Can I use treated wood?

We've just had most of the roof trusses taken off our house and they are out front in a tempting heap.

We thought about burning them in the wood burner we don't have yet, but were worried they might be treated. Burning treated wood will poison us and the atmosphere.

Then we had the great idea of saving the wood to build raised beds for veggies and maybe other plants (we have a large overgrown steep garden we need to do something with). However, I read that some treatments will leach out when the wood is wet, and you shouldn't touch the wood or (I suppose) plant edible plants near it.

Any idea how I can tell if the wood is treated or not, and if it is, whether or not I can use it for creating veggie beds?

 

It depends on how old the roof trusses are - they used to be treated with arsenic and chrome, but these days it's copper based which would be fine. As I understand it, once the chemical, which is impregnated under pressure, has dried it is safe to use.

Creosoted timber should not be used.

 

The Timbers went up there in 1986 when the house was built. I'll have a search to see what they might have been treated with. Some have a bit of pale greeny blue stain on the edges, and there is some writing stamped on that I'll try and decipher.

It's probably best not to burn it, but OK to build things in the garden with it.

 

This is just my personal opinion, and I should say I'm not a science expert:

As kids, we used to go to the annual bonfire and firework display. All sorts went onto the bonfire then, so presumably lots of fumes were released. At the time of writing this, I am still not dead.

As for using treated timber for raised veg beds, as far as I know, plants only take up the minerals they need. If they don't need arsenic, it is my understanding that they wont take it up, so no danger of poisoning. But I could be wrong.

 

Generally agree, but should point out you're only 36. Plenty of time yet!

 

I've cut and handled tanalised timer on and off for the last 40 yrs, and I'm still not dead yet either.