Can floor boards or old doors be wood chipped and used for a garden path?

[jamiegw]

I have lots of old floorboards and doors that I don't need and would like to find a use for them. I'm considering chipping them for garden paths or raised garden beds. Mr concern is this may be unsuitable if they have been treated with chemicals.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

TBH I think your biggest problem will be screws, nails and other bits of metal in the wood

Floorboards and doors normally aren't treated, at least not when they are newly made. Floorboards are sometimes treated in-situ with compounds such as pemethrin to combat boring insects, but that seems to diminish in its' effectiveness over time

 

[Koolpc]

I wouldnt use them like that.

Have you got a woodburner?

 

[foxhole]

With timber prices as they are you could sell them .

 

[big-all]

Another thing to consider, it won't look at all natural as there is no bark or outer live wood and any finish or indeed colour{which will be visible] will affect the way it weathers

 

[jamiegw]

I wouldnt use them like that.

Have you got a woodburner?

Yes we do

With timber prices as they are you could sell them .

The boards are damaged by woodworm so I'm not sure they are worth much

 

[robinbanks]

If you want wood chip for a garden path, ask a local tree surgeon to dump a pile on your drive next time they do something big and not too thorny/leafy. Now's a good time because of the number of trees not in leaf.
They've tons of the stuff and disposing of it is typically a nuisance to them; someone offering to take a load in exchange for a few beers is likely to be greeted with enthusiasm, and beer will cost you far less than a day's chipper hire plus the effort of sawing your doors up so they fit through the chipper