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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?

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???

Rivets said:

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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I wouldnt recommend it either just haul it off.

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.

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

buzzzmeister said:

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

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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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Well, vinyl still requires service. it needs to be bleached/de-molded i guess you could say. but yes, its the cheapest and easier to put up. i personally do not like vinyl. putting it up is hard with a nail gun, and if something hits it it breaks easily. and when it breaks you cant really replace it. i prefer board and batten siding and cedar shingles. they both look great and keep out water and whatnot great and dont really require maintenance.

I just saw a commercial of vinyl siding with insulation built right to the backing,i just thought that was neat,

Re: Masonite wood

metz12 said:

Well, vinyl still requires service. it needs to be bleached/de-molded i guess you could say. but yes, its the cheapest and easier to put up. i personally do not like vinyl. putting it up is hard with a nail gun, and if something hits it it breaks easily. and when it breaks you cant really replace it. i prefer board and batten siding and cedar shingles. they both look great and keep out water and whatnot great and dont really require maintenance.

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They tell me that it needs washing which can be done with a pressure washer. My camp in the mountains has the board and batten siding which needs painting every few years. It is getting harder for me to paint anymore so its something the very near future I will have to pay to have done. Cedar shingles would be the way to go but that is something I can't afford and then the trim would still need painting. I am hiring a contractor to install vinyl siding and windows which I sure hope he knows what he is doing. He is also covering all trim and any exterior wood with vinyl. I also know with my age its something that won't have to hold up for that many more years. My neighbor has had their vinyl siding now for 28 years and it still looks as good as the day they put it on. Now lets see that will make me 100 years old. Yes it guess it can break but I guess that is one of the bad point.

tybilly said:

I just saw a commercial of vinyl siding with insulation built right to the backing,i just thought that was neat,

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The company that is installing mine has the same siding, But its many more $s. I am having 1/2 in. insulation board installed under mine which they tell me is cheaper and works just as good.