Thread: Bleeding Jarrah

Sump oil?? Not a finish I would recommend. Are you sure it's not tannin which will leach out of the timber for some time usually when it has been in the rain?

cheers
Steve

Might it be creosote, a popular preservative up to 20 or so years ago? If so someone one may have suggestions for either drawing it out or sealing it in.

If its creosote its nasty horibble stuff thats toxic to just about every thing and was used to treat sleepers at one stage as well as telagrph poles / power poles. I suggest you get it tested

Originally Posted by ellissa_fell

I bought an outdoor setting made from recycled jarrah railway sleepers a few months back. It is still bleeding what I assume is sump oil (not sap as first thought) and the supplier has disappeared. The setting looks amazing, and is exactly the rustic look and feel we wanted, but months after it's delivery, it is still un-usable with oil leaking from all parts of the wood. Any suggestions about how to dry it up or extract it so we can finally have guests sit on it without ending up covered and stained?

I had the same problem. Bought a bunch of used sleepers and used them to retain a sunken pergola and then to be able to sit around the edges. it took about 2 years for the sump oil to stop leaking out. We tried everything we could think of including caustic and a hot air gun, but the stuff just kept coming out. Their saving grace was the termites ate out the untreated pergola posts but didn't touch the sump oil.

BTW I since found out that sump oil is "mildly toxic". It has nasty organics and Cr in it. I would seriously consider painting it.

i'd say it'd be creosote.you'll be able to tell from the smell.i think all you can do is wipe the excess off with mineral turpentine and keep doing it until it's all leached out,but that wont be any time soon.the warmer it is the more comes out. unfortunately i'd say you've been ripped off and the maker knows it and that's why you cant find him