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Used scaffold planks?
- Thread starter robgil
- Start date
Penners
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- Suffolk, England
Is Peterborough too far?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/scaffold-boards-/130483076769?pt=UK_H_G_Ladders_RL&hash=item1e6165bea1
What do you plan to use them for?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/scaffold-boards-/130483076769?pt=UK_H_G_Ladders_RL&hash=item1e6165bea1
What do you plan to use them for?
Penners
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Well to be honest, Rob, I don't think you're going to save much money if you have to travel any distance to collect the boards. You might just as well buy some sawn timber locally. Or visit the nearest reclamation yard and get some old boards.
If they're for veggie beds, just be careful not to use preservative-treated timber. You don't want to be eating delicious beans (or whatever) laced with chromated copper arsenate. Wood preservatives are NOT good for you.
If they're for veggie beds, just be careful not to use preservative-treated timber. You don't want to be eating delicious beans (or whatever) laced with chromated copper arsenate. Wood preservatives are NOT good for you.
Thats a good point. I could line it with plastic. The reason i wanted scaffold boards is because they seem cheap, are chunky and would probably outlast soft wood from a sawmill.
My other option is to use a woven hazel , a more traditional approach, perhaps not as robust but i imagine quite pricey.
The benefit from using hazel i suppose would be ventilation (roots need oxygen for good healthy plants) and good drainage.
Id probably have a hard time finding hazel that hasnt been turned into a fence panel.
Woven oak lath might be another option.
My other option is to use a woven hazel , a more traditional approach, perhaps not as robust but i imagine quite pricey.
The benefit from using hazel i suppose would be ventilation (roots need oxygen for good healthy plants) and good drainage.
Id probably have a hard time finding hazel that hasnt been turned into a fence panel.
Woven oak lath might be another option.
fjpdesigns
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The downside of woven hazel and oak is that the bed dries out very quickly.
I'd phone round a few scaffolding companies and see if they have any old boards lying around.
I'd phone round a few scaffolding companies and see if they have any old boards lying around.
I'd put in a request on your local Freecycle/Freegle group before you do anything else. They pop up now and again on the Broadland group.
If I were buying I'd want new boards for the sake of a couple of quid - if they're not fit for standing on I wouldn't necessarily want them in the garden + there is a small risk that they'll be contaminated with something unpleasant (debris, paint, pesticides etc.).
If I were buying I'd want new boards for the sake of a couple of quid - if they're not fit for standing on I wouldn't necessarily want them in the garden + there is a small risk that they'll be contaminated with something unpleasant (debris, paint, pesticides etc.).
Penners
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So far as I'm aware, scaffold boards are... softwood from a sawmill. They just happen to be quite chunky.robgil said:scaffold boards....would probably outlast soft wood from a sawmill.
Using woven hazel or oak laths sounds like a load of hassle to me. Honestly - for the few boards that you'll need, I should just buy yourself some. Oak boards would, of course, be wonderfully durable, but even untreated softwood will last a good time.
benmc
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What about railway sleepers?
Been looking at these when we come around to the garden.
http://www.railwaysleeper.com/
Ben
Been looking at these when we come around to the garden.
http://www.railwaysleeper.com/
Ben
Penners
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The trouble with railway sleepers is that preservative thing again. Old ones have been treated with various noxious substances - the type depends on their age.
You could buy new, untreated ones, but they might be quite expensive.
You could buy new, untreated ones, but they might be quite expensive.
Flyfisher
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I bought an untreated oak railway sleeper a couple of years ago to use as a gatepost. It cost me £25, so a bit of an expensive way to build a raised vergetable bed. It'll probably last a lifetime though.
I recall a question on GQT about using old railway sleepers for such things and the general consensus was that it might be OK if everything was lined with thick polythene to fully isolate the sleeper from the soil. Even then, none of the panel seemed very keen on the idea. And nor would I be. Modern preservatives are bad enough but goodness knows what sort of chemical cocktails they would have used for old railway sleepers.
