Treating wood with waste oil. Expert opinion

Used oil as protection for wood

People quickly figured out using used motor oil to process wood. It protects the surface of the structure from the negative effects of moisture. It is used to protect warehouses, fences, garages, hangars and other industrial facilities.

Processing wood that has already been damaged protects the structure from subsequent destruction and rotting. Most often they cover the part of the fence that is in contact with the ground. For wood that is already damaged, there is practically no better protective substance to be found.

Among the various compositions used as antiseptics, tar and linseed oils are distinguished. The features of the first type are as follows:

1. Strong antiseptic, suitable for insulating the bottom of piers and boats. The surface treated with tar lubricant retains its structure. The substance itself cannot be diluted.
2. Easy to apply. The flax base is suitable for household use and impregnation of log buildings.

Linen acts as a strong waterproofing agent. Based on them, a large number of impregnations are produced for the facade and foundation of buildings.

Is it possible to use “working off” to impregnate wood?

All owners of wooden structures and buildings are aware of the need to use special protective agents, such as fire retardants and antiseptics, for wood.

Since wood is a “living” material, it will indeed very quickly become unusable without treatment with protective compounds. The rate at which wood deteriorates depends on what will destroy it faster. Rot, pests, mold, external biological and physical influences, diseases. But in any case, corrosion will occur very quickly.

One of the well-known, “folk” ways to protect wood from external influences is used machine oil or “waste oil”. Will such a product really protect wood and is it worth using?

There are a lot of opinions on this matter. This method of impregnation has many supporters and opponents.

Pros and cons of wood oil

Without special treatment, wood does not last long; moisture causes mold and rot, reduced strength and deterioration in appearance. Processing wood with a lubricating fluid is characterized by the following advantages:

1. Kills mold, protects the structure from attack by pests. Due to this, it becomes much stronger and lasts longer. To increase the service life of wooden load-bearing buildings, they are often impregnated with waste oil.
2. The wood is coated with waste oil to eliminate the possibility of moisture entering the structure. That is why after treatment you can reduce the likelihood of rot.
3. In most cases, there is no need to buy waste, since many car owners simply throw it away. Used oil diluted with fuel or water will not work.
4. The wood is protected not only from rotting, but also stops the destruction of damaged areas.
5. The advantages include the possibility of long-term storage and application without the use of special tools.

You can process wood in this way yourself. However, when choosing engine oil, you need to consider several disadvantages:

1. “Working off” prevents rotting, but at the same time greatly spoils the appearance of the product. The thick consistency absorbs into the structure for a long time and gets dirty when it comes into contact with it. Some problems can be solved by warming up the used waste oil a little.
2. The common synthetic group of lubricants contains many toxic and carcinogenic elements. If they evaporate, they can negatively affect human health. This leaves a persistent unpleasant odor. Therefore, this treatment method is not used for treating residential or heated premises.
3. Wood on the surface of which a lubricant has been applied cannot be further processed; it is not possible to apply paint due to a decrease in the degree of adhesion. This kind of work is often the final stage.
4. The types and methods of production differ significantly; mineral ones have practically no pungent odor, but today they are used much less frequently.
5. Color and texture cannot be preserved. Therefore, they are not used to cover wooden decorative elements. It is no longer possible to restore a surface treated with used machine oil. Used oil penetrates deep into the structure, changing the basic qualities.

There is no clear answer to the question of whether it is worth using “recycling” to protect natural material. It is not recommended to use lubricant from heavy equipment or transmission, since the concentration of harmful substances and poisons in them is very high. Some pros and cons must be taken into account with the characteristics of the specific part or surface that will be processed.

Product Application Options

Used car engine oil and used vegetable oil should not be poured onto the ground. For this, there are special recycling companies that even pay for used oil materials. If the volume of waste liquid is small, then there is no need to contact such a company, and there is no point in collecting such a product. Therefore, it is worth considering reusing the substance.

