Wood burning stove - 'treated' wood?

[f0rmula]

I have a whole garage full of random wood from renovating a house. This includes some wood with bits of paint on it (1 of 4 sides) and wood that was part of fences and hence probably 'treated' in some way upwards of ten years ago.

What level of hell will I end up in if I use this wood in my wood burning stove? I've heard talk of people being ridiculously fussy about what they put in.

It's a lined chimney and I don't want to ruin the liner, but I don't mind if the glass soots up a little. I also don't mind if it doesn't smell as wonderful as burning rosewood soaked in nectar or whatever, but if it's likely to gas me and my other half to death, I'd consider taking it to the tip.

That volume of wood in garden-center bought logs would be many hundreds of pounds...

 

[joe-90]

If you can smell rosewood or whatever, then that indicates that it isn't gas tight. Old paint will have lead in it - and you will breath in the fumes. I'd get rid personally.

 

[RigidRaider]

Not a good idea to burn paint; it will smell horrible and pollute the area as well as clogging the stove and flue with tars.

 

[f0rmula]

OK. Sounds like the painted stuff is a nono then.

Any strong opinions on the fencing that was treated? (There's a HELL of a lot of that)

 

[joe-90]

Unless it's pressure treated CCA (chromated copper arsenate) I reckon you'd be ok. I'd still make sure the room was well vented though.

 

[Diyisfun]

I burn most things on my stove, never smell anything in the house, I do if I go outside, the glass will soot up, but easy to clean. As you say the wood isn't cheap.
I burn mine a bit at a time with logs.

 

[f0rmula]

Hmm. I hadn't thought of burning through it a bit at a time, mixing it with regular logs. Thankyou.

 

[AronSearle]

Treated wood waste must not be supplied for use as animal bedding or litter; or be used in barbecues or domestic fires.

I'll let you lot argue whether a wood burning stove is considered a domestic fire.

Anything treated with CCA is a NO NO, the arsenic remains in the ash, making that toxic to handle and dispose of.

Non CCA treated timber is "safer", but timber preservatives basically work by being toxic, I can't see it's illegal to burn them, or find anything to say it's dangerous to do so, but then it was once legal to burn CCA, so........?

 

[TheVictorian]

I chop any slightly dubious wood (never painted stuff though) into kindling and use it to get the fire going before I burn proper logs.

Only every for a few minutes and the heat of the proper stuff should clean off any residue.

That's how I deal with the tons of scrap wood I have anyway, I wouldnt use it to keep the fire going.

 

[joe-90]

If it's harmful, and you mix it with other logs - you'll just get sick a little more slowly. You still breath the poisons in.

 

[Diyisfun]

The smoke/fumes go up the flue. The only issue is tar/soot on the flue/glass.

 

[TheVictorian]

If it's harmful, and you mix it with other logs - you'll just get sick a little more slowly. You still breath the poisons in.

I am not intending to 'breath' in any poisons thank you. Eveything should go up the flue, any minor toxins leaking into the room would be less than what you would breathe in walking along any road.

I'm open to concrete proof, but saying we'll get sick slowly without evidencing how is pretty weak.

 

[maltaron]

I use old painted skirtings and architraves for kindling with no problem, and thats in an open fire with a good old fashioned chimney, allthough some paints act as a fire retarder and just will not burn.

 

[joe-90]

If it's harmful, and you mix it with other logs - you'll just get sick a little more slowly. You still breath the poisons in.

I am not intending to 'breath' in any poisons thank you. Eveything should go up the flue, any minor toxins leaking into the room would be less than what you would breathe in walking along any road.

I'm open to concrete proof, but saying we'll get sick slowly without evidencing how is pretty weak.

I think you should read the thread once more. Rosewood? There's a hint for you.

 

[f0rmula]

I think you should read the thread once more. Rosewood? There's a hint for you.

Err. I just meant wood that smells nice. Perhaps there's something about Rosewood that I don't know?