I recall a question on GQT about using old railway sleepers for such things and the general consensus was that it might be OK if everything was lined with thick polythene to fully isolate the sleeper from the soil. Even then, none of the panel seemed very keen on the idea. And nor would I be. Modern preservatives are bad enough but goodness knows what sort of chemical cocktails they would have used for old railway sleepers.
citizensmith
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Found this on the great "interweb" - would like to see the "well documented research" that is supposed to back it up though.
"Is there a problem with using treated lumber in vegetable beds?
* The most common wood preservative traditionally used (chromated copper arsenate or CCA) was phased out from all residential use on December 31, 2003.
* Two other products, ACZA (ammonia cal copper zinc arsenate) and ACQ (ammonia cal copper quat) have replaced CCA and may be used for raised bed construction.
* Well-documented research has shown that CCA, ACZA and ACQ may be safely used to construct vegetable beds."
"Is there a problem with using treated lumber in vegetable beds?
* The most common wood preservative traditionally used (chromated copper arsenate or CCA) was phased out from all residential use on December 31, 2003.
* Two other products, ACZA (ammonia cal copper zinc arsenate) and ACQ (ammonia cal copper quat) have replaced CCA and may be used for raised bed construction.
* Well-documented research has shown that CCA, ACZA and ACQ may be safely used to construct vegetable beds."
Flyfisher
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Interesting. I wonder if scaffold boards are regarded as "residential use" ?citizensmith said:* The most common wood preservative traditionally used (chromated copper arsenate or CCA) was phased out from all residential use on December 31, 2003.
benmc
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Loads of info here
http://www.railwaysleeper.com/railway%20sleeper%20treatments.htm
From June 30th 2003 EEC and British law ruled that:
Used Creosoted railway sleepers COULD continue to be sold & used safely with some exceptions and guidelines:
**They should NOT be used where there is a risk of frequent skin contact, (e.g.schools, play areas, benches etc..) **They should NOT be used where where they may come into contact with food stuffs, (e.g. picnic tables)
**They should NOT be used inside buildings. (e.g. fireplaces and lintels)
There was NO PROBLEM with USED UNTREATED railway sleepers, NEW untreated or ACQ tannalised sleepers
So, to sum up... Don't use creosoted sleepers around children, food, or inside
Don't sit on them, eat off them, or put them indoors! HANDLE with GLOVES
http://www.railwaysleeper.com/railway%20sleeper%20treatments.htm
From June 30th 2003 EEC and British law ruled that:
Used Creosoted railway sleepers COULD continue to be sold & used safely with some exceptions and guidelines:
**They should NOT be used where there is a risk of frequent skin contact, (e.g.schools, play areas, benches etc..) **They should NOT be used where where they may come into contact with food stuffs, (e.g. picnic tables)
**They should NOT be used inside buildings. (e.g. fireplaces and lintels)
There was NO PROBLEM with USED UNTREATED railway sleepers, NEW untreated or ACQ tannalised sleepers
So, to sum up... Don't use creosoted sleepers around children, food, or inside
Don't sit on them, eat off them, or put them indoors! HANDLE with GLOVES
fjpdesigns
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- 124
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- Suffolk
Robgil,
there are some scaffold boards at Gaze's auction in Diss this Friday. Estimate £20-£30
http://www.twgaze.com/Diss-Auction-Rooms/Current-Catalogues/View-Catalogue?Event=805&pg=-1
there are some scaffold boards at Gaze's auction in Diss this Friday. Estimate £20-£30
http://www.twgaze.com/Diss-Auction-Rooms/Current-Catalogues/View-Catalogue?Event=805&pg=-1
DaveBrigg
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Since Christmas we have been heating our house courtesy of a local skip hire company. They sort all loads and recycle where possible, but always have a mountain of scrap wood which they have to pay to dispose of. A quick phone-call was all it took, and now I can turn up, sort through and take all I want. This has included old scaffold boards, doors and substantial bits of timber from building sites. You might not get four matching pieces, but I'm sure that someone with your ingenuity could build pretty good raised beds and reduce landfill into the bargain.