Hey Everybody: I have been asked to somehow eliminate the smell of creosote in a recently installed retaining wall made of old rail road ties. I’ve thought of coating them with shellac, or even polyester resin to encapsulate them completely. Anybody have experience with this? I also want to seal in the active ingredient in new PT lumber, encourage longer use span of the wall and try to keep the toxins from leaching into the environment. Similar problem, same solution? Thanks….
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Man I cant imagine shellac trapping the smell of creosote into railroad ties.
I spent a few years doing section work on the RR and I'd bet that if I still had the clothing from those day's the smell would still be there!
Doug
I would expect the creosote to push off any coating you could put on.
What's the stuff that folks use on sheeting (deck of wall)-Grailcote?
Get a pint of that and try it.
Still think the creosote will push off anything especially in the sun.
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
6" of gunnite
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Maybe over wire and you could do some artsy fartsy forms too.
Like they do at the zoo to make toledo look like africa.
good idea.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Ummmmm - Toledo DOES look like Africa
Forrest
What's your history pal?
south of the maynard nixon line and you talk like that?
You ever been through the Glass City?A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Sorry! Sorry!
That was just too good of a setup line.
I'm sure it's just like Detroit, without the glitter.
Whoops, there I go again!
I'll just be quiet now
Forrest
That's just not nice man.
With a name like Forrest?
Drop the second "r", it'll be more in keeping with the trade.
I might just have to take a drive your way to see what's so good you got.
There go the redsox.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Obviously, I've never been to Toledo (well yeah to the one in Spain). However, my highschool GF and I always parked to a John Denver 8-track, and I know all the words to the "Toledo Scale Song."
I won't bore you with them here!
Forest (I dropped the first "r" instead)
No joke, never listened to john. Now I'm thinking some neighbor of mine might have cut his gas line.
It's nice here. We've got alot of nice things..........on a smaller scale. And traffic? not much.
Check it out some time.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
or time...
a lot of it....Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Any idea what the half life of a creosote stink is?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Used RR ties are probably 20-30 years old, maybe older. I worked the RR and we took some out that were 50+.
I think you just have to get used to the smell, probably wont even notice it in 10 years!
Doug
forever IIRC....Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Any idea what the half life of a creosote stink is?
Out here in the desert we have ties in a trestle that are over 90 years old. The smell still hasn't baked out of them.
I havea frind in CO who built with B&B siding, then sprayed it with a creosote mixed down.
his wife was not pleased about it for several years 'till she finally beccame immune to the smell
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Creosote "smell" is a hydrocarbon vapor -- think of a rag soaked in gasoline or diesel. The only sure way to trap the odor would be to seal the structure in an airtight container made of metal or glass, or bury it under soil or concrete.
As the earlier poster said, six inches of gunite might do it, or you can bury it under clay soil. Those are really your only choices.
You say: >> I also want to seal in the active ingredient in new PT lumber, encourage longer use span of the wall and try to keep the toxins from leaching into the environment. <<
The chemicals in new PT lumber are like a 22 caliber compared to the 357 magnum creosote.
Try googling for "creosote carcinogen".
I'm no tree hugger but built a few project out of RR ties 20 or so years ago and won't touch the stuff again.