LFS19
Established Member
Hi everyone,
When I first got into woodworking, I couldn’t really afford decent wood to practice with and often used pallet wood. I didn’t initially pay attention as to whether the wood I was using was treated or untreated.
I built a wine rack, a little jewellery box for my girlfriend and a few other things. I remember reading about the difference between treated and intreated wood after I’d made a few things, and then didn’t use it again after that.
I recently came across the apparent true dangers of treated wood as far as inhalation and ingestion was concerned, and safe to say I’ve freaked myself out a little...
Is there a danger that those initial projects I made are off gassing carcinogens into the air?
I know the worst of the treated wood was when they used arsenic. From the research I did, they use copper now which isn’t as bad but still dangerous.
I can’t seem to get to the bottom of it, though.
Some say it’s a huge danger not just burning it, but touching it and having it in the house Is a big cause for concern.
Others say that as long as you’re not licking it or using it as a chopping board or something, that it’s fine.
Should I be binning projects with ambiguity as to whether the wood was treated or untreated? Or should I be alright?
Thanks!
When I first got into woodworking, I couldn’t really afford decent wood to practice with and often used pallet wood. I didn’t initially pay attention as to whether the wood I was using was treated or untreated.
I built a wine rack, a little jewellery box for my girlfriend and a few other things. I remember reading about the difference between treated and intreated wood after I’d made a few things, and then didn’t use it again after that.
I recently came across the apparent true dangers of treated wood as far as inhalation and ingestion was concerned, and safe to say I’ve freaked myself out a little...
Is there a danger that those initial projects I made are off gassing carcinogens into the air?
I know the worst of the treated wood was when they used arsenic. From the research I did, they use copper now which isn’t as bad but still dangerous.
I can’t seem to get to the bottom of it, though.
Some say it’s a huge danger not just burning it, but touching it and having it in the house Is a big cause for concern.
Others say that as long as you’re not licking it or using it as a chopping board or something, that it’s fine.
Should I be binning projects with ambiguity as to whether the wood was treated or untreated? Or should I be alright?
Thanks!