests 60/40 linseed/mineral spirits:

http://www.ccb.org/docs/ufgshome/pdf/09981.pdf#search='linseed%20concrete'

and the flax council (no kidding) says:
"Linseed oil effectively preserves concrete surfaces, naturally. A coating prevents destructive water and salts from penetrating concrete. It stabilizes the smooth concrete surfaces in parking structures, bridges and concrete buildings, and prevents the breakdown of reinforcing steel.

A testing program completed at the University of Hong Kong in 1996, proved conclusively that linseed oil-based preservatives extend and enhance the life of concrete. Linseed oil-based preservatives have significant potential in areas such as Hong Kong and other parts of southeast Asia. These regions have high concentrations of real estate which is principally concrete. "

So- maybe a few gallons of mineral spirits and my free BLO will serve me well. I'll experiment with this.

E.E. Zimmerman makes a commercial linseed based concrete treatment:
"Linseed oil based sealing agent for new and old concrete surfaces. Protects concrete against damage caused by freeze-thaw cycles, salt and other de-icing chemicals. "

and this:

"...Cady suggests water-repellent, pore blocking and barrier coating sealers as most suitable for highway use to delay the onset of deicer scaling and reinforcement corrosion. Based on Cady’s survey of highway agencies, the most frequently used sealers are (in percent used or approved) silane (33%), epoxy (15%), siloxane (14%), synthetic gum resins (10%), and linseed oil (9%)."

Thanks, folks

[Jim Becker]

I stand corrected, but am still dubious about the word, "sealer"...this is very interesting. Whoda' thunk?

[Steve Clardy]

Linseed oil is also one of the best water proofing for canvas tarps.

[Howard Acheson]

Keep in mind that water and water vapor move right through linseed oil. It is no barrier to either. So, while the concrete will absorb it, it will do little in the way of sealing the concrete.

[Mike Vermeil]

I understand that its an opportunity to get rid of all that oil, but with all the great products on the market now just for that application, why not use one? The epoxy products will seal the concrete better, provide a smoother surface (if desired) for rolling around on creapers under your cars & tractors, and will hold up to just about anything spilled on it. Linseed oil will be a constant maintenance issue - something I try to avoid if possible.

Another benfit of the expoxy - better light reflection so less artificial lighting is needed.