Wood can be used for everything, from building a desk, to your house floor, your bed, or even your entire house.
Besides, wood is a very resistant material and has a charming appearance.
However, it can be toxic and harmful to anyone who works with it; it may cause anything from mild allergies to death, in very rare cases.
So if you want to know what the most common toxic effects of wood are and how you can protect yourself, read on.
Wood toxicity
If you like wood, you need to know what potential risks you face whenever you work with this material.
Also, keep in mind that in this article we’ll address the risks of untreated wood. The chances of health complications are almost non-existent with treated or finished wood.
However, we don’t want you to be too concerned because, while the risks do exist, they are less common and are most often associated with repeated exposures over the years.
However, be aware if you are predisposed to develop allergies because, just as you can be allergic to some foods, you can also be allergic to different types of wood.
List of some toxic woods
We are now going to describe the allergic reactions caused by some woods commonly used in carpentry and construction.
That way you’ll get an idea of how to recognize a possible allergy when in contact with dust or any other chemical substance.
But first, we’ll explain the different severity levels of the reactions caused by the toxic elements present in different woods.
Strength of wood-induced allergic reactions
In basic terms, wood can induce allergic reactions at various levels of intensity.
Wood inducing mild potency reactions (x)
Those woods that induce mild allergies, i.e., producing reactions such as:
- Skin irritation.
- Itching.
- Redness of the area in contact.
Woods that induce allergic reactions of moderate severity (XX)
Woods that generate stronger allergic reactions such as:
- Respiratory distress.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- General malaise.
Woods that induce allergic reactions of severe severity (XXX)
These woods generate systemic allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) and are therefore life-threatening.
These reactions are manifested by:
- Severe respiratory failure.
- Renal dysfunction.
- Hepatic dysfunction.
Now that you know this categorization, you can review the following chart; you can learn to recognize the type of allergy produced by these common woods.
| Name | Resulting reaction | Part of the body affected | Severity of the reaction | Source of toxicity | Incidence |
| Tasmanian blackwood (Acacia Melanoxylon) | Sensitizing agent Dermatitis Asthma | Nose and throat | XX | Dust | No info |
| Common or hedge mapple (Acer campestre) | Sensitizing agent | Lower respiratory tract Lungs | XX | Dust | Rare |
| Red mapleHacer rubrum Black mapple(Acer nigrum) | It can affect lung fuctioning | Lungs | XX-XXX | Dust | Rare |
| English Walnut(Jugland regia) | Dermatitis Increased risk for nasopharyngeal cancer | Eyes Nose Throat | XXX | Dust | Common |
| **Cocobolo(Dalbergia retusa) | Sensitizing agent Dermatitis Asthma | Upper respiratory tract Nose Throat | XX | Dust | Common |
| American beech(Fagus grandifolia) European beech(Fagus salvatica) | Dermatitis It affects lung function Increased Risk for Sinus Cancer | Nose Eyes Skin Lower and upper respiratory tract | XXX | Dust | Rare |
| American black walnut(Jugland nigra) | Dermatitis Conjunctivitis | Eyes Skin | X | Dust | Common |
| Common ash(Fraxinus americana European ash(Fraxinus excelsior) | Rhinitis Asthma It affects lung function | Lower and upper respiratory tract | XX | Dust | No info |
| **Iroko (Milicia Excelsa) | Dermatitis Forunculosis Asthma Sneezing | Lower respiratory tract Skin Eyes | XX | Dust | Common |
| Pine Pinus (spp.) | It affects lung function Asthma Dermatitis Rhinitis | Upper and lower respiratory tract Skin | XX | Dust | Common |
| **Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) | Dermatitis Forunculosis Dizziness Vomiting | Skin Mucous membranes | XX | Dust | Common |
| **Teak (Tectona grandis) | Dermatitis Conjunctivitis Rhinitis Photosensitivity | Skin Mucous membranes Eyes | XX | Dust | Common |
| Oak (Quercus spp.) | Dermatitis Asthma Rhinitis Increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancer | Skin Upper and lower respiratory tract | XXX | Dust | Rare |
| **Spanish cedar (Cedrela odorata) | Dermatitis Conjunctivitis Rhinitis | Skin Eyes Nose | X | Dust | Common |
| Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) | Rhinitis Dermatitis | Upper respiratory tract Skin | X | Dust | Common |
| Poplar (Populus spp.) | Dermatitis Rhinitis | Skin Upper respiratory tract | X | Dust | Common |
| Birch (Betula spp) | Dermatitis Rhinitis Asthma | Skin Upper and lower respiratory tract | XX | Dust | Common |
Why is wood toxic?
