Fungus on Pine Question

[Jim Koepke]

Some of my pine products will grow mold during the winter months. This even happens on painted surfaces in my area.

On painted items I just use a brush and some Bar Keeper's Friend to remove the black fungus. Is there anyway to remove or inhibit this on untreated wood?

This even happens to wood that has been coated with BLO.

jtk

[Prashun Patel]

I spray some turning blanks with diluted bleach and it seems to stymie mold.

[ken hatch]

Jim,

No answer for you other than the bleach rub down but your post brought a flood of memories of our time in McMinnville. There is a reason most "boneyards" are in the desert.

ken

[bill howes]

Hi Jim
Local mills here traditionally spray with dilute javex. I am told that for pine to remain stain free it must be cut in the dead of winter and sawn and stickered before June 1. The mould is carried into the wood by beetle larvae residing under the bark who require moisture to survive. Kiln drying helps to avoid this but for air dried lumber this is how they avoided "blue" pine.
I was told this story by a gleeful mill owner who had just sold blue pine at a premium to city guy.
Bill

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks for the help guys.

May need to buy another spray bottle to keep all my chemicals separate.

jtk