Can these boards be saved and used?

[kjpw]

Could someone tell me what's the best way to clean up these boards ready for painting?
Could I just paint them with anti-fungal primer or some sort maybe?

 

[Trevanion]

Some stuff is only suitable for an outdoors bonfire, not even the fireplace.

Don't waste your precious time on this planet messing around with those, just get some new boards.

 

[kjpw]

Shame, I have a fair few meters of them.

Thanks for the reply

 

[Trevanion]

Timber is cheap, time is not unless you're getting some kind of satisfaction out of what you're doing which makes the time spent worthwhile. If you enjoy breathing dust and fungus spores go for it.

“People are frugal in guarding their personal property, but as soon as it comes to squandering time they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy.” - Seneca

 

[MikeG.]

Timber is cheap.........

It used to be, sure. I'd certainly be cleaning those boards up and re-using them. I would start with a belt sander, as that would remove any stuff which might be a danger to an edge tool, and once the worst was removed they'd go through the thicknesser. Then I'd saw off any rotten ends. At that point I'd store them away for a few months to allow them to dry and stabilise, and then depending on the project, they'd go into the house for a week or two beforehand to equalise with the house humidity levels. I'd quite happily make furniture out of wood like this.

........If you enjoy breathing dust and fungus spores go for it.

If you don't want to breath spores, your only option is to stop breathing. They're everywhere, and our systems are geared up to breathing them constantly. Nothing to worry about there. The dust thing can be applied to any wood, not just "junk" like this.

 

[Trevanion]

Identical new boards are going to cost roughly £2 per metre or even less, I can’t see how you can even consider wasting your time cleaning up subpar, partially rotten timber when it’s so cheap to buy in the first place and requires no extra work whatsoever.

I’m a big advocate for not wasting and conserving timber particularly rare and endangered species, this timber may be suited to some outdoor projects if you’re not too fussy but it’s definitely firewood in my eyes.

 

[MikeG.]

Here's a thread where I made some bathroom furniture of salvaged wood, some of which was very much worse than the stuff in the OP. I know that it's not everyone's cup of tea, and some wouldn't enter my bathroom as a result unless armed with a flame thrower, but nonetheless, it shows that less than perfect wood has its uses.

Sunnybob would have had a minor nervous breakdown if he'd seen that! :lol:

 

[sunnybob]

I'm really upset Mike, I dont understand the reference :roll:
Is that pic before or after you did the work? (hammer) :lol:

I have a lot of stored planks all used. I'm happy to reuse stuff.
AHHH, maybe youre referring to the mouldy bits? Gotcha. Burn it. 8) 8)

 

[deema]

Timber is cheap.........

If you don't want to breath spores, your only option is to stop breathing. They're everywhere, and our systems are geared up to breathing them constantly. Nothing to worry about there. The dust thing can be applied to any wood, not just "junk" like this.

Yes and no! Like most things there are things we can tolerate and thing's we can’t. Most Black moulds are very bad for us and should be avoided. A good example of where what might be thought of as a healthy lifestyle giving you trouble is Farmers Lung brought on by inhaling mould found in grain, grass clippings that are starting to rot etc. You can even get when breaking into your compost heap which a friend of mine did and died from it.

 

[kjpw]

After reading everyone's advice, I will keep and clean up the boards. I hate waste also and am happy to spend the time cleaning up and cutting out the rot etc as I do have a fair amount of them.

I appreciate and see both sides of the argument but funds are tight atm as most of my spare cash is going into my workshop build.

Thanks for the replies folks, I do appreciate it

 

[sunnybob]

Mike has never seen pictures of my workshop. He thinks He's bad? His constitution isnt strong enough to view my home made work benches and furniture from used wood :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
The only way Mike and I differ in this instance, is that before doing any cleaning I would cut off and burn everything that looks really bad, because if it looks really bad then it is really bad. : (hammer)
I dont see any gain in in saving and working on stuff that will go on the fire eventually. :roll: :lol: :lol: