Mike, I've been wondering about this for years. I've stored stacks of aromatic cedar in their original boxes in my basement, ready to finally use some. They all have a lot of the white crystals and white powder. (the boxes are also soaked with cedar oil)
The white is removed easily by mechanical force. it's just a matter of finding the best brush. My question is: Do you think to they could be harmful IF breathed because they are spores I plan on using a vacuum the conjunction with the brush.
I'm also considering a light sanding to bring up the aroma.Thanks a million for your post. Jack
Eastern Red Cedar wood will lose some of it's volatile components with time, and some of them will crystallize on the surface. Just brush them off. Try using the brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner.
Right. And Mike said - under certain conditions, the "chemicals" will melt , then crystalize - then he comments about temps as high as 85 to 92 degree C, somewhat implying the crystalization is dependent on high temps. I thi nk that's misleading, but he's being brief, for answering the initial quest ion or concern of the poster.
Crystalization is not dependent on higher temps. The crystals can form at room temps. As I see/experience most of my rough cut ER cedar, once the re sin is exposed to air, it will readily "crystalize". As I assume is happen ing, the resin, inside the wood, remains fluid, like mercury in a thermomet er. Once it becomes exposed, then only certain, of the chemicals, making u p the resin, will crystalize. I think, as GW says, once the volatiles of t he fluid evaporate, then the remaining "solids" will crystalize or dry in c rystal-like form.
In the dense wood areas, like knots and really tight grain areas, the "sap" seeps out and, often, doesn't dry completely.... it remains really gummy, somewhat hard taffy-like. That gum has to be scraped off, not sanded.
This oozing of sap can be seen on live trees, also, where there might be da mage to the tree or some sort of exposure of the inner bark, allowing the s ap to ooze out and hardens, begins to harden. If you've ever climbed a ced ar tree, it's not uncommon to get some of this sap on yourself and it doesn 't wash off easily, either.
I've done lots of projects with ER cedar, often times working outdoors in g ood sunlight. If you ever do a project, don't expose a planed board or you r pre-finished (prepped, ready to apply finish) project to direct sunlight. Slight temps rises, slight heating, by even a little direct sunlight, wil l cause the resin to move (like mercury in a thermometer). You'll hear sma ll popping sounds, as the wood heats up... it doesn't take much heating ... . and you'll know it's too much, because you'll hear the popping sounds. T his will be the precursor to those crystals starting to form and, if the ex posure is long enough, you'll have to resand the board or project. Many t imes, until I learned better, I'd have to resand a project, before I learn not expose it to sunlight, that way.
Hi My name is Jaime and I googled ? I bought cedar and it started t o turn white? that?s how I got to your chat to start readin g.... I?m finding this to be very interesting because for a few yea rs now I have been battling something of which I don?t know but has caused me Havoc in my life .... I live across the street from a farm and w oods behind my house also have a man made lake little further into the woo ds... I have been to so many drs and they all think I?m having seve re anxiety attacks but I know what I see I have pretty good eye sight and a microscope but I don?t know what it is I?m even looking fo r I thought maybe a bug of some sort then I thought mold or even both.... h owever I have bought cedar a few times from the store to put into closets t o keep moths n such away in all the years I have bought cedar I?ve never had this happen when I open the package the cedar starts to turn whit e tiny black dots and something that almost resembles glitter or iridescen t white almost spider web looking or hair like I have seen things in my hom e that move but not in any way fast and not a lot but it?s definitl y moving I have heard the popping crackling in my bed and my bedding feels like something is moving under me... I sleep w a heating pad a lot due to c ramps and back pain and the fact that my husband likes the fan on and I fre eze.... I have felt in in my car and I almost feel like either it?s in my water or in my vents because it has gotten out of control.... I have washed everything in my house in hot or warm water to try n kill what ever this is and it?s not working rubbing alcohol seems to make it reac t.... I have been seeing an allergist for 2 yrs now n get shots every week due to not being g able to breathe wake up choking and an inhaler now cough ing and breathing seems to get worse and skin rashes or blisters that itch intesley get really red then w in a day a bulls eye white pus or something forms dead center.... after a while I started to log what was happening tha t was the same everytime it would get really active and at first I thought it keeps happening on wed or thurs most of the time so I thought my shots m ay have been contributing missed my shots on purpose for 3 weeks and still kept happening then I realized it was humid had rained was about to rain ra ining and even when it snowed it also seems to happen mostly at night.... m y clothing in some of my shoes are ruined from whatever this is it seems to tunnel kinda like ants I guess or even a spider these very fine hair like things are what I keep finding along with white or black dots tiny tiny lol things I got a 60 x?s microscope n I still can?t always ma ke out what it is the ones I can see look like a ball of fuzzies or thread like maybe something in the middle but it?s so small I?m no t equipped to try n see if there is only recently has my one son been getti ng bit or whatever it is and it seems to have started on the scalp and arms lower legs face neck then back usually a few scattered or sometimes just one big one.... I know I?m not crazy I?m ready to have some one come out to test the air quality in my home but it?s a few thou sand dollars... I have already spent so much on exterminators drs over the counter meds it is almost