You can do a lot with used oil in your household. Oils have a primary function - waterproofing, which protects any surface. Used oil can be used for more than just moisture protection. Processing is applicable to protect the material from aggressive atmospheric influences. Regarding vegetable oils, the range of applications is not as wide as that of motor oil.

• You can process the tree from above. This will add shine to the surface, change color, change texture and preserve the fibers from rotting.

• The substance has found active use in relation to iron structures. Metal treated with this product is not susceptible to rust and corrosion.

• Lubricating rusty mechanisms (bicycle chain, door hinges). During processing, it is important to thoroughly lubricate all components of the mechanism.

• They often resort to using motor waste if a combustible mixture is needed. The components that make up the substance burn for a long time. Thanks to this “helper” you can burn even wet raw materials.

Thus, the waste is used on the farm as a primer for boards. When processing wood and metal, this product is simply irreplaceable. Lighting up a grill or boiler will not be a problem. Plus, it saves money.

We clean the waste ourselves

Wood that is coated with motor oil can last for a long period. If necessary, the lubricant can be cleaned of harmful elements yourself at home in several stages:

1. The “working” is merged due to the fact that a large number of large fractions enter the composition. To remove them, you need to let the used oil sit for 10-12 days. During this period, all large elements will fall to the bottom, forming sediment. After this, the liquid part is drained.
2. Chemical cleaning. You can use motor oil for processing wood with minimal damage to the wood structure by adding coalifying agents (zinc chloride, liquid glass, heavy metals) to the composition. After this, the container is thoroughly shaken, and the resulting mixture is allowed to stand for 3 days.
3. Mechanical cleaning. To remove large impurities, sand filters or a special synthetic fabric can be used. Processing wood without pre-cleaning it reduces the effectiveness of the procedure.

The prepared composition is quickly absorbed into the wood structure. It is recommended to store it in an airtight container.

Possible wood processing products

The technology for impregnating wooden sleepers for railway tracks involves treatment with creosote, simply tar oil. In addition to it, other wood processing is possible using the following substances:

• wax mixed with solvent;
• linseed oil, which contains a solvent;
• drying oils;
• used machine oil.

Composition for wood impregnation.

There is a lot of controversy about the latter. Oil used in industrial areas and heavy equipment is especially dangerous. Another option is to use motor oil from passenger cars. After just a few days, it loses its pungent odor and destructive properties. Undoubtedly, this substance, as an oil-based machine impregnation, can be used exclusively for treating non-residential wooden premises. For example, sheds, warehouses, various wooden buildings, wells, attic elements and other structures. Experienced carpenters have long been treating hidden elements of buildings with oil, such as rafters, ends and ceilings of beams, undersides and joists of floors and partitions of walls going under the cladding.

It is worth treating wood with waste oil precisely in those places where there is a high possibility of the wood coming into contact with the ground, where the log house has open surfaces that will subsequently suffer greatly from external temperature and other influences, for example, near the roof or foundation.

Painting with machine oil

Before the actual procedure, you need to prepare all the required tools and parts. They are as follows:

1. Used motor oil. Before direct use, it must be mixed thoroughly. The used composition should not have large impurities or other liquid inclusions.
2. Latex gloves. At the time of using the antiseptic in question, exposed skin should be protected.
3. Cotton cloth, sandpaper. Wood protection should be carried out after preliminary surface preparation.
4. Rollers, brushes, sprayer. There are several ways to apply used oil. Processing wood manually is most often carried out using a roller, since with this tool it is easier to distribute the substance evenly. It is worth considering that the tools used will be unusable in the future.

When using oil as an antiseptic, you need to thoroughly saturate the structure. The whole procedure can be divided into several stages:

1. Preparation. After cleaning the oil, you need to clean the surface to be treated from dust and other contaminants. The use of special degreasers will improve the quality of the final result.
2. The machine lubricant can be slightly heated, which will speed up the absorption and drying process. It is easier to treat the surface with warm oil due to its increased fluidity.
3. If you need to cover a large area, you can use a sprayer or roller. Small parts and elements are impregnated with a brush. During work, debris and other foreign elements must not be allowed to enter.
4. It takes several hours or days to dry. Therefore, when treating a facade or foundation, you should wait for dry weather.

