How to identify old CCA wood?

[HappyCPE]

I just removed +/- 200 lf of wood board fence from my property. There is a lot of 4x4 posts and 5/4x8 boards piled up. I'd rather burn this stuff in the fireplace and not have to pay to dump it. Question is, how can I tell for certain that the stuff is safe to burn and not CCA treated? Most of the boards are badly weathered and split, when I cut them they don't have that greenish look that CCA had. However nothing is rotted or bug eaten, which is a surprise for ground-contact lumber after about 18-20 years. Is there some kind of test I can do? Thanks.

 

[hilld]

CCA has only been around for a few years now, if the stuff is truly 18 years old, I am willing to bet it isn't CCA PT lumber. Just torch it.

Derek

 

[mudcat]

I would not burn it in a fireplace.

 

[shvl73]

It may well be CCA if it's not in bad shape after being in the ground for that long. I've seen CCA treated for more than 20 years in New England, so it's a real possibility. Don't burn it where you'll be exposed to the smoke and ideally, don't burn it at all.

 

[Cowboyjg]

I'll bet if you offered it up for free someone would take it off your hands. Even if you spend a few bucks on an ad in the local fish wrap it will be a much better choice and smaller price to pay for everybody.

 

[Soundguy]

CCA has only been around for a few years now, if the stuff is truly 18 years old, I am willing to bet it isn't CCA PT lumber. Just torch it.

Derek

That's just plain WRONG. You are off by about .. 70 years or so.

Here's an excerpt from a fact sheet that is easilly found with about 30 seconds of google'ing the US product safety commission site...:

"CCA has been used to pressure treat lumber used for decks, playgrounds (playsets) and other outdoor uses since the 1930’s. Since the 1970’s, the majority of the wood used in residential settings was CCA-treated wood. "

http://www.cpsc.gov/phth/ccafact.html

http://www.cpsc.gov/phth/cca.html

Soundguy

 

[ericbx1500]

Soundguy, you are correct. CCA was used up until 2003. Taking CCA's place as a preservative are two waterborne compounds: alkaline copper quat (ACQ types B and D) and copper azole (CBA-A, CA-B).

 

[Farmwithjunk]

That's just plain WRONG. You are off by about .. 70 years or so.

Here's an excerpt from a fact sheet that is easilly found with about 30 seconds of google'ing the US product safety commission site...:

"CCA has been used to pressure treat lumber used for decks, playgrounds (playsets) and other outdoor uses since the 1930’s. Since the 1970’s, the majority of the wood used in residential settings was CCA-treated wood. "

http://www.cpsc.gov/phth/ccafact.html

http://www.cpsc.gov/phth/cca.html

Soundguy

Absolutely correct.

I started working as a carpenter in 1974. (I still work for the same contractor, but now as an estimator/project supervisor) The very first job I was sent out on (in '74) was to REMOVE old CCA-treated wood from an Army Ammo storage facility built in 1939. It became "trendy" to build decks with it in the late 60's/early 70's. That's when it became (literally) a household item.

DON'T BURN IT.

 

[shvl73]

CCA was used up until 2003. Taking CCA's place as a preservative are two waterborne compounds: alkaline copper quat (ACQ types B and D) and copper azole (CBA-A, CA-B).

CCA is still available for certain uses.

 

[hilld]

That's just plain WRONG. You are off by about .. 70 years or so.

Here's an excerpt from a fact sheet that is easilly found with about 30 seconds of google'ing the US product safety commission site...:

"CCA has been used to pressure treat lumber used for decks, playgrounds (playsets) and other outdoor uses since the 1930’s. Since the 1970’s, the majority of the wood used in residential settings was CCA-treated wood. "

http://www.cpsc.gov/phth/ccafact.html

http://www.cpsc.gov/phth/cca.html

Soundguy

My mistake, I was referring to ACQ, not CCA. When he menitoned green tint, I assumed ACQ since that has a green tint to it, CCA is generally more brown.

Thanks for setting me straight.

Derek