Masonite

reynoldston

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My house is covered with Masonite siding now. I just contracted to have it resided with vinyl. They tell me they will be striping the Masonite siding off and putting it in the landfill. This siding has several layers of latex paint on it. My question is. I now heat my shop with a wood burning heater. As I understand Masonite is no more then pressed wood. Just why wouldn't this make a good fuel for heating my shop?
 

Rivets

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The glue in the Masonite when burned gives off a very, very, very foul oder and it also will burn with a lot of smoke. (carbon and soot in the chimney). I would not recommend it. Might want to try it in a fire pit first???
 
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The glue in the Masonite when burned gives off a very, very, very foul oder and it also will burn with a lot of smoke. (carbon and soot in the chimney). I would not recommend it. Might want to try it in a fire pit first???



I wouldnt recommend it either just haul it off.
 

reynoldston

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This is very confusing to me. As I understand Masonite is just wood fibers pressed together without any adhesive. It is painted with latex paint, is that the thing that will be bad to burn? or dose the siding have some kind of chemical in it? It is a lot cheaper and easier to just send to the landfill seeing I have to pay for the dumpster anyways and then cutting it up to burn.
 
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buzzzmeister

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If the Masonite is old enough there's probably at least some arsenic in it to keep the bugs at bay.
 

reynoldston

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If the Masonite is old enough there's probably at least some arsenic in it to keep the bugs at bay.

It was installed in 1972. Did they use arsenic back then? I was also thinking maybe being siding a preservative might be in them? I don't have a answer and was hoping someone did. So far it looks like they will be going to the landfill. The only thing the dumpster company wanted to know if they are asbestos or not.
 

metz12

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I like masonite. well i like the look of the clapboard siding. i dont like having to paint the house all the time, but i like the look. but anyways, there is some sort of glue that they use when compressing the masonite. im not sure if it would be okay to burn in the shop. I built a school mailbox thing with masonite shelves and after ripping mass amounts of boards i was pretty well congested and so was my buddy. not sure if i was just having a reaction to it of some sort but i wouldnt burn it inside.
 
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Its kinda hard to burn too it smokes, and smolders more than it burns. I would say 1972 it has some chemicals you dont want to breath in it for sure.
 

jakewells

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i got asbestos siding on my house i usually keep it coating with paint i wouldn't dare to bother it. nasty stuff.
 

reynoldston

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The problem I have with my siding it needs painting. At my age it is getting to the point I would need to hire it done. So for what ever years I have left on this earth I'm not painting my house which is a job I hate. It looks likes vinyl is the latest, greatest, and cheapest thing right now for siding and windows. For some reason I was looking at my old siding and thinking (free heat). Now that I an thinking with my head and not my wallet, its not free heat and big problems. I am hiring out the complete job for new vinyl windows and siding so I am hoping no more painting. So this is the reason it will make no different if I keep the old siding to burn or send it to the landfill, its all in the price.
 
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