I have a quantity of redwood reclaimed from an indoor pool enclosure. The wood is quite blackened, I suppose partly or entirely from mildew. Years ago my grandson as a toddler, got a rash from sitting on the wet redwood decking and this makes me wonder if the wood itself can be toxic. If I plane the reclaimed wood, to clean it up, is the sawdust from the redwood (or mildew) going to be toxic? I have good dust collection on my planer, but you get dust in the shop anyway from planing. An alternative would be to sand it outdoors where dust blows away. Does anyone have experience with allergies to redwood, how bad mildew sawdust can be?
Second part of this matter is, I plan to make a little bench to put in a walk-in shower out of this reclaimed wood. Also, I plan to make outdoor furniture with it. As redwood ages out-of-doors in rain & snow will it turn a nice gray or will it blacken. Ditto in a shower where it gets wet daily.
Thanks.
Tomasie
Replies
Tomasie,
It is well documented that some people can have an allergic reaction to redwood. The rashes can be nasty but an allergic reaction to inhaled dust that gets in the lungs or bronchial tubes can be life threatening, so your concern is well founded.
Adverse reactions to molds are equally likely and they can also lead to serious, life threatening, lung problems. Your idea of doing the work outdoors is a good one, but you should still use a good respirator and shower after you finish. The work should be done in a location where there is no one down wind who would get exposed.
As long as it dries out after it gets wet, and especially when exposed to the sun also, redwood will age to a weathered gray. I suspect that in a shower stall, where it may never fully dry out, the wood may develop the same black mold that the boards now have on them.
John White
JohnWW, Thanks for your very specific and helpful response - to both questions. So far, I haven't had any reaction to the redwood, but I'm being very careful! Maybe the project will be all for naught, if it turns black from staying moist. Guess I'll have lots of outdoor furniture from the reclaimed collection, someday, when I get a chance.
Tomasie
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled