Cold smoking shed?

[Welsh Wizard]

hi all.

I am thinking of buying / building a shed for cold smoking and keeping the Bradley for the hot stuff.

Can anyone see any reason why I should not go down to  my local DIY and but a shed from them, drill a few holes, seal a few more holes and get on with it?

I suppose one reason would be the wood will be treated but if you are cold smoking how much does that matter?

I was thinking of putting a wood liner in it but there again if I used a hardboard theis is just wood glued together anyway - is it not?

Sorry questions questions  ??? I know but if you have the answers I sure would like to hear them - thanks in advance.

Cheers WW

[Habanero Smoker]

I don't know why you shouldn't, but these would be my concerns. It would depend what was used to treat the wood. I would ask the manufacturer, or retailer what it is treated with, then ask for the MSDS sheet(s), or go on line and look them up. Also I would ask if you can order one without a finish.

[Gizmo]

Wood treatment is poisoness and I would not recommend using it for any food preperation in any manner.  The Bradleys are real easy to convert to cold smoking but if you like to build, then ....

[West Coast Kansan]

cca is nasty deadly stuff. Not sure it is still sold but i still see green treated lumber.

If you are not into a larger volume for cold smoking just use your bradley.  OR Keep your new smoke shed off the ground moisture with a bit of a roof and there is no issue with wood smoke houses - They treat just like anything else ... you just dont want moisture / mold.

[Habanero Smoker]

First one needs to know what the wood is treated with. There are many wood treatments that can be use for incidental and full food contact. That is why it is important to find out what the manufacturer has has used, and to request, or you can look up on line the MSDS for the product.

There are several retailers in my area that sell shed, barns and gazebos, and they do not use any pressure treated wood in the building of their sheds or barns.

[manxman]

Quite a few of the sheds at B+Q for example are described as "untreated" and they expect people to treat (and pay for) them themselves so maybe that is worth a try?

Other way is to contact a manufacturer directly and ask for an untreated one as someone else suggested. I went to a smokehouse in Suffolk a while ago and their smoking shed looking very like part of an old larchlap shed!!  ;) :D

I hang game, occasional hams and herbs to dry in my B+Q larchlap shed without worry, IMHO cold smoking would not be a problem because if the wood treatment caused potential health issues at the sort of temperatures used in cold smoking they would not be allowed to sell them in the first place as it  would be too dangerous for people to even set foot in them!!

Hot smoking may be another issue but for cold smoking I very much doubt there would be a problem.

[West Coast Kansan]

What is larchlap?  Is that a lumber where you are?  CCA is an issue when you cut it.  The shed at my Grampa's i dont think was treated anything - sat on concrete blocks - stood as long as i remember and probably had to be torn down. 

There are lots of web pages that have plans and descriptions for building.

Bradley likes old fridges with the metal insides.

[Welsh Wizard]

Thanks all that was very interesting and some very good points were made.

The reason I need to go bigger than a Bradley is because demand outstrips supply at the moment and it makes me cry - a lot - when I have to only smoke one or possibly two salmon in the smoker because that is the end of the order

Cheers WW

[Habanero Smoker]

I looked up larchlap. I wish they made it like the do over here.

Manxman;
Sad to say, over here in the states they do things a little different. It seems we pay less attention to what toxic materials they use in building homes. I have a niece who is purchasing a modular home, and she had to sign a form stating that she was made aware of the possible build of of chemical fumes used in the materials of the home.

[manxman]

What is larchlap? 

Larchlap is actually the name of a garden supply company and they have a particular style of shed (that others have emulated) whereby the  lengths of timber slightly overlap the one below hence rain doesn't get in...... probably the cheapest of all wooden sheds available but good nonetheless.

http://www.larchlap.co.uk/

HS:

I have noticed several times when buying things in the US a comment something along the lines of "the State of California" and a reference to carcinogens but there seems to be very little that the State of California does not think was carcinogenic!! I bought a new outboard engne recently here in the UK that is made in Japan and obviously for sale worldwide and that had a similar comment on although the risk in this instance seems to be negligable.

The reference to your niece is more concerning and seems to put the emphasis on the purchaser, not the manufacturer/supplier regarding safety!!

[NePaSmoKer]

Giz is right. Stay away from plywoods cuz they use glues with formaldehyde or dont use treated wood. Use hard wood planks if you can get them 1x8 or 1x10 oak tongue & groove. I have seen pine planked smokers also.





nepas

[Wildcat]

Super job Nepas!  I like that.

[smokin stu]

Nice shed!!!

[West Coast Kansan]

 8)

[Gizmo]

That is a very nice smoke house NePa.  Reminds me of the other types of houses more common in the old days but with no moon window.  Did you design it yourself?