Making oilcloth

[davemcg]

I've got a question that's been buggung me.

There are several recipes for making oilcloth using linseed oil &c. most of them call for painting the canvas first or using iron oxide pigment. But they never say WHY, does anyone know why you would need to paint or somehow color the cloth prior to oiling it?

Thanks

 

[Old40Rod]

I dunno, but after reading this, my guess would be so that you end up with a more uniform color=
http://www.codesmiths.com/shed/workshop/techniques/oilcloth/


I read somewhere that folks used to smoosh red clay into the fabric before coating with LSO... I am not sure if it was for the color or perhaps to make it less flammable. I'll be interested to see what folks "in the know" have to say.

 

[ameling]

When you "waterproof" clothe/canvas, you do two things to it. First, you use some form of liquid or chemical to soak into the threads, and swell them up. And you sometimes also use something like clays/pigments to fill in the gaps between the threads. This all closes up those tiny gaps between all the threads as they are woven up. The better you can close up those tiny gaps between the threads, the more "waterproof" it is.

So the "oil" soaks into the fibers in the threads, and swells them up. It also helps slow down any water from soaking into those threads.

But the primary reason for the pigments is color. Spanish Brown is what you get from iron oxide. Lampblack was also a common color. Lampblack is "soot" collected from burning fires and candles/lamps.

Those old canvas covered canoes had a special clay spread over them and worked into the canvas. That clay filled in all the openings/gaps between the threads, and became something of a "plaster" type coating on the outside. This would them become the "waterproof" outside layer of the canoe. Their early version of a "fiberglass coating".

So the pigments color the fabric, but also help in a small way to fill in the gaps/holes between the threads. And the oil soaks into the threads, swells them up, and helps close the rest of the gaps in the weave. And it then slows down the absorption of water into the fabric.

Just my humble rambling thoughts to share, and best used in conjunction with your own research.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[streetsniper]

I'm of the opinion that if you oil it first, it won't soak up the pigment. If it repels water it probably repels everything else. Just my humble opinion. Billy

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Pigment is mixed with the oil. Here is the best site for information on doing it yourself. Read carefully and follow the recommendations to the letter. When they tell you somethings is dangerous or not recommended, pay attention:
http://www.geocities.com/union_guard/oilcloth_and_painted_accoutermen.htm

And yes, it is a Civil War (1861 - 1865) specific site but the same processes had been in use for centuries. Have fun....

 

[Rod Lassey]

The Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly had a very good article on the making of oilcloths some years ago.
http://www.furtrade.org/6quart.html

The cloth was first painted with a sizing made from boiled down leather (somewhat similar to neatsfoot oil?), then the oil with the pigment was painted on. Painted is somewhat of a misnomer, as the oil/pigment mix was thick enough that a trowel was used. After the paint dried, it was then burnished with a stone.

I've used plain old red linseed oil barn paint (it's just linseed oil with iron oxide pigment), and has worked well. I've got to replace mine now, after many years. I'm looking at some nice Russia sheeting to turn into oilcloth.

Rod

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

............
The cloth was first painted with a sizing made from boiled down leather (somewhat similar to neatsfoot oil?), then the oil with the pigment was painted on. ........
Rod

The sizing made from boiled down leather would not be at all like neatsfoot oil, it makes a thick paste that, applied hot, will fill the pores of the material, keeping the color and oil from wicking into the fabric leaving a surface coating and shrink it down to it's final size. Then the oil with pigment is painted on giving the material a hard yet flexible, waterproof finish that does not bleed through the fabric, making it more effective while requiring less of the oil to achieve the same effect.

Your red barn paint will do the job reasonably well and who is to say that similar preparations were not used?

 

[Rod Lassey]

That's very interesting--do you have any idea where to get sizing of that sort? I'd like to give it a try.

Rod

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

If you mean sizing made from leather, just go to a shoe repair shop or harness shop and get the scraps that they have, it may be free (not likely) or they may sell it by the pound. Boil until you get something that is usable. If you want something easier to find, use laundry starch, boiled like they used to do in theatrical scene shops (check any scene shop manual/textbook that is at least 10 or twenty years old) or follow the recommendations in the articles I gave you the links for. It is messy whatever you do, but nothing is easy.

 

[ameling]

Sizing made from boiled leather is similar to Hide Glue.

A lot of artist supply stores sell dried rabbit skin glue to use to prep their canvas for painting. Check them out. And check in to why they use it on their canvas before they start painting on it.

Also check past messages here. Oilcloth has been discussed a number of times - at least once a year, if not more.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[Tsegoweleh]

" There are several recipes for making oilcloth using linseed oil &c. most of them call for painting the canvas first or using iron oxide pigment. But they never say WHY, does anyone know why you would need to paint or somehow color the cloth prior to oiling it? "


Oatsayo,
Funny how we always seem to get off the original question ???

Linseed oil is very acidic. If applied by itself it will eventually rot the cloth. Brick dust asnd most other Earth based dust or "pigments" are base. The base pigment offsets the acid in the oil and retards the rotting process. Color is a side effect.

 

[davemcg]

"
Oatsayo,
Funny how we always seem to get off the original question ???



Linseed oil is very acidic. If applied by itself it will eventually rot the cloth. Brick dust asnd most other Earth based dust or "pigments" are base. The base pigment offsets the acid in the oil and retards the rotting process. Color is a side effect.

Oh I hadn't noticed anyone get off the original question :rotf:

Seriously though, thank you for your input, it makes sense. Yours and #613005 (from Mikey the grumpy blacksmith- thank you Mikey BTW) actually addressed my question, both seem valid.
I've got an oil cloth hanging now, I made it a couple weeks ago, I'm putting together a lean-to and would like to dip it too, but didn't want the dark color, so I'm wondering if it would be ok NOT to use a pigment or paint and just use LSO & paint thinner, it would of course darken it some what but would not be "brown". Sounds like based on your responses it may not be AS waterproof and may not last as long, other than that it should work fine and BTW the recipe I'm using is from www.womenofthefurtrade.com seems to have worked well and was easy, albeit messy to use.
Thanks again for your help.
Dave

 

[ameling]

No, you don't need to use any color pigments if you do not want to. Another common color for original oil clothe was ... yellow. They don't really say which shade of yellow, but it is probably just the color you get from just using plain linseed oil.

Besides the acid in the linseed oil, some chemicals in paint thinner could also have an affect on your canvas. It just depends upon what is actually in that paint thinner.

I have heard of some people neutralizing the acid in linseed oil with baking soda. But I don't recall what affect this had on the long-term live of the oilcloth.

The other thing to keep in mind is that any tarp or oil cloth is a ... consumable supply. It will wear out and need to be replaced over time. Too many people seem to view it as a "life time" investment, when they really should look at it similar to buying a shirt or pants. Those will last a long time, but not forever. And the more you use them, the faster they wear out. Simple facts of life.

Just a few humble thoughts to share. Take them as such.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[davemcg]

I'll give 'er a shot in the next few weeks and let you know how it turns out.

Thanks again for your help.
Dave