Gasoline spill in workshop, OSB subflooring

[Triplegreen500]

So, I was working in my shop yesterday on a motorcycle. Moved some stuff around, including an old fuel tank. Apparently, I hit the lever on the petcock and opened the valve....and it dumped a good bit (I'd say over 2 gal) of stale unleaded all over the floor. Of course, it soaked into the wood.

I dressed it with about a half gallon of vinegar and a whole box of baking soda today. Most of the smell is gone (I also have 2 shop windows open, one with a fan)...but my concern is long term "gasoline inside the wood" - do I need to cut out that section of floor?

For reference, the "shop" is the second story of my bank-barn garage. The floor I spilled on, is the ceiling of the main garage. All unfinished; all bare wood (subfloor, joists, etc).

 

[QuickBpBp]

I would replace it as it sounds like it's very easy to do.. OSB is not that expensive. I imagine when humidity/temperatures of summer months hit it will smell just like it did when it was first dumped..

 

[j-c-c-62]

Put up a no smoking sign?

 

[Sahara]

I wouldn’t worry unless it was mixed with oil. The gas will evaporate cleanly but oil eventually ruins the cells in wood. Water is way worse on OSB then gas would be.

 

[Hey-O]

Unleaded gas is fairly quick to evaporate and now there is nothing left to do after all you have done. If the smell lingers and you're worried about it, I know enough about you to know you will think about it for awhile, replace the piece of flooring. From this day forward, kitty litter or sawdust is something you should on hand in a small bucket at all times. I'd let it go.

 

[j-c-c-62]

IMO, floor should be at the least be painted.
Spills happen.

 

[Triplegreen500]

I have kitty litter, but it was an overnight spill and by the time I found it, it had already soaked into the wood.

I may paint the floor. It's an unfinished apartment the builder started to stud in...but stopped. Got some lights; couple outlets. I added lights, a workbench, my shop tools (press, drill press, vise's, motorcycle lift, compressor), and outlets where I needed them. Eventually it'll get a ceiling, and insulation, and maybe even climate control (with CC comes a bathroom...and a urinal, just because!). But for now, it's just a bare-bones work space.

But some good deck paint is a good idea. Might do that once things warm up for spring.

 

[BSB67]

Kitty litter, speedy-dri, oil-dry, what ever you want to call it, will, with a little time, pull it back out of any porous surface.

Put it down about 1/2” thick, kinda grind it in a bit with you foot, and let it sit for several days or a week. It will be gone.

 

[Kern Dog]

OSB is like a sponge. It sucks in everything. The way building standards are here in CA, OSB isn’t used in schools or federal buildings. I have seen roofs sheeted with it go through weeks of rain and the plywood delaminates to the point of needing replacement. There was one custom home that sat through the winter of 2008 when the builder went bankrupt. That Spring, I drove by and saw it had shingles on it despite no removal and replacement of the plywood. I was shocked. They already had the building permits so I can only guess that no inspector ever stopped to “Red Tag” the job.
I don’t mean to worry you but some type of waterproof barrier would really be a great idea.