Creasote

hardpressed

Can you still buy creasote?

Fruitcake

The general public can no longer buy creosote due to changes in health and safety law and it is illegal to sell it to the public. Some industrial use is still permitted but only by a company or business that is licenced to use it.

You can still buy some products such as railway sleepers that have been treated with creosote but there are restrictions on where it can be used. Basically if creosote treated wood can come into contact with people or wildlife then you can't use it.

A substitute called creocote is now available in most diy stores. It stinks like creosote but I have no idea whether it is actually any good.

Fruitcake

You Only Listen To Me When I'm Wrong

Craig_A

I used some Creocote from Homebase on a job I did last year. I stood looking at the bottle for a couple of minutes scratching my head as to how they were still selling it... it was only when I got to site I realised! It does indeed smell like the 'real thing' and seems to last just the same. At least so far anyway. But, to be honest, I still don't like the stuff and would have preferred to have used something a little nicer!

Heath_Robinson

Enviromentalists look away now!!


The creocote stuff isn't supposed to be nearly as good, but apprently it can be greatly improved by mixing it with old engine oil.

Volcano

Engine oil is great stuff if you want to increase your chances of developing cancer.

With the wind in the right direction on these sunny days and your fence coated in the stuff, you should get a steady stream of various carcinogens wafting around your house.

I'm sure your kids will thank you in years to come.

weekendwarrior

I used to work on a farm and it was the norm to mix creosote with old engine oil, we then used to soak the fencing posts in the mixture for weeks.

Much better alternatives exist now!

You are best of getting pressure treated (tanalized ) timber to begin with.

Ted_Hutchinson

hardpressed wrote:

Can you still buy creasote?

Agricultural supply companies may be able to sell large drums of old fashioned creasote. This is the genuine article and only officially available to professional users, so you just have to look, sound like a genuine farmer. The imitation stuff only seems to last one season but the oldfashioned stuff seems to last much longer.

Heath_Robinson

Volcano wrote:

Engine oil is great stuff if you want to increase your chances of developing cancer.

With the wind in the right direction on these sunny days and your fence coated in the stuff, you should get a steady stream of various carcinogens wafting around your house.

I'm sure your kids will thank you in years to come.

pffft pretty much everything is carcinogenic when you get down to it, except maybe broccoli, but see how long your fence lasts rubbing it with that! Then you'll be buying new a new fence and they'll have to cut down more trees!!

kenshaz

We really do live in a Nanny state ,now the government is protecting us against creosote,kids cannot play conkers without goggles,and we can only buy two packs of aspirin,and a full questionaire by the sales-person in the chemist about your medical history,please let me make my own decisions

economiser

Hear, Hear, Kenshaz. Life is a dangerous thing after all. I can't imagine how they still let us drive cars. A lot more dangerous than creosote, gas fitting, electrical work, conkers, aspirin overdose etc.

Volcano

Obviously this forum is to provide advice for others to make their own decisions. Used engine oil is a serious carcinogen and as long as others are aware of this then what they do with it is their choice as long as it doesn't affect others.

Though what this has to do with broccoli and cutting down trees only Heath knows.