It takes quite a long time for wood to dry. Used engine oil is considered an excellent impregnation agent, which is associated with relatively high efficiency and low cost.

When choosing used oil, do not forget that this composition is characterized by high flammability. Therefore, in some cases it is recommended to use special compounds for impregnation and protection of wood, for example, when treating the walls of a residential building, large residential or industrial structures.

Advantages and disadvantages

Wood processing is simply necessary. Naturally, there are special chemicals for this – paints. But they are expensive, the color does not last long, the quality is not always satisfactory, and the service life of such coatings is short. It is much better to use used oil for such purposes, but such a miracle product has both advantages and disadvantages.

For wood and metal, the substance becomes not only a protection against further decomposition and damage, but also a quick way to stop existing problems.

Wood and metal coated with such a substance are used exclusively for exterior decoration of the house. The processed material is toxic and releases carcinogens into the environment.

For wood and metal, this is a unique impregnation that fills all microcracks and chips.

Another disadvantage may be that an excess of waste oils on the structure gives an unpleasant odor.

Wooden and metal objects will receive a new color that will last for a long time.

Waste oil releases toxic elements into the soil and air as the material decomposes.

With a small amount of substance you can treat a huge area.

Any item is easily flammable if this product is used for coating.

A huge number of positive and negative characteristics are attributed to motor oil. It is not possible to draw an immediate conclusion regarding the advisability of recycling; it all depends on the situation.

The nuances of waxing

Another popular ingredient is wax. It is also good, but it has a significant drawback - it is only suitable for interior decoration, since it does not tolerate high temperatures, heat and is easily removed from the surface.

In modern house construction, only wooden floors are treated with wax, since waxing is a long and painstaking job that requires subsequent rubbing of the surface with oil. The materials can be either self-made (molten wax and then linseed oil) or factory-made (now they are produced by manufacturers from the USA, Germany and Turkey). All this is expensive and difficult, so it is advisable to treat parquet and expensive furniture with wax.

Popular substances for impregnation

Popular “folk remedies” include:

1. clay coating;
2. copper, iron sulfate;
3. drying oil

Let's take a closer look at them. The first is a protective layer of clay, ordinary salt and water. This composition is coated with a 2 mm layer of wood. There is also an option for a mixture of superphosphate and water, which is applied to the wood in a layer of 3 mm.

This coating really protects against external influences and helps the tree maintain its integrity. There is only one question - who would want to coat the beautiful facade of a house or an elegant wooden gazebo with clay? And even more so the wooden walls from the inside of the house?

This option is only suitable for outbuildings, such as a barn. And, in general, this was relevant on the scale of active construction of state and collective farms in Soviet times, and aesthetics and durability were always in question.

Another method is to treat wood with copper or iron sulfate. These are metal salts that work well as antiseptics. But vitriol is dangerous to health: if it comes into contact with the skin, eyes, or nose, it leads to choking, coughing, abdominal pain, swelling and lacrimation. If the wood treated with it begins to burn, the inhaled combustion products will lead to serious burns of the mucous membranes. Such impregnation is unsafe for humans.

And you shouldn’t use vitriol as a façade finish either:

1. It makes the wood darken and turn gray. If you want to leave the natural texture and color, then this composition will ruin everything. Vitriol, of course, will not work for facades, gazebos, or staircases in the house.
2. If there are galvanized metal parts, then the vitriol will “remove” the zinc layer.
3. You cannot work with vitriol in wet weather, and for a couple of days after “painting” it should be dry and warm.
4. In rainy weather, such a wall will be “smeared”.

The vitriol mixture is good for “technical” boards, such as beams and joists (when installing a roof or laying a floor). That is, these can be elements hidden from view, where aesthetics, color and texture are not important, but integrity, invulnerability and durability are significant.

