Poplar shelves safe?

[Drawn2beaches]

I have yet to put in wooden shelves for my baby and was wondering if poplar was a safe wood? I believe home depot carries it, i just dont trust the whitewood, as it is no longer pine only it is possible to get two of the toxic woods when buying whitewood both at home depot and lowes, any help appreciated.


also as far as hanger bolts and wing nuts are the zinc plated fine? no locals carry stainless

 

[Drawn2beaches]

got the info for the wood just need help with the hardware

 

[summerdays]

what kind of info do you need for the hardware? what do use??? hanger bolts, wing nuts and fender washers.. usually i think people use 1/4"

 

[Don Ciccio]

also as far as hanger bolts and wing nuts are the zinc plated fine? no locals carry stainless

I read that zinc is toxic to chinchillas. Also, some chin sites that sell packaged hardware sets cheaply, don't specify the metal. Just to be safe, I ordered all stainless steel hardware (1/4" hanger bolts, fender washers and wing nuts) from the bolt depot.

http://www.boltdepot.com/Hanger_bolts_Stainless_steel_18-8_1_4-20.aspx

Regarding wood at Lowe's or Home Depot, regardless of what they tell you in the aisle, look for pine that is stamped "KD HT" on the cut end (lumber code for KILN DRIED HEAT TREATED)

 

[Katie_2013]

Does anyone know about Alaskan Birch? Is it Safe?

 

[summerdays]

while zinc is not safe, i did use them on my shelves, i couldn't get the ss ones, and quite honestly, they can't get to the hardware on a shelf.

 

[Don Ciccio]

while zinc is not safe, i did use them on my shelves, i couldn't get the ss ones, and quite honestly, they can't get to the hardware on a shelf.

I don't know maybe I'm paranoid but I think they could get at the fender washers. The washers need to be bigger than the wire width, exposing the top and bottom third (bottom only if there is a ledge). While I've never seen my little guy pay any mind to them, he's way too active all night to know for sure what he's doing. You can get a bag of SS fender washers at www.boltdepot.com.

 

[cmor1031]

Home depot does sell kdht pine. At first I couldn't find it, and only saw the "whitewood" and was wary just like you. I wasn't going to buy wood unless it specifically said "pine" on it.

The pine was right by the whitewood and was labeled BTR Pine, I don't think it said kd on the tag, but if you check out the stamp on the wood it does say KDHT.

It was just over $3 for a piece that was 1"x6"x6' not bad at all...

I cut it up, made some shelves, and so far so good.

The hardest part is just finding it in the store...

 

[Godofgods]

All of my shelves/perches/huts are poplar. Got mine from Lowe's. (Home depot never has what I'm looking for. They seem to cater to the large builders, selling in bulk for construction workers. Where as lows always has stuff for the individual, which is what i need. Better selection on smaller items to. But that could just be my area.)

If your locals don't carry stainless, you could try searching online for them. Several online chin stores have them. One tip i would recommend, definitely get the washers larger then you bar space, not equal to. Example: My cage is one inch bars, and they came with one inch washers, which did not work well. Needed 1.5 inch.