driving me out of my home.... I went to the er on ce because of this and while they had me wait 5 hrs I was the last patient the dr smiled in said their are a lot of people like me ( was very rude and I felt belittled) I told him I know it sounds crazy but it?s not l ike I said there were aliens or something going to invaid and attack us or I was talking to people that aren?t there ..... I was saying somet hing that Could really happen maybe a bug maybe some kind of bacteria or mo ld I don?t know and everyone just wants to write me off with stress anxiety or chiggers or allergy to dog n cat or dust mites to detergent but I use the same thing I?ve always used ... while at the er my mom s aid Jaime your boob is leaking something and I looked down my bra and shirt was wet with some sort of oil wet like substance but didn?t smell of anything I cut open my bra to see if it was something vs puts in the bra s to make them push up and it was just foam....dr had no explanation for th at though.... when I washed the shirt oil was gone .... I?m at the point where it is driving me crazy n I need to know exactly what this is... . I?m afraid it is really gonna cause some harm to me n my family e ventually because my coughing is getting worse yet when I?m not hom e I?m ok for the most part unless it?s raining or humid whe n it gets really hot out and I?m sweating too.... please if you can help me at all I?m not gonna stop until I have good evidence backi ng up my answer cause the oh it?s this or oh it could be that isn ?t helping me I can?t kill the source if I don?t kn ow what I?m dealing with... wasting time energy money it?s very frustrating and upsetting to know that I have never lied to my family n friends and I?m not one that likes attention drawn to me Espescia lly like this I would never want my once beautiful face and body scared and like this and now having to get shots every week and sleep w an inhaler an d something living in my bed clothes couches carpet no sorry I?d ra ther not have any attention on me at all it?s embarrasing n why wou ld I want to tell people I think I have bugs in my home when twice had my h ouse bombed and still hasn?t killed what ever this is.... any help or brainstorming is appreciated. Thanks I hope you can help. Jaime
and woods behind my house also have a man made lake little further into the woods... I have been to so many drs and they all think I?m having severe anxiety attacks but I know what I see I have pretty good eye sight and a microscope but I don?t know what it is I?m even looking for I thought maybe a bug of some sort then I thought mold or even both.... however I have bought cedar a few times from the store to put into closets to keep moths n such away in all the years I have bought cedar I?ve never had this happen when I open the package the cedar starts to turn white tiny black dots and something that almost resembles glitter or iridescent white almost
the fan on and I freeze.... I have felt in in my car and I almost feel like either it?s in my water or in my vents because it has gotten out of control.... I have washed everything in my house in hot or warm water to try n kill what ever this is and it?s not working rubbing alcohol seems to make it react.... I have been seeing an allergist for 2 yrs now n get shots every week due to not being g able to breathe wake up choking and an inhaler now coughing and breathing seems to get worse and skin rashes or blisters that itch intesley get really red then w in a day a bulls eye white pus or something forms dead center.... after a while I started to log what was
when it snowed it also seems to happen mostly at night.... my clothing in some of my shoes are ruined from whatever this is it seems to tunnel kinda like ants I guess or even a spider these very fine hair like things are what I keep finding along with white or black dots tiny tiny lol things I got a 60 x?s microscope n I still can?t always make out what it is the ones I can see look like a ball of fuzzies or thread like maybe something in the middle but it?s so small I?m not equipped to try n see if there is only recently has my one son been getting bit or whatever it is and it seems to have started on the scalp and arms lower legs face neck then back usually a
while they had me wait 5 hrs I was the last patient the dr smiled in said their are a lot of people like me ( was very rude and I felt belittled) I told him I know it sounds crazy but it?s not like I said there were aliens or something going to invaid and attack us or I was talking to people that aren?t there ..... I was saying something that Could really happen maybe a bug maybe some kind of bacteria or mold I don?t know and everyone just wants to write me off with stress anxiety or chiggers or allergy to dog n cat or dust mites to detergent but I use the same thing I?ve always used ... while at the er my mom said Jaime your boob is leaking something and I
driving me crazy n I need to know exactly what this is.... I?m afraid it is really gonna cause some harm to me n my family eventually because my coughing is getting worse yet when I?m not home I?m ok for the most part unless it?s raining or humid when it gets really hot out and I?m sweating too.... please if you can help me at all I?m not gonna stop until I have good evidence backing up my answer cause the oh it?s this or oh it could be that isn?t helping me I can?t kill the source if I don?t know what I?m dealing with... wasting time energy money it?s very frustrating and upsetting to know that I have never lied to my family n friends and I?m not one that
to tell people I think I have bugs in my home when twice had my house bombed and still hasn?t killed what ever this is.... any help or brainstorming is appreciated. Thanks I hope you can help.
When you're away from home, symptoms are relieved, unless it's humid or rai ning? I doubt humidity/rain has anything to do with it. The cedar wood (resin) is not likely the cause, either.
Have you bought new furniture (mattress?) and, since, have been having thes e issues? Might be the foam in the furniture, that you're reacting to. I would suppose your allergist has ruled out a wool allergy cause, as well. .... if not, maybe go get a second opinion.
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