Is untreated pine 2x4s safe material?

[south_saturn_delta]

I want to get into the hobby, but don’t trust running heat tape over expanded pvc, and can’t afford metal racks. Thinking of torching untreated pine lumber in Japanese yakisugi style, then scrubbing with wire, then staining and sealing. I want to use that to build my racks. Is that okay? No one seems to do this.

[cmsreptiles]

I’ll go ahead and link you this response from a post I had made to explain why its not done often…

Wanting to try a DIY build

There are many drawbacks to that cheaper option of wood: It’s heavy. It can warp in high humidity. It’s organic so it’ll degrade over time. It’s porous, so you have to be careful of direct contact with water. It may require sealing (and resealing). So, yeah, the material is initially, monetarily cheaper, but you’ll pay for it in other ways. For instance, if you have to get hurricane protection for your house windows, you could DIY on the cheap with removable sheets of plywood or spend the ex…

@south_saturn_delta

but don’t trust running heat tape over expanded pvc,

Also why is this?

[south_saturn_delta]

Dioxins and a lot of other carcinogens.

Ai wants me to put hvac tape under flex watt, and then lay a sheet of marble or slate tile over the flexwatt, but I’m worried it would damage the heat tape.

I am worried about pine being bad for balls respiratory tract. But I do like the furniture grade look of shou sugi ban pine.

[cmsreptiles]

The only application I’ve seen of Shou Sugi being used is through the yt channel SerpaDesign.

Tanner seems to use it mainly for external flair more than an actual structure, at least for terrariums. Or he does it as an actual furniture piece as a stand.

So I wouldn’t know if it would be a good idea or not to do it as a rack… again over time even with the technique on top of sealing there are downsides to using wood.

I use a few pvc enclosures and a whole pvc rack that both have contact to a heating element, the only time I see it being a danger is when it is cut or altered with any abrasion and the particles being inhaled, but I always wear a ventilator when working with it either way. I believe it is safe in general otherwise.