I've got several pieces of dunnage that were used for storing pipe in the oilfield, and I'm curious about their safety for furniture building. Some pieces have stamps, but what exactly should I look for to figure out whether they're chemically treated? I've heard that some dunnage can be harmful, like pallet wood, so I want to be careful.
3 Answers
Honestly, I wouldn't use dunnage for anything that touches food. Even if you can't tell what's been treated or soaked into it, there's likely some machining oil in the wood. Use a hand plane to clear some grime and get a whiff of the wood underneath. If it smells nasty or just gross, it's best to ditch it.
The safest bet is to just assume that all of it is chemically treated. Better safe than sorry!
When it comes to dunnage, if you're unsure, the best rule of thumb is 'when in doubt, throw it out.' Look for incisions; those are pretty clear indicators of treatment. Another method is to make a fresh cut at a steep angle—this can reveal discoloration that shows whether chemicals have penetrated deeply. Burning it and checking the flame color used to be a method too, but I'm not sure if that still works.
Thanks for the tips!
I appreciate the advice! I'm thinking I'll just get rid of it all since it's been in my garage for 3 years without a plan.