In the latest issue of Fine Homebuilding the article about the proper way to flash window openings and install windows had a few pictures where all of the framing had a greenish color to it. This showed in pictures taken from the inside – and some that were taken inside.
I was wondering what this is? Is the framing on this house coated with some sort of anti rot or anti mold coating?
You can see the pictures in the article here:
Replies
You are correct. It is coated with borates to prevent decay, but the brand name escapes me. Special order in my neck of the woods, but the only way to build if you've got the $$. You have an eye for detail, my friend.
WARNING: Someone here has a particular aversion to any sort of wood that has been pre-treated with poison. I think he eats lumber or something.
Edited 7/27/2008 8:05 pm ET by arcflash
I dont care for nasty poisons either, but borates are safe and non corrosive as far as I know.
I've got a bottle of it to kill ants. The warning lable is quite clear as to its hazards.
Here's the MSDS sheet for ProWood borate treated lumber. Your ant poison must be a different product. http://www.ufpi.com/literature/boratemsds-146.pdf
Your right, I just read the bottle. It's boric acid. I had college chemistry, but I can't remember the difference between -ic and -ate.
Boric acid is used for eye rinse. Still not toxic there.
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Uhhhhh ....
Borates:
V-Acute Intoxication :
A-Oral Lethal Dose (LD) :
In man, the oral LD may be estimated in the following manner :
1-Newborn= 1 to 3 g.
2-Child= 5g.
3-Adult= 15 to 20 g.
B-Latency Period :
whatever the route of intoxication, a delay of a few hours precedes symptomatology.
C-Clinical Findings :
1-Digestive disorders : nausea, vomiting, abdominal pains.
2-Neurological disorders : headaches, tremors, agitation, convulsions, hallucinations.
3-Severe intoxication : coma, collapse, metabolic acidosis, cyanosis, fever and respiratory depression.
4-Renal impairment : tubular necrosis may occur (oliguria and proteinuria, possibly anuria).
5-Cutaneous disorders (after a few days) : extensive desquamative dermatitis beginning with erythema involving the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet and the buttocks, with the possibility of a secondary generalization (formation of bubbles, massive exfoliation), similar to Ritter’s syndrome (exfoliative dermatitis of the newborn). Alopecia may be observed.
Death occurs due to infections, shock, neurological complications, the autopsy showing renal tubular necrosis, cerebral oedema, hepatitis and gastro-enteritis.
D-Laboratory Findings :
The intoxication is confirmed by measuring boron in blood, which is detectable below 1µg/L. by many techniques:
1-In adults:
a-toxic effects are observable from 15 to 20 mg/L. of blood boron,
b-signs of severity are seen as low as 40 mg/L,
c-the presence of more than 40 mg/L. suggests a serious intoxication,
d-the evolution may be fatal for concentrations equal to 500 mg/L.
2-In newborns :
a-toxic effects have been observed for blood boron levels as low as 4 mg/L.
E-Mortality :
In studies dating from the 50s, mortality is estimated at more than 50%; it relates primarily to accidental intoxications in children.
Jeff
Right - we've done this before, and water is toxic when you ingest or inhale too much of it, but in normal contact and dosage it is not.
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Lets see, LD of 15 grams means you need to ingest 15 grams per kilogram of body weight. So if you weigh 220 pounds you need to eat 1500 grams of borate.A nickle weighs real close to 5 grams. Imagine the weight of 300 nickles,eat that much borate,you have a chance of dying.
Eat that many nickles and you won't be feeling any too chipper, either.;o)
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You gonna play that thing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Ln-SpJsy0
Copper treatment also turns wood green. It is toxic, but borates are non toxic to mammals.But maybe you were thinking of Dinosaur. That would be a reptilian form of life. I don't know how well they handle borates.
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