Fire Smell Abatement

[Bib Overalls]

We are in the process of rebuilding an apartment that was damaged by fire. In one area, the utility closet, we have retained some of the charred 2x4s because they support a tiled wall that we don't want to disturb.

Is there a product we can use to seal the fire smell into the charred wood?

 

[The Cobbler]

depends how badly it's charred, but kilz has a product that would seal the smell

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Has the damaged framing been approved for use?

Tommy

 

[jmlcolorado]

I'm in the restoration industry and have rebuilt my fair share of fires.

To do it properly, any charred material needs to be completely removed. The smoke from the fire has covered everything it can get to. Fires create pressurization zones so smoke gets sucked into cavities you don't even know existed.
We hand clean the entire house until no black residue comes off, then encapsulate with a product called IAQ 6000.
Usually run an ozone machine for 12 hours with an air mover to circulate air.
EVERYTHING needs encapsulated. We call it a white box, because that's what it is once done.


They make "Chem sponges" you can buy (expensive), that has a chemical in them to test for smoke residue. If they turn black, the odor will remain. Clean until they stay tan.
Not easy work.

 

[pcmeiners]

From my experience with a couple charcoal situations. My first experience with a charred out residents, it had a very strong smoke smell weeks after the fire, the owner sprayed (saturated) all charred beams with vinegar, a couple weeks later I worked on the burnout and you would not know there was a fire. Agree with jmlclorado, if smoke enters a cavity and not remediated it will continue to smell for years. In my parents home, their was a fire which charred many beams, I sprayed everything down with vinegar, smell disappeared EXCEPT for one , very small space in the second floor rafters, it smelled for 5 years before I opened up the area.

 

[TLCObsession]

Another restoration industry product:

https://www.prorestoreproducts.com/Content_003.aspx?cid=1181

The Unsmoke and Unsoot line have products to handle most aspects of smoke damage....

 

[rippered]

When I was a painter we were specified to just hose it with kilz or any oil based sealer. It worked very well.

 

[strutaeng]

Shellac is the industry standard:
http://www.sherwin-williams.com/pro...ducts/catalog/white-pigmented-shellac-primer/

Spray on and then sister framing if there is bad charring.

Oil primer would be second option. I had a painter oil prime and paint some raw lumber with a lot of knots and yellowing. After the latex topcoat was applied it bled badly. I had to use shellac.

Shellac dries super fast too and very thin, so it is very easy to spray.

Good luck

 

[evildky]

Oil base Kilz, I learned this from a restoration company, did my last burnout myself and it works.

 

[bad_idea]

You'll need to call in a Master Abater.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I wish we had a facepalm emoticon right now...

Tommy