We’ve had an email from Ste:

What are the options for tanalised overlap fencing panels?

Tanalised wood lasts longer outside without maintenance but it is a bit more problematic to dispose of as it’s been treated with chromated copper arsenate – toxins ahoy! It’s not recommended to burn on open fires or in woodburning stoves, and I wouldn’t want those chemicals anywhere near my compost heap either. They can apparently be burnt in industrial incinerators but that’s usually a last ditch “solution”.

The better option would be to reuse them if possible. If it’s simple a case of no longer wanting them, offer them on Freecycle/Freegle – I think it’s almost guaranteed that someone will want them. People will still probably want them for spares or repairs if they’re damaged, or cut them down to make small panels out of the undamaged bits.

Any other suggestions?

We’ve had an email from Jamie:

What can I do with an old concrete wall? It was in panels so came apart quite easily. I’ve got 12 panels in total, each about 1′ by 4′. They’re flat on one side and have a slight raised design on the other.

They’re not in perfect condition because they’re probably 20 years old but they’re ok. We took them down because it made the garden look like a prison yard and we thought a hedge would be nicer instead!

Our beloved friend Freecycle is an obvious thought here – someone else might dig that prison yard aesthetic.

Depending on how thick/strong they are, using them as paving might be another idea – perhaps in a low traffic area of the garden if they’re not as solid as patio flags (lining paths in a veg plot springs to mind).

If you’re willing to break them down, I dare say the concrete could be used for all sorts of things that need a bit of extra weight – the bottoms of planters for example. Ooh, that’s another idea: as giant coasters under tubs on fancy patios/decking, for when you don’t want the run off from the tubs to damage the stone/wood.

Any other ideas? Suggestions for using them whole and in bits are both welcome.

(Stock photo by sundstrom)