wood drying rack ideas

Re: wood drying rack ideas

David Weaver

At the risk of sounding rural ghetto - how about just two and a fraction sheets of plywood with an overhang around 1/3rd of the height of the pile. Stone or weight or whatever you can find on top, boards stickered below and a sacrificial wider board under the plywood. Observe the edges of the wood every month or so to see if there's any spoilage at the edges and if not, then let it ride. If there is, increase the width of the roof.

Trivial

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Go to any lumber company's web site and marvel at 100,000 bdft of lumber stacked for air drying. Do what they do.

Your concern needs to be mold. White pine is the most prone to mold wood I know of besides Holy. You picked a terrible time of year to receive delivery. Warm enough to grow mold, cool enough to dry too slow. Get air to this lumber quickly....lots of moving air.

Pick a place with excellent air circulation-CRITICAL. Make a level base, well off the ground, with support at least every 4'. 12" block works well. I would risk 4' spacing for this thick stuff to be cut into short lengths. Given the wide widths pick a stack width to work out efficient- 36 to 48". Lay down a layer, not touching edges. Lay down at least 3/4 and 1" better DRY sticks 2' spacing. Continue and make sure sticks line up one exactly above the other. When you reach the top add a layer of junk that you got from the mill. Maybe you can use some of it later for some application. The add a water impermeable cover several inches above the pile (raise it on 4 x 4 for example. I use roofing tin. Slope it so the water runs off the end. Overlap on all sides so run off from top does not run down the sides of the pile. MOST critical, do not allow water to trickle through this roof into the pile.

Your challenge is mold prevention. Had this pine been delivered here in TN it would mold in 48 hours this time of year.

423- 357-4850 if you wish. Years and thousands of bdft experience.

Pine dries quick, but it has gobs of water to release. It is the heaviest wood green and feather light dry. You will grunt on the 8/4 wide stuff.

Re: wood drying rack ideas

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Observe the edges of the wood every month or so to see if there's any spoilage at the edges and if not, then let it ride. If there is, increase the width of the roof....never a problem. overhang of a few inches adequate. Wind blown rain on edges of pile never a problem. Quick to dry. Will get some surface discoloration but that is all.

question

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

How many boards are you dealing with? 16' is miserable to handle. You know your cut lengths. Cut in half if practical waste wise. Pile will be easier to assemble and the pieces easier to handle. A tall pile is greatly preferred for numerous reasons. Again, spare no effort to get the surface of this wood dry quickly.

partial drying

Jack Guzman from Maine

The wood is not green. Been drying almost a year in a dry building. I would have left it longer but the guy sold the rest of the pile and needed to get the wide stuff gone. I'm going to halve those boards to make life a bit easier. Thanks for the tips.

like this?

Jack Guzman from Maine

I think for now I'm good. I should find another piece of roofing to make it wider. The wood is 40" and the steel is 38". I was more worried about my boards checking or cupping from too much direct sun.

Re: like this? yes

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I was about to point out things that needed doing but then I read that this stuff is already dry. So, the real deal is to keep it dry. Nothing needs doing other than more roof.

If green, more sticks. Otherwise perfect.

Never dead pack lumber outdoors

Re: partial drying

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Pine dries so quickly I would guess it has already acclimated to ambient conditions.

Re: like this?

John Jardin

Nice use of pallets Jack.

Best use of pallets (except their original)

pallets

Jack Guzman from Maine

Double duty. air flow on top and weight to hold down the boards flat. Also I figured I could screw the roofing to it.(that makes it triple duty)

pallets......Brilliant

Re: partial drying

Don Stephan

Is that would subject to "sticker stain" depending on the type of wood used for the stickers? I've heard the term and don't know which woods are subject.

Re: partial drying

Sgian Dubh

Where sticker stain (aka shadow) tends to be noticed is most often in pale hardwoods such as maples and beech. Having said that, I'm pretty sure I've seen a hint of the effect, but very rarely indeed, in darker woods such as European oak and ash. I can't recall ever seeing it in softwoods such as yew, pines, firs, etc, for example, although not observing it on my part doesn't prove anything with regard to softwoods and their propensity, or lack of it, to develop sticker stain. Slainte.

Re: partial drying

Barry Irby

If the wood has been drying for a year in a building I would think it's past the point of worrying about sticker stain. It's possible it already has it from the initial drying but I doubt it. I suppose you could let it lay out in the rain for a few days and then use new sopping wet green stickers but that ain't happening...