I recently removed some 1×8 diaginal subfloor planks from my circa 1909 home. As I was burning some of the smaller scraps in my backyard I noticed some black smoke coming from the fire and upon closer inspection some black tar like substance on the surface of the burning boards. My question is: Did builders use to coat these planks with creasote or some other weather proofing back them? The house is in Kansas City, MO.
Mike
Replies
miko
From removing a whole lot of flooring from houses of that and older vintage I can confidently say, I don't think so.
More than likely you are seeing the residue from tar paper (felt paper) which was applied b/4 underlayment or finished materials.
That it should be producing a volume of black smoke is odd. I burn scrap in my heater and wood stove and often in a camp fire and cannot say I've noticed "much" black smoke.
Hey Calvin,
The boards were clean except for some plaster dust. I looked at the rocks that make up the firering and some of them had a shiney black substance on them. The substance was hard, shiney, with an almost glass-like appearance. I noticed little fireballs dripping off of the boards as they were burning. Hummm!
Miko
Miko
Then it looks like you were maybe burning those pine sap balls that have more of an amber appearance.............
Might do a sniff test.
Some of that old wood used for subfloor was really sappy. Likely it was sap burning.
The byproduct of the burn was jet black and produced black smoke. Is that consistant with burning sap?
MIKO
When burned in too cool of a fire, yes.
You were probably buring old pitch pine boards. Black smoke pours off them and looks like you're burning a tire. Around here thoses boards are common in older homes. Split up that make great fire starter.
You may have had pitch pine subflooring, or there may have once been pitch paper for underlayment.
Pitch itself has a strnge arcid odor and sometimes some yellowish sulphurous coloured smoke when burning.
Out here on the 'green' left coast, a fire like that will get you a $1000 fine (unless it is less than 3 ft in diameter and you have a hot dog or marshmallow roasting over it!)