painting with old motor oil?

Question

I have an old barn that had been stripped of the old paint but not repainted. How bad of an idea would it be to use some old used motor oil, of which there is a couple barrels in the barn, instead of buying new primer and paint? I did a patch and kind of like the look, it soaked in fine and left the wood nice and dark. Is this against the law, a health or fire hazard, or not a good protective covering or anything? I dont live in town, and there are no nosy neighbors within sight, so im not really worried about the law but i dont like to be a polluter either.

Answer 1

In all actuality....I am a painter of 37 years..and oh 20 years or so ago we actually had a client wanted thier BRAND NEW oak cabinets throught the house "distressed" and antiqued with used motor oil..to distress we took vinyl coated chains..walked around beating them at random..then rubbed in strained used motor oil as the stain, then sprayed an oil based clear coat over them..Oil can be no more of a fire hazzard than boiled linseed oil, in which is obsolete now days, but was what they finished all raw exterior wood in them days...it stays as oily and residual as motor oil does...

Answer 2

It ABSOLUTELY is polluting. Motor oil does not have any binders in it to hold it to the surface you are applying it to. The net effect is that over a period of time it will leach from the wood and contaminate the dirt surrounding the barn and possibly the ground water.

It is a health hazard, used motor oil contains several known carcinogens created from the heat and compression of the engine. Depending upon the type of engine, there can also be traces of heavy metals. Not good.

This practice is illegal in most (perhaps all?) states. In some states, if you get caught the entire barn could have to come down and be disposed of as hazardous waste.

The motor oil will be a good coating for a while and the color on old wood can be nice. The protective effect is short lived, again due to the lack of a binder to hold the oil where it needs to stay. Also, the oil is significantly damaged and will tend to break down further when exposed to UV light.

Having read some other answers, I would point out that there was indeed a time when motor oil would have been considered a fine finish for a barn. Of course during the same time lead was a major component in paint and gasoline, asbestos was a wonderful insulation, sewage was dumped in the river. We know better now.

Answer 3

Used motor oil for a paint job. You've got to be kidding, and the lady that said she painted her fence with it. This is absolutely polluting the environment, where do you think this is going every time it rains, in the soil.
Not only this but, what happens if it catches on fire, have you ever seen anything like this go up in flames.

I would get those ideas out of your head before the Department of Natural Resources find out, or the County zoning ordinances and codes division. They may have something to say about this.

Answer 4

Why don't you just set the barn on fire now, and bring your whole family down to inhale the fumes?

Oil that has filtered through engines has picked up numerous cancer-causing chemica residues. It is illegal to use this oil, it needs to be recycled and decontaminated; it IS a health hazard AND a fire hazard. The law is set up because less intelligent people do stupid things, and people who are smarter than less intelligent people have to set up regulations to prevent less intelligent people from hurting themselves and others. The fact that you are not worried about this demonstrates a lot; the fact that you already tried it and found it aesthetically pleasing is a dead giveaway.

You run a HUGE danger of fire, and the release of carcinogens, whether via degradation or by burning and creating toxic fumes. You are putting your whole family at risk.
By the way, I bet the ground around the barn is full of lead.
Kicking up the dust will cause it to be inhaled by the family.

Answer 5

I bought the new replacement for creosote to paint my shed it is called creocote. I read the tin the warnings being it can be carcinogenic as it is oil based. Used engine oil is carcinogenic so what is the difference?

Answer 6

No. The oil will seep through the surface and eventually pollute the groundwater. This is nothing to do with climate change.

Answer 7

I don't think that is polluting at all. I do my yard fence with used motor oil, like you I would not want to be a polluter. I read it somewhere and that is where I gotthe idea, but can't remember where.

Answer 8

You ever hear of the term "don't smoke by the bucket of oily rags"?Now imagine that but a whole barn!!

Answer 9

Sorry, I just have to ask. How did you live to adulthood.