Paint for Raised Beds?

[AlittleSalt]

This year, I used some scrap wood to build raised beds. This wood was in bad condition and was headed for the burning pile anyway, so I didn't paint or treat it with anything. I built the beds so I could map out where the sun shined most so I would know where to build much nicer beds this winter. I just took one bed apart and sure enough - termites were eating away at the boards.

The boards that we will be using to build the nicer and larger raised beds are repurposed untreated pine 2 x 12 boards We want to paint the outside sections of the new raised beds with Behr Barn Red Paint http://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-1-ga...2501/100132971

Could we use the same paint to paint the inside sections too? Or does it take something different on the areas that touch the soil?

[Worth1]

Salt you could but I use the same brand stain.
It is called redwood number 9.
I chose it because they had a sale on it for 1/2 off.
Treated is better but I know all too well it is better to use FREE.
You could coat the insides with tar.

Worth.

[bower]

Salt, I often do the same as you building raised bed with scrap wood which is unpainted. We have carpenter ants here that get after the rotting wood, no termites though. The ants are not welcome all the same and when I have new material I will treat it so it doesn't appeal to them. The best thing I have found for wood in contact with the soil, which doesn't leach any toxic substances into your soil, is double boiled linseed oil. The wood lasts a long while, and the ants won't touch it.

[AlittleSalt]

Bower, I think that is a good idea.

I found it at http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Str...LO45/202249497 It's cheap and a quart would be plenty. The can says, "Improves the flow and gloss of oil-based paint."

I went and looked on the can of barn red paint. It says, "Durable Oil - Latex" So I'm guessing I could mix the quart of Linseed oil with a gallon of oil-latex based barn red paint = Both protection and color?

[Worth1]

Not really.
To get the oil to soak in good mix with paint thinner like turpentine or mineral spirits.
1 part pant thinner and 4 parts oil.
Do this twice.Then do as you wish with the paint.
Both of the thinners will vape off and will not be toxic.
Bad time of the year to get oil base paint to dry.

Worth

[Ricky Shaw]

Mix a small test batch. The latex paints that I'm familiar with are water soluble and linseed as a vegetable oil might not mix too well.

[AlittleSalt]

This paint is easy to wash out of the brush.

4 parts linseed oil to 1 part mineral spirits. Sounds good to me.

[Ricky Shaw]

I like those easy clean ups. Rarely use oil based stuff anymore except woodworking, and when I do, I use the throw away brushes.

[kurt]

I have for the longest time been a advocate of coating all my bamboo stakes 1 foot up from bottom(part that goes into ground)and the tips at top with a asphalt material(tar,roof cement etc).Here in Florida most the gardeners coat the inside of beds and the bottom where it comes in contact with the ground for moisture and pest infestation.In addition we use the linseed oil (as mentioned above)before coating with asphalt based materials.Asphalt is not water soluble and does not leach into soil.


http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ghlight=bamboo IS ASPHALT A TOXIC HAZARD TO ANYTHING IN THE ENVIRONMENT?
No. Asphalt is insoluble and does not react with water. In fact, hot mix asphalt (HMA) has been used to line
surfaces of fish hatchery ponds and community water reservoirs. For example, the Metropolitan Water District
of Southern California has used hot mix asphalt liners in its reservoirs for over four decades. Asphalt is also
used to seal potable water supply pipes. Another important use of hot mix asphalt is industrial retention ponds
and landfill liners. Asphalt liners prevent harmful substances from leaching into the soil and possibly contaminating
ground water.
_____________

[AlittleSalt]

Kurt, I like that idea too. I need to buy some roof cement anyway to fix two leaks that we just found out we have during this past 12" of rain we got a few days ago. I'm thinking this stuff will also do the job for the planters https://shop.mccoys.com/building-mat...ssories/p.5261

There was one type I used in the late 70s or early 80s that was thin enough you could paint or mop it on. I just don't remember what it was called?

[bower]

The stuff I've used is "double boiled" linseed oil - afaict it doesn't have any dryers added. It's really dark and thick and seems to last forever - I still have a gallon or two from when we built the house 25 years ago. We didn't mix but applied it straight onto the lumber. If the wood is at all green the oil stays sticky even after drying but inside the raised bed this is more a problem for the insects than it is for me. Outdoors the stickiness of exposed wood wears off after a season here (raining cats, dogs, garage doors and squids.) Mixing with turpentine is for sure a better approach, it will penetrate better and dry better.

I checked the MSDS for the Klean-Strip product, looks good, it is cobalt-manganese dryers in that which are not seriously toxic... I read elsewhere that some "boiled linseed" products contain lead and even cadmium... yikes. They don't even boil it! twisted:

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by bower

The stuff I've used is "double boiled" linseed oil - afaict it doesn't have any dryers added. It's really dark and thick and seems to last forever - I still have a gallon or two from when we built the house 25 years ago. We didn't mix but applied it straight onto the lumber. If the wood is at all green the oil stays sticky even after drying but inside the raised bed this is more a problem for the insects than it is for me. Outdoors the stickiness of exposed wood wears off after a season here (raining cats, dogs, garage doors and squids.) Mixing with turpentine is for sure a better approach, it will penetrate better and dry better.

I checked the MSDS for the Klean-Strip product, looks good, it is cobalt-manganese dryers in that which are not seriously toxic... I read elsewhere that some "boiled linseed" products contain lead and even cadmium... yikes. They don't even boil it! twisted:

Did you know that linseed oil started out life as flax seed oil.
Yep lin in linseed comes from the term linen which is made from the flax plant.
You can get raw linseed oil but it is pricey or hard to find but HD sells it on line and you can get it other places.
The cost is about $22 a gallon.
That is why I went to pure tung oil it is better anyway but way expensive around $60 a gallon.
Tung oil polymerizes, use on old wooden boats and ships.
Like I said in another thread I make all of my own finishes.
I looked in HD the other day they didn't have Japan dryer.

Worth

[ddsack]

Outdoors the stickiness of exposed wood wears off after a season here (raining cats, dogs, garage doors and squids.)

Squids ? ? ? Bower, I know you are close to the ocean, but squids ?

[Gardeneer]

I think no amount of paint can stay effective in wet soil all the time 24/365.
Oils can extend the service life but eventually pine will rot. I could be wrong.
I like the TAR idea best.
I have made my RBeds from cedar and few from treated fir. The later are rotting after 3 season.
But since your lumber comes w/out cost, what the heck. If they last 3-4 season should be ok, I think.

[kurt]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Kurt, I like that idea too. I need to buy some roof cement anyway to fix two leaks that we just found out we have during this past 12" of rain we got a few days ago. I'm thinking this stuff will also do the job for the planters https://shop.mccoys.com/building-mat...ssories/p.5261

There was one type I used in the late 70s or early 80s that was thin enough you could paint or mop it on. I just don't remember what it was called?

"Do not use in drinking water and food systems."


This is the product I last used.Before I had access to hot melt chunks that we melted in metal cans to coat the bottom of 4x4 P.T. lumber for new fences to protect below grade concrete encased wood.

http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/A...riveway-Sealer