[Strawbale]Fungus and beetles (fwd)

[fostertom at clara....uk]

Yes, Boron is no more toxic than common salt, so is the answer, provided
the timber will remain permanently dry. Boron is water soluble and
leaches out if there's water - even heavy condensation (e.g.
interstitial condensation within the wall thickness, if the wall/roof's
vapour resistance arrangements aren't correct). In fact, if the timber's
going to remain bone dry, it won't be at all attractive to fungus or
insects. You may find they'll just leave/die out. Good luck!

Tom Foster B.Sc (Architecture) AECB
Tom Foster Architecture





-----Original Message-----
From: strawbale-admin at amper....muni.cz
[mailto:strawbale-admin at amper....muni.cz] On Behalf Of Stewart Hargrave
Sent: 28 February 2005 18:42
To: strawbale at amper....muni.cz
Subject: Re: [Strawbale]Fungus and beetles (fwd)

On 28 Feb 2005 at 16:39, Jan Hollan wrote:

> We are building our strawbalehome at this moment. The contractor who
placed
> the contruction delivered some pillars witch were allready infected by
> fungus and insects. For the moment it is very stable, but I like to do
> something on it. So I thought about to impregnate the wood with an
> ecological product. Does somebody knows a good product to use or maybe
> another way?

The following comments are based on my experience in 'convertional'
building 
maintenance.

It really is inexcusable that your contractor supplied you with
materials that were 
infected by both fungus and insect. He should have supplied you with
sound 
timber in the first place. The ideal solution would be to insist on
materials that are 
suitable for the job.

If that is not an option, you will need to consider if the structure of
the timber has 
been weakened by the attack. If it has, you cannot use it. You also
cannot use it 
if the insects or fungus are still active. They need to be dead and gone
before 
you can be sure it is safe to use.

But you should also take measures to prevent the conditions for fungal
attack to 
occur - this means keeping the wood dry.

The conventional way of applying long term preservatives to timber is in
a 
vacuum chamber, so that preservatives are absorbed deep into the wood.
By 
their nature, the chemicals used have to be pretty harmful and long
lasting. 
Compounds containing arsenic are a popular choice. Not nice in a straw
house.

However, you might like to look at this site, and search for others like
it nearer to 
you, that can supply reletively safe compounds of boron 

http://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/boron.php

Good luck.
-- 
Stewart H.

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