Even more often, wood is treated with drying oil, arguing that it is natural linseed oil.

Indeed, in theory, technical linseed oil is considered drying oil. However, in stores, bottles labeled “Drying Oil” often sell a mixture of synthetic and vegetable oils.

This composition is worse than natural linseed oil. He:

• dries poorly and does not form a durable film;
• clogs wood pores - does not allow the wood to “breathe”, increases the risk of mold due to mustiness inside the log house;
• often contains lead compounds, so surfaces in residential areas cannot be treated with this composition.

How to paint a wooden fence

Whatever style or combination with whatever materials (concrete, brick or metal) you make a wooden gate or fence, the wood must be protected, first of all, from moisture.

Depending on whether you want to preserve the natural structure of the wood when painting or whether a certain color is important to you, you should choose the type of coating. In any case, these should be products used for exterior or facade work.

The market offers all kinds of products for painting or protecting a wooden fence. We invite you to get acquainted with the basics of manufacturing paints and varnishes in order to competently understand the sea of ​​​​offers.

Composition and types of paints and varnishes (paint and varnish materials)

The main component is a film-forming (binder) substance, which, after drying, forms a durable film on the surface. The binder is made from cellulose, natural or synthetic resins - polycondensation or polymerization. The most common film former is drying oil.

It is the film-forming substance that affects the painting properties of paintwork materials: durability, strength, drying (hardening) speed. The binder is what gives the paint its name: oil, alkyd, etc.

The desired color is given to paintwork materials using special substances (natural or synthetic) called dyes and pigments:

• The dye dissolves in the film former, leaving it transparent, and is usually used to prepare varnishes.

• The pigment is insoluble in the film former; it is introduced in the form of a powder, making the film former opaque, and is used for the preparation of paints, enamels, etc.

Another component of paintwork materials is filler: a powdery white or slightly colored substance insoluble in the film former. The filler is introduced into paintwork materials in order to save pigment.

The next component of a paintwork material is a solvent: an organic liquid in which the film former dissolves. Turpentine, acetone, white spirit and multicomponent solvents consisting of mixtures of toluene, ethanol and other substances are used as solvents. The purpose of the solvent is to create the necessary viscosity of the paintwork material. In recent years, water-based coatings, where water is the solvent, have been gaining popularity.

In addition to the above components, the following are additionally added to paints and varnishes: plasticizers, hardeners, driers, etc.

LKM are divided into:

• Varnish is a solution of a film-forming substance in a limited solvent, which after drying forms a transparent film. In addition to varnishes, transparent coatings include protective glazes and impregnations. A slight addition of pigment reveals the original structure of the wood. Such coatings have high vapor permeability, i.e. Moisture is gradually removed from the treated surface, which extends the life of the treated wood.
• Enamel is a solution of a film-forming substance in an organic solvent with particles of pigment and filler;
• Paint is a solution of drying oil or an aqueous dispersion of synthetic polymers and particles of pigment and filler. In order for the paint to have the required color, one or more pigments are introduced into the solution;
• Powder paint is a dry mixture of film former, filler and pigments. After being applied to the surface, this paint is fused, cooled, and as a result of hardening, it forms a hard, opaque film on the surface;
• A primer is also paint or enamel, but it has higher adhesion - the ability to better adhere to the surface being painted and the material applied over the primer. The primer enhances the protective properties of the paintwork;
• Putty is also paint or enamel, but has a different ratio of components, which makes it thicker. Putty is used to fill uneven surfaces and level surfaces for painting.

Painting wood with waste oil (waste oil)

There are many modern materials designed to protect wood. Used car oil is a great option for a modest budget. You should not use waste oil obtained from industrial production - such oil may contain wood-destroying substances.

Car oil contains substances that do not cause significant harm to health, because... erode within a few days after painting a fence or gate.

This protection is effective against the effects of precipitation and wood beetles; in addition, it does not contain substances that destroy the structure of the tree.

