Tractor tires, especially older ones, may contain high-aromatic oils that are carcinogenic.
The softwood sold at the lumberyard contains turpentine, which contains terpenes, which are carcinogenic.
PVC plastic can contain residual monomer, VCM (vinyl chloride monomer), which is carcinogenic.
Many other plastics can form dangerous substances when burned.
Sawdust and sanding dust from beech and oak and some other hardwoods are carcinogenic.
Railway sleepers contain creosote, which is carcinogenic.
Concrete, maybe?
Otherwise do like Michael Jackson - Sleep in an oxygen tent!
The softwood sold at the lumberyard contains turpentine, which contains terpenes, which are carcinogenic.
PVC plastic can contain residual monomer, VCM (vinyl chloride monomer), which is carcinogenic.
Many other plastics can form dangerous substances when burned.
Sawdust and sanding dust from beech and oak and some other hardwoods are carcinogenic.
Railway sleepers contain creosote, which is carcinogenic.
Concrete, maybe?
Otherwise do like Michael Jackson - Sleep in an oxygen tent!
I don't remember how long the sandboxes at the summer cottage lasted, but they were dismantled completely intact when they were no longer needed. They had stood on bedrock the entire time.
Build with regular wood and place them on cement slabs or rock. If you want extra protection, coat them with linseed oil on the inside.
Overall, all of this unnecessary use of pressure-treated wood is an abomination. Wood that doesn't come into contact with soil doesn't need pressure treatment. But where can you find lumber with rounded edges if you want to build a deck?
Apply raw linseed oil where the boards connect with the joists, and it will last as long as treated wood.
Ideally, you'd want to linseed oil the entire top surface, but it tends to blacken.
Build with regular wood and place them on cement slabs or rock. If you want extra protection, coat them with linseed oil on the inside.
Overall, all of this unnecessary use of pressure-treated wood is an abomination. Wood that doesn't come into contact with soil doesn't need pressure treatment. But where can you find lumber with rounded edges if you want to build a deck?
Apply raw linseed oil where the boards connect with the joists, and it will last as long as treated wood.
Ideally, you'd want to linseed oil the entire top surface, but it tends to blacken.
Reading with slight amazement... Firstly, why does one think that regular timber is tasty for all sorts of living wood borers while impregnated wood would last 20 years if it weren't toxic??? Secondly, there's a discussion here on the construction forum about where to buy a ready-made sandbox while in other threads people write about how to install pex, wallpaper, and who knows what else themselves??? Build a sandbox out of regular wood and enjoy watching the kids grow and the sandbox rot, they should go at about the same pace. If there are more children, then there will have to be more boxes.
Sure, but the question is whether it's dangerous with skin contact for long periods or if it's just dangerous to eat, inhale smoke, bathe together with ... etc
I know some who have pressure-treated wood inside their hot tub..... the water turned greenish the first few times... I didn't bathe in it anyway
I know some who have pressure-treated wood inside their hot tub..... the water turned greenish the first few times... I didn't bathe in it anyway
Regarding treated wood...
The whole point of treatment is for the wood to contain substances that are toxic to the microorganisms that would otherwise attack the wood. Previously, so-called CCA (stands for copper, chromium, arsenic) was common - today, arsenic has been removed, which has led to the treatment being less effective, meaning the wood begins to be attacked earlier.
There are studies showing that when CCA was used, arsenic levels sometimes became significant in the sand that was near the wood - nowadays, CCA is prohibited in wood used on playgrounds.
Chromium and copper are not at all as mobile, meaning they don't migrate into the sand as easily. Not as toxic either, for that matter, and are still used.
If you're still worried - use untreated wood. I bet most kids aren't keen on playing in the sandbox for more than a few years, and if the teenager insists, just replace the wood when it decays
I can add that children playing in a sandbox - or with soil - ingest a surprisingly large amount of soil. I guess that microorganisms, such as bacteria, in most cases are probably a greater potential threat than metals (and semi-metals like arsenic).
The whole point of treatment is for the wood to contain substances that are toxic to the microorganisms that would otherwise attack the wood. Previously, so-called CCA (stands for copper, chromium, arsenic) was common - today, arsenic has been removed, which has led to the treatment being less effective, meaning the wood begins to be attacked earlier.
There are studies showing that when CCA was used, arsenic levels sometimes became significant in the sand that was near the wood - nowadays, CCA is prohibited in wood used on playgrounds.
Chromium and copper are not at all as mobile, meaning they don't migrate into the sand as easily. Not as toxic either, for that matter, and are still used.
If you're still worried - use untreated wood. I bet most kids aren't keen on playing in the sandbox for more than a few years, and if the teenager insists, just replace the wood when it decays
I can add that children playing in a sandbox - or with soil - ingest a surprisingly large amount of soil. I guess that microorganisms, such as bacteria, in most cases are probably a greater potential threat than metals (and semi-metals like arsenic).
How do these metals "migrate" out of the wood then? I'm thinking that the children are sitting and playing on the benches on pressure-treated sandboxes, the poison sticks to fingers, pants, shirts, etc., which they then bring inside and inhale and lick, etc.
I have no clue how it sticks?
I have no clue how it sticks?
Well, bacteria, etc., are not as dangerous as metals, which accumulate in the body and, in the long run, can disrupt the genome or, for example, cause dementia or a fibrotic lung. Thus, metals can create bigger problems in the long run than "microorganisms," which can be treated away with medicines when they cause an infection.Kaitsu_L said:
Regarding treated wood...
The whole point of treatment is that the wood should contain substances that are toxic to microorganisms that would otherwise attack the wood. Previously, so-called CCA (stands for copper, chromium, arsenic) was common - today they have removed the arsenic, which has led to the treatment being not as effective, i.e., the wood starts to be attacked earlier.
There are studies showing that when CCA was used, arsenic levels sometimes became significant in the sand near the wood - nowadays, CCA has therefore been banned in wood used in playgrounds.
Chromium and copper are not at all as mobile, i.e., they do not migrate into the sand as easily. Nor are they as toxic, for that matter, and are still used.
If you're still worried - use untreated wood. I bet most kids aren't keen to play in the sandbox for more than a few years; if a teenager insists, you can just replace the wood when it rots
I might add that children playing in sandboxes - or with soil - ingest a surprisingly large amount of soil. I guess that microorganisms, such as bacteria, in most cases, are probably a bigger potential threat than metals (and metalloids like arsenic).