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I’m considering buying a pole house made with cresote posts at the corners. The house was built 30 years ago. There is a distinct odor. I would like to seal the posts (on the interior). Maybe an epoxy paint. Or maybe spar varnish.
Does anyone have any ideas? Will such a treatment adhere? Will the smell be sealed in? Is there some liability issue in the future: ie “sick house”?
These are old telephone poles.
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Don't buy that house! Creosote is a mixture of numerous chemicals, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's), some of which have been determined to be carcinogenic according to various government regulations. That nasty stuff was banned years ago from retail sale. I doubt that there is an effective method to completely seal in the chemical compounds. For preserving wood, there's probably nothing better than creosote, since it repels or kills all the little critters (insects & bacteria) that try to eat it. For that reason, it is persistent in the environment. If I haven't scared you off yet, perhaps an industrial wood treatment plant could offer advice. Maybe they might know of an effective way to contain the chemicals. I don't think that they use creosote any more to treat telephone poles and railroad ties, I think they use other chemicals such as pentachlorophenol (PCP) - a slightly "less nasty" chemical.
Personally, I would not expose myself or my family to a substance as blatantly hazardous as creosote. Sorry for the bad news!
*Out here in West Texas a builder built a few homes from old railroad ties to resemble a log structure. I always wondered why they have been on the market so many times.
*If you find the answer to this question, let me know ... cresote is nasty but so are current pressure treating chemicals. The advantage of current chemicals is that they eventually dry enough to cover with a good primer to seal in the toxics.The age of your poles suggests they are dry (cresote is hardened). There are a few things you can do. Square off the poles with frames, seal with poly, sheetrock and finish with a primer. You can do this with a high quality or rough finish wood -- whatever fits your "look". make sure all joints are well caulked. You can also wrap the poles with mesh and stucco or parge them. You will need the poly barrier in this application as well. After this many years the cresote will not be particularly volatile but it will continue to off-gas, espcially in the sun and heat. This house is unconventional anyway so I presume your not too interested in resale value or you wouldn't be looking at it. We use pressure treated square timbers for this type of construction so finishing is easier. We seal the interior faces or enclose the posts in the walls. I doubt that your situation (after this many years) contains any more toxicity than many average homes full of various glues, adhesives, plastics; etc... you at least can seal the problem into oblivion. New cresote, on the other hand, is not too fooled with.
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I thank you for your sage advise. I was thinking of sealing the poists on the interior with epoxy paint. oops is epoxy toxic?????
*Thanks for the reply.....I was considering sealing the posts , t(teree are 4 to 6 to a room, with peoxy paint. < Or varnish. would this help????
*Thanks for the reply.....I was considering sealing the posts , there are 4 to a room, with epeoxy paint, or varnish.Would this seal the bad stuff? Cause this is a really rgreat house.miguel
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I'm considering buying a pole house made with cresote posts at the corners. The house was built 30 years ago. There is a distinct odor. I would like to seal the posts (on the interior). Maybe an epoxy paint. Or maybe spar varnish.
Does anyone have any ideas? Will such a treatment adhere? Will the smell be sealed in? Is there some liability issue in the future: ie "sick house"?
These are old telephone poles.