Thread: Chances of old house stumps and fence posts being treated with chemicals?

MT - Dunlop Volleys provide better grip on tin roof's than Blundstones

419 - I think LOSP relies far more on sealing cuts well than CCA ever did

MA yes they do, were the roofers shoe of choice. Painters, chippies all seemed to wear them back then. Man could they pong!

Originally Posted by Mountain Ash

419 - I think LOSP relies far more on sealing cuts well than CCA ever did

The stuff I was dealing with wasn't near the ends. It was rotting from water trapped between a window pane and the sill on several different windows.

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

Yep the 70's and '80's were a great time -

Definitely. If it didn't kill you, then it made you stronger!

As a teenager I had a part time job at a local chook farm. One of the jobs, after a batch of chooks had been processed, was to paint the chook shed before the next batch was started. We diluted creosote with 4 parts kero and then used six inch "white wash" brushes. Creosote went everywhere! We found it best to work totally naked, then to wash liberally in kero until all traces of creosote had gone, then to shower until the kero smell had gone.

This was far better than Mother's reaction to creosote soaked jeans.

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

We diluted creosote with 4 parts kero ...

This raises something else I've been wondering about on what's in old timbers.

I have vague memories as a kid of, I think, diesel fuel being used as a 'carrier' for chemicals in various agricultural applications. I think it was supposed to penetrate the target more deeply than just the chemical on its own.

If so, then old timber treated with X chemical could also have Y carrier in it, and the carrier might be as much a risk as the chemical.

Originally Posted by 419

This raises something else I've been wondering about on what's in old timbers.

I have vague memories as a kid of, I think, diesel fuel being used as a 'carrier' for chemicals in various agricultural applications. I think it was supposed to penetrate the target more deeply than just the chemical on its own.

If so, then old timber treated with X chemical could also have Y carrier in it, and the carrier might be as much a risk as the chemical.

I can recall staying with an uncle, during the 50s and a major mossy plaque. He was a professional muleing contractor. The industry used creosote as a wound dressing. He also used it on his & my skin as a mossy repellent. He lived to 87.

The diesel/chemical mix is still a “recommendation” on a number of chemical drums. I have used for killing small trees up to 150mm with what is called “basal barking” where you spray a band of mix onto the bark about 2x the tree diameter.

PW