Hello,

I was wondering what is the best thing to treat a fence with?

The chap who put the fence up (sorry, I didn't DIY) said that creosote
was wonderful and that it had been replaced by water based products
which weren't as good because they sat on the surface rather than
soaked in.

I remember hearing creosote was being banned but I don't remember why.
Are all oil based products gone? What's best? (I always took my engine
oil to the tip so I don't have any of that)

TIA

"Fred" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I was wondering what is the best thing to treat a fence with?

The chap who put the fence up (sorry, I didn't DIY) said that creosote
was wonderful and that it had been replaced by water based products
which weren't as good because they sat on the surface rather than
soaked in.

I remember hearing creosote was being banned but I don't remember why.
Are all oil based products gone? What's best? (I always took my engine
oil to the tip so I don't have any of that)

Creosote is not banned but sale is restricted to industrial size quantities
(to avoid DIY use). It works well becasue it's oily and carcinogenic. There
is a high correlation between the effectiveness of products and their hazard
rating ( I always wanted to find something labelled "Nuclear mega-death:
where used, nothing will grow for 1000 years" for my hoggin drive, rather
than sodding P*thcl**r). There are creosote substitutes but these are
slightly less effective and expensive.

You may as well (these days) buy Ronseal or Cuprinol fence and shed stuff
and redo every 2-3 years. It's OK.

IMHO YMMV etc
--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)
TIA

"Bob Mannix" wrote in message
...
"Fred" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I was wondering what is the best thing to treat a fence with?

The chap who put the fence up (sorry, I didn't DIY) said that
creosote
was wonderful and that it had been replaced by water based
products
which weren't as good because they sat on the surface rather than
soaked in.

I remember hearing creosote was being banned but I don't remember
why.
Are all oil based products gone? What's best? (I always took my
engine
oil to the tip so I don't have any of that)

Creosote is not banned but sale is restricted to industrial size
quantities
(to avoid DIY use). It works well becasue it's oily and
carcinogenic. There
is a high correlation between the effectiveness of products and
their hazard
rating ( I always wanted to find something labelled "Nuclear
mega-death:
where used, nothing will grow for 1000 years" for my hoggin drive,
rather
than sodding P*thcl**r). There are creosote substitutes but these
are
slightly less effective and expensive.

You may as well (these days) buy Ronseal or Cuprinol fence and shed
stuff
and redo every 2-3 years. It's OK.

IMHO YMMV etc
--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)
TIA



The Wickes 'Creosote Substitute' is pretty good stuff - comes in two
hues, dark and light brown, the dark stuff is effectively the same end
result colour as creosote - 20 litre drum for a tad under £30 iirc -
certainly soaks in, isn't water based, and smells superb.

AWEM

In message , Fred
writes
Hello,

I was wondering what is the best thing to treat a fence with?

The chap who put the fence up (sorry, I didn't DIY) said that creosote
was wonderful and that it had been replaced by water based products
which weren't as good because they sat on the surface rather than
soaked in.

Well, I asked here and got no replies, so went on a scour of diy places,
ending up at somewhere that had some cans of "Barrettine" clear wood
preserver. I was looking for something oil-based that would do for some
end pieces on my just Ondulined shed and ideally wanted something that
could later be overpainted with the water-based shed coating to match
the walls..
The tin, as on so many of these things, didn't tell me all I wanted to
know, so I emailed Barrettine and got the info that it could be
overpainted after a suitable delay. I like companies that reply
personally to emails.

I have no idea how well it will last, but it smells powerful. I spilt a
tiny amount on the lawn and there is now a completely dead circular
patch.

This stuff also comes in various colours, and I'm required to find
something to put on our light-coloured front fence, so I was thinking of
the very light brown version of this, but nowhere seems to stock
coloured versions locally, and ordering seems to be an alien concept to
the place I got this from. I'd be really interested to hear from anyone
who has used this.

Barrettine also do Creosote substitute, but the Wickes light brown
creosubs dries too dark for her indoors.

