manchmal's Profile

Hi,
I'm not sure i believe all the hype about wood pallets and toxins. Through some research i have found that some is and some isn't, some pallets are more identifiably treated and should not be used. This is a quote from woodheat.org: More on pallets from Mike

I read with interest one of your visitors comments on burning pallets. I have worked in the wood industry for almost 30 years and have sold many pallet manufacturers. I believe that the use of treated lumber in pallets is a rare occurrence. The pallet industry is a down and dirty price sensitive business because the product being manufactured is generally a throw away. I think with a little more research you will find that the main anti-bug requirement for pallets and shipping crates would be heat treating and not chemical treatment. Hard wood doesn't take treatment well anyway. Mostly southern yellow pine is a used in treating. Even new requirements for export require heat treated verification to prevent bug infestation. The greatest opportunity for chemicals on pallets comes during their use, not manufacture.

Mike, October 8, 2005

and another:
Kevin says don't burn pallets

I was reading your questions and answers archive and noticed the one about it being okay to burn pallets. I was burning pallets last year until my research revealed that most shipping wood is treated with one or more of the following: fire retardant; insecticide; fungicide. The arsenic treatments were easy to spot being green; now copper compounds are used. Insecticides are not easy to detect. Fire retardants result in a brownish or rust colored stain. I have noticed that sometimes even stickers (for under bunks of lumber) are treated. I thought that I had discovered a gold mine when I saw pallets for countertops made of 4x4 oak 10' long with 3' cross members, until I saw that telltale brownish stain. I was heartbroken! In other words, err on the side of caution when selecting shipping wood.

Kevin, December 27, 2004

Seeing as most of the readers here aren't burning the pallets but are using them nonetheless i think it would be prudent to know more about the materials they are using. On an end note, some of the first searches that will come up when you look into wood pallets and toxins are provided by the PLASTICS industry.

This is such a wonderfully thought out room. So many spaces for the 'stuff' and still so uncluttered. It has all the books, toys, clothes, art. I wonder if you thought of recreating a sliding door for the entrance instead of the workaround with the notch in the bed. Just a thought, as i have similar issues with parts of my own house. Really inspiring, thanks!

It really is very lovely. It would be nice if there were more pictures in the tour. I like the floors against the whiteness. Yes...it will get dirty (as someone mentioned) but everything in a child's room eventually gets redone. I'd love to see book and toy space (if there is any). All the 'newness' kind of removes and negates the warmth of a child's area. (At least for me).

I actually.....ahem....like it.
Um...not ALL of it....the helicopters i would ditch...WAY too scarey in Israel (of all places)...I would put a bunch of Woolly pockets on one wall with a bunch of plants....and/or a big old mobile made out of tchotchke's....or interchangeable objects. That keeps the 'clutter' a bit contained, interesting and interactive....

I did the wood floor thing in my kitchen and as long as you do layers and layers and layers of varnish/acrylic (probably spar varnish is best) you are good to go.

Really loveable and workable and earthy. If you don't mind me asking....How do you HEAT yourselves up?....(other than that...) I live in SF and it's incredibly cold old where you are. I would imagine that you bundle up? Space heaters? I don't see any sort of heating system. Congrats on a wonderful space...and thank you for sharing.

Hmm...well i think it depends on what type of fabric you two (you and your boyfriend) would agree on but the chairs look wonderful and very 'save-able'. There have been great redo's lately with Scandanavian fabrics (on the cheap...IKEA has some great ones). I say you will get many points from his mom for keeping and re-loving them.

Lovely room....my daughter would like to know about the wallpaper...where we can find it. She would like to do one of her walls with it...Thanks!

My craft/art room is right next to the bathroom so my little one (2 1/2) bathes and plays while i work on projects. I stop sporadically to wash him (ha) and check that he hasn't flooded the bathroom or bathed the cat. I can hear all his squeaks and laughter so i'm pretty assured that he's not in trouble.

He he....I lost out on a Bertoia bird chair and ottoman on craigslist....then i emailed it to my friend (also a midcentury ho...) and he told me he just picked it up...