# Unfinished Oak Flooring



## Timw0315 (May 5, 2020)

Anyone ever used scrap pieces of unfinished oak hardwood flooring to smoke with?


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## BandCollector (May 5, 2020)

Never did,  but I would imagin it would burn up rather quickly.  As long as it hasn't been treated with any chemicals I don't see why it couldn't be used.  After all. . .It's oak.

John


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## mike243 (May 6, 2020)

kiln dried removes some of the smoke flavor imo ,  no chemicals in it  would work fine imo


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## Timw0315 (May 8, 2020)

Timw0315 said:


> Anyone ever used scrap pieces of unfinished oak hardwood flooring to smoke with?


I'm using the scrap oak today after soaking it overnight in a water & whiskey mix. The wood rolled a lot of smoke.


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## 1MoreFord (May 8, 2020)

Don't soak wood  and use it immediately.

If you're going to soak it let it dry again.


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## rfarrell (Oct 22, 2020)

Timw0315 said:


> Anyone ever used scrap pieces of unfinished oak hardwood flooring to smoke with?


I was talking to a buddy the other night about this very subject. I have new oak flooring scraps and wondered if it is safe to smoke with it. He indicated that the wood is chemically treated as part of the drying process. I have no way to know if the wood I have has been treated or not but I may try to find a testing service to satisfy my curiosity. There is quite a bit of research available on the issue regarding drying without checking or staining. The link below is a discussion of "salting" or "brining" wood prior to drying:


			https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1936/lough36b.pdf


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## 1MoreFord (Oct 24, 2020)

My limited knowledge of the use of salt in drying was back in the 60's and 70's by Browning Firearms suppliers(and other people too).  It resulted in the damage to a lot of really nice Brownings.  Browning discontinued the use when discovered.  I have no idea of the others using it back then.

I've not heard of it in common usage in the last 30-40 years though.  It may still be used by some for special purposes but AFAIK not Commonly.

There are some companies(particularly in the South) that dip their freshly cut green lumber in a tank of fungicides and other chemicals to prevent fungus growth and the resulting discoloration and damage.  These chemicals also help prevent stick stain which is also a discoloration where stacking sticks between the layers touch the lumber in a stack of drying lumber.

These chemicals are largely on the surface of the lumber and they don't penetrate far at all.  Think surface moisture.

After being run thru a planer and other processing machines I doubt there is any left.

The biggest regular problem I see with unfinished flooring scraps is that it is S4S(surfaced four sides) meaning all the sides are smooth and free of splinters or any other rough surface to aid in combustion.  It's hard to light and of course will smoke until it does.  Once it does light it will burn down quickly into coals.


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