Creosoted wood used indoors - can I seal it in to make it safe/remove smell?

aismac · 24-11-2018 04:04AM #1

Hello,

I've searched everywhere for an answer to this - hoping you can help. I bought a cottage a year ago and in one of the rooms there are two windows with wood at the top that appears to have been coated with creosote or some other tar smelling substance. I've only ever seen one drop of tar emitted, but one is enough. I know I can't sand them down and they'll be tricky to remove because they're integrated into the window (see pics), is there anything I can do to seal in the creosote, make them safe and eliminate the tar smell? Here it is - there's two of them in the room.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z4ng3vdhnn505sg/IMG-2276.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bv58ltvej31xe1o/IMG-2278.JPG?dl=0

Thanks for any help at all.

listermint · 24-11-2018 10:07AM

aismac wrote: »

Hello,

I've searched everywhere for an answer to this - hoping you can help. I bought a cottage a year ago and in one of the rooms there are two windows with wood at the top that appears to have been coated with creosote or some other tar smelling substance. I've only ever seen one drop of tar emitted, but one is enough. I know I can't sand them down and they'll be tricky to remove because they're integrated into the window (see pics), is there anything I can do to seal in the creosote, make them safe and eliminate the tar smell? Here it is - there's two of them in the room.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z4ng3vdhnn505sg/IMG-2276.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bv58ltvej31xe1o/IMG-2278.JPG?dl=0

Thanks for any help at all.

The pictures aren't great. But I'd try sealing then with a laquer. Multiple coats.

They appear from the images to be only cosmetic though.... Have you considered they may be easy to take out

jack of all · 24-11-2018 09:46PM

The traditional primer/ treatment for oily/ difficult surfaces is "Aluminium wood primer", and it does work. May also be marketed as "hardwood primer".

aismac · 30-11-2018 05:01PM

jack of all wrote: »

The traditional primer/ treatment for oily/ difficult surfaces is "Aluminium wood primer", and it does work. May also be marketed as "hardwood primer".

Thank you so, so much. I appreciate this no end. Thanks for taking the time to reply. This is a great help.

Creosoted wood used indoors - can I seal it in to make it safe/remove smell?

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