Wood dust is a very harmful material to the health of people who work with this material. It is highly toxic and causes irritation when in contact with skin, eyes, and nasal and oral mucous membranes.
Remember that the bark and other parts of the tree contain tannins and resins that serve as a way for plants to protect themselves from attack by insects and fungi.
That is why they are so toxic.
Also, be especially careful with exotic or tropical woods as they often have the highest amount of such toxic compounds.
Also, if the wood you are working with is very rare, there may not be enough studies to assess the degree of toxicity and dangerousness of the species, so always use appropriate protection.
On the other hand, the most common reactions to wood dust exposure are:
- Skin rash.
- Watery eyes.
- Breathing difficulty at various levels of intensity (from temporary discomfort to inability to breathe properly).
- Headache.
- Dizziness.
- Nausea (and in some rare cases vomiting).
Then, the severity of the reactions will be determined by the amount of wood dust in the air and the person’s predisposition to develop allergies.
It is therefore difficult to estimate how each person will react to exposure to certain wood dust.
How to prevent allergic reactions caused by wood?
As you have just seen, wood is potentially dangerous for your health.
That’s why it is necessary that you use the right protection every time you work with it.
So, now we are going to give you some tips on how to protect yourself to stay safe whenever you expose yourself to dust.
Keep your workspace ventilated and clean
First of all, if you have ever been in a carpentry workshop, you have probably noticed that the doors and windows are always open.
This is to ventilate the woodworking spaces very well. In this way, the amount of dust in the air is reduced.
In addition, it is advisable to use a vacuum cleaner inside your workshop or work site to make sure you clean the surfaces very well.
This way you’ll avoid dust accumulation.
Use protective equipment
Whenever you work with wood, you always need to wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose.
It is also recommended that you wear protective goggles to cover your eyes.
Remember that both the mask and the goggles must be tightly fitted to your face so that they do not come loose at any time.
The same applies to your hands; you must protect them and the best option is to wear a good pair of gloves.
Keep in mind that the brand of your protective tools is irrelevant, the most important thing is that they protect you.
Don’t forget to change your clothes
As soon as you finish working with wood, change your clothes and, if possible, wash and bathe.
This way you ensure that dust is not transferred to your home so you and your family will be safe from repeated exposure to allergenic substances.
Take extra care when working with green lumber
Freshly cut wood, also known as “green” wood, can increase the risk of getting sick. It may have traces of fungi or bacteria that can cause health problems when inhaled.
Therefore, as far as possible, work with wood that has already gone through a drying process; ideally industrially since the heat of the kiln eliminates any trace of these microorganisms.
However, remember that dry wood, that is, wood that comes out of the kiln produces more dust, so you should handle it with all the protective elements.
Pay attention to sensitizers
Do not use wood cataloged as sensitizers to make handles for tools or any type of utensil because repeated use causes allergies in those who use them.
Mechanisms of wood toxicity
We have already seen how toxic wood dust can be, so we are going to see the 3 mechanisms by which this substance can generate harmful effects on the human body.
1. Irritation
Irritation of the skin, respiratory tract, mucous membranes and membranes occurs because wood dust causes dryness by absorbing moisture from the surface on which it is found.
Therefore, a short exposure (5 minutes or less) to a small amount of wood dust shouldn’t cause a major allergic reaction.
In that case, you are likely to experience minor discomforts such as itchy skin and sneezing.
On the other hand, if you are exposed to a larger amount of wood dust for longer, the allergic reaction is likely to be more severe.
In such cases, people with a greater predisposition to allergies could develop airway closure, which would require them to go to an emergency health service.
Although, as mentioned above, these scenarios are rare.
Extra care to keep in mind
The irritation you’re experiencing may be more annoying than serious, but don’t be overconfident because some woods such as Walnut or Rosewood are known to produce less dust and also have a pleasant smell.
However, the substances that produce these odors have the same potential toxic effect, so the longer you inhale them, the more severe the allergic reaction may be.
It can even happen that, even if you are not allergic to the first exposure, you become more allergic if you continue to expose yourself to wood dust for long periods of time without using protection.
And in rarer cases where exposure has been going on for years or decades, nasal cancer may develop.
2. Sensitization
Maybe you have worked with different woods before and have never had any health problems; not even a sneeze.
The problem is that many kinds of wood are known as sensitizing agents, that is, substances that won’t give you any reaction on first exposure, nor on second exposure, but will sooner or later.
In fact, the more you are exposed to these compounds, the more allergic reactions they produce. This process is known as sensitization.
Again, each reaction depends on the concentration of the wood dust, the length of time you are exposed to the substance and your predisposition to develop allergies.
That is why it is so difficult to be sure how many exposures you need to develop a severe allergy.
