Building enclosure with outside Wood pieces

crawley07

Arachnopeon
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Dec 27, 2010
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I was wondering should I sanitize wood before using the wood pieces that I picked up today ? What's the best way to sanitize it and all details would be helpful.
 

MrsHaas

Arachnoangel
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Nov 1, 2012
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Baking is usually good, though I don't remember the recommended length and heat level. I want to say like 250f for a few hours. I'm sure someone else can provide better logistics.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
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Feb 22, 2013
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Baking is usually good, though I don't remember the recommended length and heat level. I want to say like 250f for a few hours. I'm sure someone else can provide better logistics.
I could be wrong in this, but I thought that it was high and fast rather than low and slow? As in, put it at a high temp for a shorter amount of time?
 

SausageinaNet

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
33
I could be wrong in this, but I thought that it was high and fast rather than low and slow? As in, put it at a high temp for a shorter amount of time?
Well I wouldn't use high temps for wood. If you look at processes like pasteurizing it's only 75-100°C (whatever that is in F). Same with cooking meat where you aim for a coretemperature of at least 65°C to kill off bacteria and anything else you don't want in there.
 

elysium

Arachnosquire
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Nov 7, 2015
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69
Not sure what the "proper" way is, but I thoroughly wash bark and dry wood under extremely hot water for a few minutes, scrubbing lightly with a plastic brush, and then i bake them in the oven at 350 Fahrenheit for around 30-45 mins, or until they are crispy dry. Seems to work very well and I have not had issues.
 

cold blood

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Jan 19, 2014
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I was wondering should I sanitize wood before using the wood pieces that I picked up today ? What's the best way to sanitize it and all details would be helpful.
Just wash it (and I don't go overboard washing it)and bake it afterwards...I don't bake to sanitize though, I bake simply to remove all the moisture from within the wood....if the wood's not completely dried out, it will be prone to mold.

Outside wood is all I use.

I usually put it on a cookie sheet at 225-250 for 25-40 min, depending on the wood...thicker pieces stay in longer obviously. Generally you know its good and dry when you start to smell it....its not a bad smell, but its distinctive.
 

Abyss

Arachnoknight
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Apr 15, 2016
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281
I use some pieces in my sling enclosures i make/setup/and sell and i use wood round bases for alot of my hides i also make/sell and heres what i do.

Boil in water (time depends on size)
When im confident i went overboard boiling i place on a cookie sheet (use wax paper or foil) and bake @ 300 (time varys on size). When im confident i went overboard there too (bone dry completely) i let them cool then seal in a ziplock bag for about a week.

I purposly go overboard and go to extremes tho since i supply things to others an not just myself but thats my process
 

cold blood

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Jan 19, 2014
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boiling is not only pointless (as baking will accomplish exactly the same thing), but in doing so, you are adding moisture to the wood, which is exactly what you need to avoid...people do it, but I just don't understand why...I have never and will never boil any wood I plan to use in an enclosure...to me its just counter-intuitive.
 
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