reclaimed lumber wood preservation question

[Ohioguy]

I've got a small pile of reclaimed 2x4's that were originally purchased to build shelves in my basement. There is a thrift store locally that gets the wood out of homes that are being demolished. My parents ended up getting us heavy duty plastic shelves as a housewarming gift, so now the lumber sits there unused, taking up space.

I also have a need for some bed edging in my yard - to keep me from mowing the mulch around a couple of fruit trees and a blueberry hedge. I'm interested in using some of this ~ 80 year old wood for the job.

Can anyone recommend a good wood preservative that I can apply with a paintbrush that would stand a good chance of helping the wood stand up to constant contact with the ground and moisture for perhaps 6 years?

Thanks!

[Sonny]

Agreed. About the only thing possibly reasonable to apply would be (expensive) tung oil, plus the time to apply it. Might as well go buy treated lumber, which is much more appropriate for that application than anything you could apply, yourself, to those boards.

Another option: Since they are for no other purpose, than taking up space, paint them, with an oil base primer & paint, and get some use from them.

Sonny

[dpb]

Tung oil (or anything similar) would be wasted for the application/purpose.

If OP is adamant of using this for the purpose, something otoo the CopperCoat or CreoCoat treatments is at least of some value...

Wolman is just one manufacturer; OP should check at whatever is his favorite local retailer for what is at hand.

If this is good salvage material as it sounds as is, I'd personally suggest taking them back to the Habitat (or similar) store and go buy treated landscape timbers for the purpose. That way both somebody can get useful service from the framing lumber and OP will have something suitable for his purpose as well...

[dadiOH]

Cuprinol No. 10 Green Wood Preservative. You may have trouble finding it though. Check at marine stores.

[DanG]

The simple answer would be . . . .. NO.

[Martin H. Eastburn]

[Matt]

If you are happy with the color black, use automotive undercoating It is a rubberized coating, available in brush on or spray can.

[Josepi]

Creosote, like railway ties.