I am in the middle of dismantling a 98 year old Hemlock barn - the intent is to recycle the wood into a cottage - I am told that I should spray the beams and lumber with boiled linseed oil to protect against any fungus that may have started over the history of the wood - any thought or experience with such things would be greatly appreciated
Wayne
I dismantled a hundred year old barn for the siding and used it in my living room. I scrubbed it pretty aggressively with a strong bleach and water solution, let it dry, and then used it. It's been up for 15 years now - maybe a bit more... time somehow escapes me... but I've had no fungus or bug problems at all. I was just thinking as I was typing this that I may have sprayed the wood with an insecticide as well as the bleach wash, but to be honest - I can't remember. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to do it though.
Do you really want to spray that wood with something that could outgas over time? Especially a fungicide? If the wood is clear of any fungus, etc. as it sits there shouldn't be a problem so long as its kept dry. Fungus usually needs a moist environment as does mold, etc.
Needing something with some distinction or uniqueness for the walls of a new large bathroom with a Whoopee tub, gas lights, etc., I used red oak boards from a farm fence about 50 years old. I just used a wire brush and a vacuum to clean them up. I had the drywall painted with two coats of black latex and then used mastic and screws to attach the boards to the walls. That turned out quite well and looks beautiful. I did not treat them at all and have had no bug or fungus problems with them in that moist environment. Hoyt W.
- This isn't going to do a damned thing as a fungicide.
- The air is full of spores anyway.
- If you want to encourage rot fungi, give them the humidity they like. If you want to avoid them, keep it drier. There is nothing you can do with applied fungicides to stop a dry rot infestation that has started to grow seriously (you'd notice this). There is little that prophylactic fungicide treatment will do to prevent one starting. The only time fungicides are really worth the trouble is if you're treating retained wood around an infestation you've just cut out.
So keep it dry, and you'll avoid trouble. Let it get damp and stay that way, and you're going to get rot regardless.
I recently completed a similar project with walnut carriage house. All we did was carefully pressure wash the barn while it was standing to clean up the many years of pigeon droppings and let it dry for a week after we did that. Disassemble the building and cut off any ends etc that showed signs of rot and brushed boiled linseed on the fresh cuts and stacked it in a machine shed out of the weather. It'll be interesting what you find. For us after we ripped off the tin roof and found gold, the skip sheathing was 6/4 and virtually unweathered. EJ
No thoughts on hemlock but.....good to see you dropped by Sir. Gotcher video last year to help me through my first rod....been at it for 20+ years now. Fun but no end in sight. You accepting emails for a few questions??
Kiyu nonik for blocked
A lot of hemlock grows near me so it is cut and milled in fairly large quantities here. It seems to be pretty easy to work with when freshly cut, but once it has dried and aged it becomes quite brittle and is difficult to use. Nailing old hemlock usually requires pre drilling to prevent splitting.
RB
Andy D> >
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.