3. Poisoning
It is very rare to find commercial woods that contain lethal elements: most trees that are poisonous contain toxins in the bark or directly in the sap.
Therefore, in the process of obtaining the wood, most if not all of these substances are eliminated, since the trunk is stripped of the bark and the sap is extracted.
However, in the wood finishing process, that is, when applying chemical elements to preserve the wood for a longer period of time, very toxic compounds are used that can remain impregnated in the wood.
So when carpenters or cabinetmakers begin to elaborate articles with these contaminated woods, they are exposed to these poisons without knowing it.
It should be clarified that these cases are very rare but unfortunately, they have happened. That’s why you have to be very selective when acquiring your wood.
Buy wood only in recognized places and never buy illegal or black market wood.
Be careful if you are allergic to any medication
Are you allergic to aspirin, whose pharmacological name is acetylsalicylic acid?
If the answer is yes, be especially careful if you get to work with woods like willow or birch because guess what?
Acetylsalicylic acid is extracted from their bark.
So if you expose yourself to these woods without protection you could be in danger.
And what about finished or finished woods?
Finishing wood is necessary for it to last much longer in optimal conditions.
Therefore, when finishing wood, it is good to know that some compounds present in lacquers and varnishes are highly toxic when in liquid form.
However, cured lacquers and varnishes, that is, the ones that have gone through an industrial drying process, are totally safe.
On the other hand, if you are working in the elaboration of products such as salad bowls or any other use that involves contact with food, it is best not to use lacquers or varnishes.
This is because both varnishes and lacquers can be broken down by continuous contact with water. This causes them to pass into the food inside the container.
So, to avoid this, it is advisable to use natural oils such as the one extracted from Teak wood, since once it dries it does not run and therefore it is a safe option.
What diseases can occur as a result of continuous exposure to wood dust?
First of all, you should know that wood dust is produced at all stages of the wood procurement process and therefore not only carpenters are at risk of exposure to this substance.
Sawmill workers and construction workers are also at risk.
That said, let’s mention some diseases that can be caused by chronic exposure (greater than or equal to 6 months) to wood dust.
Common signs and symptoms of wood dust exposure
The first thing you need to know is that dry mucous membranes caused by wood dust produce dryness in the respiratory tract, resulting in signs and symptoms such as:
- Coughing.
- Dryness and pain in the throat.
- Sneezing.
- Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the ocular mucosa and membranes).
- Rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal mucosa).
Now we can start with the diseases.
Dermatitis
In simple terms, dermatitis is skin inflammation and in this case, is caused by irritation from the chemicals present in wood dust.
However, keep in mind that “green”, freshly cut or wet wood may have traces of bacteria or fungi and therefore may increase the effects of wood dust on the skin or other parts of the body.
How do I know if I have wood dust dermatitis?
If after being in contact with a piece of wood, either green or dry (especially the dry one because it produces more dust) you start to see that your skin:
- Turns red.
- Is hot.
- It itches a lot.
- It looks dry and/or you get blisters.
Most likely you have dust dermatitis. In that case, if those are the only signs and symptoms, you can wash the affected area with soap and water and then apply cold compresses.
On the contrary, if after exposure to wood dust you start to develop:
- Trouble breathing (shortness of breath).
- Severe coughing that doesn’t stop.
You must go immediately to the emergency room because it may be a systemic allergic reaction.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is an inflammation of the lungs produced by the inhalation of a foreign substance, in this case, the dust of the wood or the spores of some fungus that was in the wood.
This disease can start within hours or days after being exposed to the allergen (a substance that triggers the allergy) and is often confused with a flu-like condition and manifests itself with:
- Headaches.
- Chills.
- Sweating.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- dizziness
- Mild to severe shortness of breath.
Note: If symptoms persist over time and your condition worsens, go to the emergency room immediately.
Occupational asthma
This disease consists of inflammation and subsequent narrowing of the airways of the lungs.
This causes breathing difficulty as the airflow is reduced.
The person then feels a sudden feeling of tightness in the chest accompanied by coughing.
So, you may be at home or in a place where you are not in contact with wood dust and feel fine; but as soon as you return to the place where the substance that triggers your allergy is, you start to develop the symptoms of the disease.
Cancer
Fortunately, this disease is not as common among those who have been exposed to wood dust and other toxic substances for long periods of time.
However, it can develop in some people who have had decades of exposure to wood dust and have a genetic predisposition to develop malignant neoplasms (malignant tumors).
Also, dust from wood such as beech and oak has been associated with higher incidences of pharyngeal cancer.
Note: Smokers have an increased risk of contracting any of the above diseases.
Also, cigarette smoking can worsen the course of the disease and aggravate complications.
So, you know, always use proper protection when working with wood so you can enjoy this amazing material for longer.