Best cheap wood water proofer?

[ZmOz]

I'm building a greenhouse in my yard using mostly doug fir. Obviously the inside is going to be moist all the time. What's the best cheap thing I can protect the wood with? Deck sealer? Paint? Some sort of oil? I don't really care what it looks like.

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: Best cheap wood water proofer?

My father used old motor oil and cresote mixed 50-50.<br /><br />I'm assuming here that you can get cresote in the US?

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Best cheap wood water proofer?

Originally posted by Stan_Deezy:<br />I'm assuming here that you can get cresote in the US?

I don't think so...it seems to cause diseases.

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: Best cheap wood water proofer?

You could be right there: they still sell it in the Uk but it is very diluted now compared to what it was way back when.<br /><br />As an aside I do remember being rushed to hospital as a three year old: my dad was painting a fence with neat cresote and asked me to check how much cresote was left.<br />Instead of looking in through the cap I lifted the tub up and poured it over myself <br /><br />Still like the smell of it though

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Best cheap wood water proofer?

Pressure treated wood - hands down. Or<br />Thompsons waterseal. The pt is poison impregnated but it does work. In the long run it will outlast everything. The third alternative is use metal studs as used in commercial walls.<br /><br />Bob

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Best cheap wood water proofer?

ZmOz search for 'Madison Formula' on Google. You can make your own wood sealer pretty cheap out of mineral spirits, linseed oil, mildewcides, and paraffin. The mildewcide might be tough to find as I think Penta was the preferred one and is no longer available to the public. My dad and I made up several gallons of the stuff in the 80s and soaked the ends of fence posts for a few days and brushed out the rest a few times and they're holding up still.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Best cheap wood water proofer?

You can make your own wood sealer pretty cheap out of mineral spirits, linseed oil,

That's All you really need for your Geeenhouse application,............<br /><br />Adding cresote to the above mix yeilds a Great Deep Brown Stain,..... That Lasts Extremely Well..............

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Best cheap wood water proofer?

Originally posted by Stan_Deezy:<br />Instead of looking in through the cap I lifted the tub up and poured it over myself

That explains alot. <br /><br />

Originally posted by Bob_VT:<br /> Pressure treated wood - hands down.

I know pressure treated will last longer, but it's also more than twice as expensive. I may use it in a few spots on the base where it touches the ground though. I change my mind so often, by the time the fir rots I'll either have moved, gotten tired of the greenhouse, or want a bigger one. <br /><br />

Originally posted by CalicoKid:<br /> ZmOz search for 'Madison Formula' on Google

I found this page that says "Because no suitable substitute for penta is avail-able to the general public, it is nolonger possible to make the Madison formula".