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Treat Wood of Dumpster Enclosures

8/2/2017 by Kay

At least a week before the work party, advertise the work party and post a sign-up list. make a list of tools and supplies needed. Assign people to gather them.  Does the community own any?  Can some be borrowed from residents? Do some need to be purchased?  Don’t forget protective gear.  If cleaning the enclosures by pressure washer, that may need to be done the day before the main work party.

Clean the Enclosure

If a pressure washer is available, this is the less laborious method of cleaning. Otherwise clean with wire brushes.

Cleaning by Pressure Washer 

Tools & Supplies Needed:  pressure washer.  Eye goggles.  Dust masks.  Gloves.

Directions: Pull the dumpster out of the enclosure.  Sweep the pavement inside and outside of the enclosure. Use the pressure washer to clean the wood.  Use protective gear!  Allow to dry before applying oil.

Cleaning by Wire Brush

Tools & Supplies Needed:  

  • several stiff bristled brushes or wire brushes.  
  • eye goggles.  Dust masks.  Gloves.
  • broom(s) & dustpan(s)

Decide how clean you want the wood.  Just brush off loose dirt?  Use stiff-bristled brushes.  Remove any old finish or a layer of gray weathered wood?  Use wire brushes.

Directions: Pull the dumpster out of the enclosure.  Brush the wood slats and cross boards of the enclosure, both inside and outside of the enclosure.  Brush slats, following the grain of the wood.  Sweep the pavement inside and around outside of enclosure, taking care to get up any sawdust removed during cleaning.  Also remove sawdust from the top of the crossboards.  Clean any insect nests from corners.

Apply the Oil

Tools & Supplies Needed:  

  • Boiled linseed oil.  Depending on how long it has been since the wood was last oiled, up to 3 gallons may be needed per enclosure.
  • 3" wide brushes, either natural or synthetic bristles  OR  6" rollers with long nap; rollers are faster.
  • For rollers, small disposable paint trays, or substitutes.
  • For brushes, small containers, one per person applying oil. For instance, cottage cheese cartons, 16oz or 24oz cans, pint ice cream cartons. Must be disposable, clean (!), small enough to hold in one hand, deep enough to hold several inches of oil, and wide enough to dip a 3" brush into.  
  • Plastic containers should be disposable.  Metal containers will need prompt, thorough cleaning to be reusable.  Do not use containers that will be used for food.
  • Paint dropcloths, or corrugated cardboard or lots of newspaper.
  • Corn starch.
  • Useful but not required:  Stepstools.
  • Latex or nitrile gloves are recommended but not required.  

Directions: 

It takes about an hour for four people to apply oil to one dumpster enclosure.

  1. Wear grubby clothing.  Linseed oil sort-of washes out of clothing, but not always or completely.  Tie back hair.  If it is necessary to take a break in the work, store brushes and rollers in a plastic bag in a freezer.
  2. Spread dropcloths, newspaper, or cardboard on the ground under/against dumpster walls to protect concrete from stains and soil from contamination.  Newspaper should be in a layer of at least eight sheets.
  3. Pour two or three inches of oil into each person's small open-topped container or tray ("cup").  Recap the can of oil. (You can expect someone to knock the can over at least once during the work party.) Dab up any oil from the top of the can and apply to wood.
  4. Holding the cup of oil in one hand and the brush in the other, dip the paint brush/roller in the oil.  Lift and gently wipe against the edge of cup to remove excess.  The brush/roller should be full but not dripping.
  5. Apply oil to each board, starting at the top.  The wood should look shiny for a moment, then damp/matte as it absorbs the oil. Refill the brush as necessary, every couple of strokes. Get oil into all cracks and between boards.  Remember to get the tops of the boards.
  6. Refill the cup or tray from the can of oil as necessary.
  7. Repeat with each board around the inside and outside of the enclosure.
  8. Apply cornstarch liberally to any oil spills on concrete.
  9. Use up any oil in the paint cup by applying another coat, rather than pouring it back into the can.
  10. Wipe the threads of the can pour-spout with newspaper before screwing on the cap.  Clean oil from the top of can with newspaper.
  11. Gather the papers and put in a pile in the shade, away from anything that can burn (e.g., not on asphalt). Leave to dry; if put into dumpster immediately there is danger of spontaneous combustion.
  12. Wash brushes or rollers promptly. 
  13. A couple of hours later or the next day, put the newspaper in the dumpster.
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