Help with new wood

[Dave Gallaher]

I just picked up several logs and dropped them at a mill to be cut. My only question is What do I do next? I'm going to have about 200 B.F of poplar, 125 B.F. of Ash and 150 B.F of Cherry. I'm planning on air drying all of it. I have a two story garage with a full second floor for storage. Any advise would be helpful,this is a first for me.

[Lee Schierer]

I hope you are not in a hurry to use that wood. It will need to dry for at least a year per inch of thickness. Make sure you seal the ends of every board to prevent checking. Old latex paint will work. I would suggest an investment in a good moisture meter if you don't already have one.

[Scott T Smith]

I hope you are not in a hurry to use that wood. It will need to dry for at least a year per inch of thickness. Make sure you seal the ends of every board to prevent checking. Old latex paint will work. I would suggest an investment in a good moisture meter if you don't already have one.

I operate a kiln and sawmill in NC, and have been drying wood (both air and in a kiln) for several years. The "1 year per inch of thickness" rule is widely believed, but is not accurate. Dr. Gene Wengert has refuted this multiple times. In many parts of the country you will reach EMC (equilibrium moisture content) for 4/4 wood within 4 - 6 months.

The actual drying time will be dependant upon several factors, including species, thickness, initial moisture content, the temp and relative humidity where the wood is drying, how it's stacked and stickered, etc.

Dave, I would suggest the following:

1 - if only a few days have passed since the logs were cut, it's ok to apply end sealer directly to the ends of the logs. Two major suppliers are U.S. Coatings (Anchorseal product) and Baileys. Here is the link to the Bailey's product:

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=60455&catID=

You can usually buy smaller quantities of end sealer from local woodworking stores.

As Lee recommends, old latex paint is another alternative, but it's not as good as the US Coatings and Bailey's products.

If the logs have been cut for several days, and/or checks are starting to show up on the ends of the logs, then take a chainsaw and cut several inches off of the end of the log and immediately apply the end sealer. Multiple coats works best.

Something else that you need to do is to discuss with your sawyer how you want your logs cut and the thickness of material that you want. Choices include flat sawn, rift sawn, quarter sawn, etc, and if you want maximum volume or the best grade material (at a loss of volume). Not all sawyers are familiar with how to produce the best furniture grade wood, so be sure to discuss your needs and objectives with them.

After you receive your boards back from the mill, stack and sticker them in a cool, dry place. In a perfect world, drying in an environment of 40% relative humidity would be ideal, as your wood would equalize to within 6 - 8% MC. You should use dry wood for the stickers, most common are 3/4" x 1" stickers. For air drying, 1" is better, for kiln drying 3/4" is preferred.

The time that you take stacking and stickering the wood can make a significant difference in the ultimate wood quality. Typically you should line your stickers up every 16" - 18", and they should all be perfectly lined above one another in the stack. Start your stack 6 - 8" above the ground to minimize the potential for trapped moisture below it.

Most of the degrade that occurs during the drying process happens between when the wood is green and it reaches 35% MC. Thus, your objective initially is to not dry the wood too quickly. However, you are fortunate in that all of the species that you listed can be dried somewhat quickly, with 4/4 Ash and Cherry having a targeted 7% daily moisture content reduction rate. Poplar is even quicker; it can withstand up to 15% MC reduction per day w/o damaging the wood. For 8/4 wood, multiply the percentages above x .4

The USDA has some great material available regarding air drying, and you can download it for free.

Lee's advice re investing in a quality moisture meter is sound also. I personally use Merlin and Delmhorst products, but they are a little more expensive than what the average woodworker will need. If you're serious about your wood quality, stay away from inexpensive meters such as what HF sells.

Good luck and regards,

Scott

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I have a sawmill here in central Texas and I would like to commend Scott on one of the better short versions of air drying wood I've read in some time. One of the most common mistakes I see in air drying is not putting stickers close enough. In some cases we sticker closer than 16".

I might mention to put a layer of stickers on top and then put plenty weight on that to help keep wood from warping. Typically I try to put the best of the log near the bottom or middle and kick the lesser quality aside when sticking and then put it on the top. If possible, it's best to put drying wood under a shelter of some kind to keep rain/snow off the wood and keep it from sun bleaching. The inch per year drying is a rule of thumb to just hopefully allow plenty drying time for those without a moisture meter. The object is to get the wood dry, not to let it set for a given time, and the inch per year should do that in nearly all cases......but in most cases shouldn't be necessary.

[Dave Gallaher]

Thanks for the info. I have access to a garage with a second story storage area. I'm planning on stacking the wood up there, it will be dry and I can open the windows to allow air to circulate. I will be sure to elevate the wood at least 4 or 5 inches and allow room between boards for air. I will get plenty of stickers and try to get it as level as possible. Any other info will be appreciated.

[Steve Kohn]

I am too lazy to calculate the weight of the wood you plan on stacking on the second floor of your building. It also isn't my wood or building. But maybe you might wish to calculate the load and then find out what the floor load capabilities of your building is.

[Scott T Smith]

Richard, thanks for your kind words.

Dave, re "other advice", use dry stickers.

Green "yellow Poplar" weighs around 3.2 lbs per bd ft.
Ash weighs around 4 lbs per bd ft, green
Black Cherry weighs around 3.8 lbs per bd ft, green.