Having seen a few neighbours attempts with water based coatings, I've
been very unimpressed. Streaks, areas where it hasn't "taken" etc., and
I really want something to last about 15 years, not 2.
--
Bill

Andrew Mawson wrote:
"Bob Mannix" wrote in message
...
"Fred" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I was wondering what is the best thing to treat a fence with?

The chap who put the fence up (sorry, I didn't DIY) said that
creosote
was wonderful and that it had been replaced by water based
products
which weren't as good because they sat on the surface rather than
soaked in.

I remember hearing creosote was being banned but I don't remember
why.
Are all oil based products gone? What's best? (I always took my
engine
oil to the tip so I don't have any of that)
Creosote is not banned but sale is restricted to industrial size
quantities
(to avoid DIY use). It works well becasue it's oily and
carcinogenic. There
is a high correlation between the effectiveness of products and
their hazard
rating ( I always wanted to find something labelled "Nuclear
mega-death:
where used, nothing will grow for 1000 years" for my hoggin drive,
rather
than sodding P*thcl**r). There are creosote substitutes but these
are
slightly less effective and expensive.

You may as well (these days) buy Ronseal or Cuprinol fence and shed
stuff
and redo every 2-3 years. It's OK.

IMHO YMMV etc
--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)
TIA


The Wickes 'Creosote Substitute' is pretty good stuff - comes in two
hues, dark and light brown, the dark stuff is effectively the same end
result colour as creosote - 20 litre drum for a tad under £30 iirc -
certainly soaks in, isn't water based, and smells superb.

AWEM

I've found that the colour of creosote substitute seems to fade quite
quickly.

I buy the jet black real-mans creosote here
http://www.birdbrand.co.uk/acatalog/..._Creosote.html

Bob

Huge wrote:
On 2009-06-29, Bob Mannix wrote:

There
is a high correlation between the effectiveness of products and their hazard
rating ( I always wanted to find something labelled "Nuclear mega-death:
where used, nothing will grow for 1000 years" for my hoggin drive, rather
than sodding P*thcl**r).

Hear, hear. Stock up on Sodium Chlorate. Use is to be banned shortly and sale
next year.

Euro Nanny has already banned Ammonium Sulphamate, sold as Ivy Killer
and Root-out. Although banned for sale as a herbicide, it can still be
used as a compost accelerator.
I have however been quite careless and spilled some in the garden where
needed on my way to the compost heap.
Search for ammonium sulphamate on ebay where the vendor provides all
the warnings but also supplies helpful, out of date weedkilling
instructions on the pack.

Bob

On 29 June, 11:09, Fred wrote:
Hello,

I was wondering what is the best thing to treat a fence with?

The chap who put the fence up (sorry, I didn't DIY) said that creosote
was wonderful and that it had been replaced by water based products
which weren't as good because they sat on the surface rather than
soaked in.

I remember hearing creosote was being banned but I don't remember why.
Are all oil based products gone? What's best? (I always took my engine
oil to the tip so I don't have any of that)

TIA

Dear Fred
The reason it has been banned is cited here

http://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/creosote.htm

What is best is Tanalised timber with the tanlalised bit in the ground

If you already have the fence up then it is best to treat it with a UV
blocker and a water repellent

By all means put in a fungicide if you want and there are plenty on
the market but most will just leech out unless you put them in on a
really hot day with an oil based solvent that will penetrate the wood
and do it late afternoon so that when the wood cools overnight the
active ingredient is sucked further in by contraction

Look also at
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20031511.htm

Chris

On 29 June, 13:11, Bob Minchin wrote:

I buy the jet black real-mans creosote herehttp://www.birdbrand.co.uk/acatalog/Traditional_Creosote.html

Bob

Good link.

Can "the real thing" be used on a fence which has previously been
treated with the water-based stuff? And how long does it last between
treatments?

