Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Fire Wood => Topic started by: Marleywood on September 27, 2018, 01:39:03 PM

Title: Burning"Pressure Treated" lumber scraps?
Post by: Marleywood on September 27, 2018, 01:39:03 PM
Seems like this must have been discussed before, so I apologize, I obviously suck at using the forum "search" feature, although I tried.

Anyway, we just finished building a deck on the house framed in pressure treated lumber.  We have quite a bit of odds & ends scrap.  Is this OK to burn in the outdoor furnace?  I live in a very secluded area.  Will it hurt my furnace?  (Or us?).

Title: Re: Burning"Pressure Treated" lumber scraps?
Post by: greasemonkoid on September 27, 2018, 03:14:07 PM
The gasses are toxic, creosote is toxic, ashes are toxic, and it's illegal.

Supposedly a teaspoon of ash contains enough arsenic, among other things, to kill a man.

If the labels say not to handle without gloves, it's probably nasty stuff.




I wonder how many people have burned this stuff and thrown the ashes in their garden.
Title: Re: Burning"Pressure Treated" lumber scraps?
Post by: shepherd boy on September 27, 2018, 06:24:13 PM
 A fellow told me once that he had cows dying and couldn't figure out why. Found a place where someone had burned old treated fence posts years ago and the cows liked the salt and were licking the ground.
Title: Re: Burning"Pressure Treated" lumber scraps?
Post by: CountryBoyJohn on September 27, 2018, 07:13:54 PM
I throw dry plain lumber scraps in mine. But never anything treated.
Title: Re: Burning"Pressure Treated" lumber scraps?
Post by: Marleywood on September 28, 2018, 08:59:13 AM
The gasses are toxic, creosote is toxic, ashes are toxic, and it's illegal.

Supposedly a teaspoon of ash contains enough arsenic, among other things, to kill a man.

Not to disagree with you about the dangers, and I'm sure it's still dangerous to breath, but I don't believe arsenic has been in used pressure treated lumber for quite some time now.   I know you shouldn't burn old PT wood for that reason.   These are brand new scraps.
Title: Re: Burning"Pressure Treated" lumber scraps?
Post by: juddspaintballs on September 28, 2018, 03:43:40 PM
I've probably thrown a scrap or two in the boiler here and there.  I didn't die and my boiler still works.

I'm not sure I'd make a habit of burning PT lumber, but a scrap here and there probably won't hurt. 
Title: Re: Burning"Pressure Treated" lumber scraps?
Post by: greasemonkoid on September 28, 2018, 04:15:07 PM

Not to disagree with you about the dangers, and I'm sure it's still dangerous to breath, but I don't believe arsenic has been in used pressure treated lumber for quite some time now.   I know you shouldn't burn old PT wood for that reason.   These are brand new scraps.

You're right, some derivative of copper these days, depending on manufacturer. I wonder what the toxic ingredient is that gloves should be worn when handling.

Title: Re: Burning"Pressure Treated" lumber scraps?
Post by: Scratch on September 28, 2018, 06:40:59 PM
I've probably thrown a scrap or two in the boiler here and there.  I didn't die and my boiler still works.

I'm not sure I'd make a habit of burning PT lumber, but a scrap here and there probably won't hurt.
Same here
Title: Re: Burning"Pressure Treated" lumber scraps?
Post by: tinfoilhat2020 on September 28, 2018, 07:19:59 PM
all my cut offs go in the boiler...plenty of treated chunks over the years...even the gassers liked the treated stuff, burn hott >:D >:D >:D