This method of protecting wood is quite well known and easily accessible.

If you decide to use used oil to protect a wooden fence, you should first drain all the oil into a large container and mix thoroughly. After obtaining a composition that is uniform in color, you can begin to work.

IMPORTANT! After treating the wood with waste oil, it will be difficult to paint such a fence.

What tools should you use to paint a wooden fence?

• Painting with a brush is the simplest, most common and cheapest way to do the job. This type of work requires a lot of time, but allows you to completely paint the surface.

• Painting with a roller reduces work time and reduces the amount of material used, but on complex surfaces it requires additional touch-up with a brush.

• Painting from a spray gun significantly reduces work time, allows you to paint the surface completely, practically without additional touch-up, but requires a source of compressed air (compressor) and a spray gun. Those. the cost of a set of necessary tools is significantly higher than in the first two cases.

To be continued…

A folk remedy invented by scientists

If you really want to make impregnation yourself, you should turn to proven methods. In Soviet times, in the Senezh Wood Conservation Laboratory of the TsNIIMOD Ministry of the Forestry and Woodworking Industry of the USSR (yes, it’s a long read), a safe composite “BB-11” was developed - it is harmless to humans, protects against biological damage and does not change the color of wood, since it was originally developed for restoration valuable wooden objects in Karelia. It is prepared as follows:

• 173 g of technical borax;
• 173 g boric acid;
• 3,094 liters of water.

This is a composition for processing 1 square. m. From a mixture of borax salts and acid, you need to prepare a 10% aqueous solution, and before application, heat it to 40 0C. Apply the mixture to the wood with a soft brush, either seven times, or after a single application, cover the treated surface with polyethylene, securing it with push pins. Of course, if this is a facade, you won’t have enough polyethylene; you will have to process it in seven layers (you don’t need to wait for the previous layer to dry). This product meets all the requirements and at the same time can be considered a “folk” recipe.

What to prefer?

Of course, the ideal option is to purchase special antiseptic moisture-proof impregnations for wood from a reliable manufacturer. Factories produce the same natural oils with additives that improve the properties of the product.

We will give some recommendations for choosing store-bought impregnation:

1. All wood impregnations that are put on the market must comply with BPD (Bioceds Product Directive) standards, that is, they must be biologically pure, environmentally friendly products. Not all domestic manufacturers have such a certificate, but you can also take a closer look at those products that do not have such a guarantee. True, there are risks in terms of service life.
2. For wood, it is better to purchase acrylic impregnations and water-based compounds - they will give the wood the opportunity to “breathe”. Rough solvents clog pores and, in fact, create a risk of rotting.

Features of painting an old fence

The old fence is painted in the same way as the new one. With the exception of preparation - here it must be thorough.

Old paint is removed with a brush or metal paper. There are solvents that are applied to a rag and wiped off the dried paint. All processes are performed using rubber gloves. If some of the boards are eaten by insects, then it is better to replace them.

Old varnish is removed in the same way. The cracks are primed and puttied. Afterwards the fence is painted.

The choice of product is individual. The main condition is high-quality protection of treated wood for decades without losing its attractive appearance.

Structures and buildings made of wood are more susceptible to the negative effects of sunlight, precipitation and other weather conditions than other materials. To prevent wood destruction, these parts must be protected using special wood treatment products. One such product that performs a protective and water-repellent function is used machine oil. Treatment with used machine oil is a unique tool that helps protect wood from rot, mold and other unpleasant problems that destroy boards.

Wood processing requires caution and study of the final goal, thoughtfulness of how the wooden structure should turn out in the end. If it is necessary to change the color of wood, for which various protective or painting agents are used, such work with wood requires a different approach if the treatment is carried out indoors or outdoors.

For working with wood, there are many different materials that can protect wooden parts, paint them or varnish them.

For wood processing the following are used:

Impregnation (determining the required material) for a wooden structure or part is selected based on the type of wood, its purpose in the building or the final color option.