On 29 June, 18:53, wrote:
On 29 June, 13:11, Bob Minchin wrote:

I buy the jet black real-mans creosote herehttp://www.birdbrand.co.uk/acatalog/Traditional_Creosote.html

Bob

Good link.

Can "the real thing" be used on a fence which has previously been
treated with the water-based stuff? And how long does it last between
treatments?

See
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20031511.htm

for the answer which it would appear cannot be "yes"!
Chris

On 29 June, 19:02, Chris George wrote:
On 29 June, 18:53, wrote:

On 29 June, 13:11, Bob Minchin wrote:

I buy the jet black real-mans creosote herehttp://www.birdbrand.co.uk/acatalog/Traditional_Creosote.html

Bob

Good link.

Can "the real thing" be used on a fence which has previously been
treated with the water-based stuff? And how long does it last between
treatments?

See http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20031511.htm

for the answer which it would appear cannot be "yes"!
Chris

OK, let me rephrase - notwithstanding being thrown into gaol for
serious crimes, if I unlawfully and wilfully applied the toxic
carcinogen "creosote" to a fence which had previously been treated
with the water-based stuff would it take? And would it need retreating
any time before I get let out on parole?

On 29 June, 20:31, wrote:
On 29 June, 19:02, Chris George wrote:



On 29 June, 18:53, wrote:

On 29 June, 13:11, Bob Minchin wrote:

I buy the jet black real-mans creosote herehttp://www.birdbrand.co.uk/acatalog/Traditional_Creosote.html

Bob

Good link.

Can "the real thing" be used on a fence which has previously been
treated with the water-based stuff? And how long does it last between
treatments?

Seehttp://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20031511.htm

for the answer which it would appear cannot be "yes"!
Chris

OK, let me rephrase - notwithstanding being thrown into gaol for
serious crimes, if I unlawfully and wilfully applied the toxic
carcinogen "creosote" to a fence which had previously been treated
with the water-based stuff would it take? And would it need retreating
any time before I get let out on parole?

yes and no
probably unless they gave you a 5 to 7 year stretch


Only proviso is that the previous treatment would have to have been a
few weeks before
months and years before and there would be no difference to take up
c

wrote:
On 29 June, 19:02, Chris George wrote:
On 29 June, 18:53, wrote:

On 29 June, 13:11, Bob Minchin wrote:
I buy the jet black real-mans creosote herehttp://www.birdbrand.co.uk/acatalog/Traditional_Creosote.html
Bob
Good link.
Can "the real thing" be used on a fence which has previously been
treated with the water-based stuff? And how long does it last between
treatments?
See http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20031511.htm

for the answer which it would appear cannot be "yes"!
Chris

OK, let me rephrase - notwithstanding being thrown into gaol for
serious crimes, if I unlawfully and wilfully applied the toxic
carcinogen "creosote" to a fence which had previously been treated
with the water-based stuff would it take? And would it need retreating
any time before I get let out on parole?


Martin,
Provided the water based stuff is not fresh and formed some sort of
surface skin that will stop the creosote penetrating.
If the old stuff has largely disappeared then a good wire brush over to
get rid of anything flaky then there should be no problem.

Keep the stuff off your skin as it will tend to burn all but the
toughest of human hide. Splashed on the skin and working in the sun
doubles the burning risk. Applying it after a long dry period and before
the rain is best and the wood will soak it up like a sponge.
With sensible precautions you can spray it but any rubber seals in your
sprayer will swell until the stuff has evaporated. If there is any
breeze don't spray.
Buy cheap wooden handled brushes as it might not mix well with plastic.
Keep it off the soil and any plants that you want to live

I put up a timber clad workshop 3years ago. About 50 sqm of clad area
and about 30-35 litres of creosote put on. This is many many coats
spraying on to the top of the wall and letting it rundown, soak in and
apply more etc.
However it is still black as your hat and I don't anticipate having to
do it again for years.


So we could both do out time in the knowledge that the fence will be
well protected until well after we are released!!

Good Luck
Bob