Seal and be safe

Do you have wooden floors? DIY expert, Janice Anderssen recommends that you seal it... for your health!

Article: Janice Anderssen

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Chromated copper arsenate or CCA is a wood preservation process which involves saturating timber with chemicals that protect the wood from deterioration and delays combustion due to fire.

While many outdoor projects require the use of CCA treated timber - identified by its slightly green tint - it is highly toxic.

CCA treated timber is commonly used outdoors as split poles, decking and fencing, but it is also commonly used in kiddies schools for play equipment.

The chemicals by themselves are extremely harmful and requires sealing to ‘fix' the chemicals. Remember that safety measures need to be employed when cutting and sanding CCA treated timber because the effects can be harmful.

Here are some guidelines when handling CCA treated timber:

1.   Always wear a dust mask, safety goggles and gloves when handling, cutting or sanding CCA treated timber, especially for prolonged periods of time on large projects. This applies to CCA treated planks or split poles.

2.   Always properly sand timber projects such as a Wendy house, climbing frame or jungle gym to prevent splinters. Particular attention should be given to edges as these tend to splinter more frequently, and it is preferable to round these off slightly with a sander.

3.   Use any one of the wide range of exterior sealers on CCA treated timber. This serves not only as a wood protector, but also as a seal against the toxic chemicals within the actual timber.

4.   Exterior timber should be given at least three coats of a suitable exterior sealer for proper protection from UV rays and weathering.

5.   Regular maintenance and re-application of exterior sealers is required to maintain the level of protection, as most sealers degrade over time. The application of penetrating stains and coatings to decks or other residential CCA-treated structures at least once a year can reduce potential exposure to arsenic.

Janice Anderssen is Women24's Decor & DIY expert. Click here to ask her a question.

Have you tried sealing timber on your own? Share your experiences and tips with our readers below...

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J. Prager 11/3/2009 4:02:29 PM

Dear Ms. Anderssen:

While we are very glad that you are bringing to light the concerns about CCA treated wood and the health hazards it can present to the homeowner, your article makes it sound like sealing the wood makes the problem go away - which is hardly the case. Your readers need to be aware that the standard 2" x 6" x 12" piece of dimensional CCA treated wood has enough arsenic embedded in it to kill 250 people, and this arsenic constantly leaches out of the wood, where it can be picked up by your hands, your feet or your pet's paws.

More importantly, since some sealers work better than others at REDUCING this potential hazard, (and none ELIMIINATE it altogether), your statement that says, "Use any one of the wide range of exterior sealers on CCA treated timber. This serves not only as a wood protector, but also as a seal against the toxic chemicals within the actual timber", is at best partially correct. This is because the studies done on sealers sponsored by the US EPA included only a small handful of sealers and even those sealers need to be reapplied every year or two to ensure that the protection offered (which is never 100%) remains intact.

So, there is no "magic bullet" fix for treating CCA wood decks, fences or playground equipment that will render it non-toxic. This is simply not possible. Moreover, the product itself, at least in the United States, would be classified as a hazardous waste, except that it enjoys a special exemption from this status. Here in the US, CCA treated wood is being rejected from many landfills around the country because it leaches arsenic, so we now also have a major disposal issue for this product. So, the issue is a much bigger one that just slapping a coat of sealer on your deck or playset. Replacing your CCA treated wood with non-toxic alternatives, such as ACQ, MCQ, or plastic-based lumber products, is the only truly safe option that eliminates the risk of exposure.

Still, we appreciate that you are warning your readers about the health hazards associated with exposure to CCA treated wood products, there is much more to this issue that they need to be aware of. If they are interested in learning more about this toxic product, we invite them to visit our website: www.bancca.org, the premier website on the health hazards of CCA treated wood products.

Best regards,

Joe Prager, Publisher
BANCCA.ORG, LLC

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