wood storage

[Patrick Melchior]

Hello All,

My wife and I are remodeling our master bath and now the time has come for the vanities. I believe we scored big on 60 bft of Honduran mahogany. The question I have is what is the best way to store the wood until I need it. It could be several months before I need it. Should I stand it on end or lay it flat with sticks between each board? Should I store it in the basement or could I store it in the garage? ( keep in mind I live in Cleveland Ohio...winters can be cold and snowy)

Thanks

patrick

[brian watson]

Definitely lay it flat -- standing on end i expect you will get some warping. Indoors or outdoors, I store all my lumber in the garage and don't have any weather related issues.

[Heather Thompson]

Patrick,

I would store it indoors, if you want to sticker it that is fine, I've had an 8/4 air dried cherry board standing on end since the spring of 05 with no warping. To me it is important to acclimate the material to the enviorment it will call home in the future, with bathrooms there are large shifts in humidity so factore that into your build and finishing procedure.

Heather

PS I attended a six week intensive course in Canada on furniture building and all of our rough stock was stored standing on end.

[Jim Rimmer]

You don't say anything about the moisture content or where you got the wood so I would recommend storing it flat with stickers for a while.

[Patrick Melchior]

the wood was purchased from Woodcraft for $5.90 a bft. in all 4/ 8/4 and 12/4

[Cody Colston]

I would store the wood in the warmest, driest area you have available. Before working it, I would let it acclimate to the inside house climate.

Bathrooms will have temporary spikes in RH but on average, unless you run a humidifier, your home will have a very low RH when that dry, cold, outside air is heated. You will want the wood to be acclimated somewhere between that wintertime RH and the somewhat higher summertime RH...usually around 7% MC.

Vertical wood storage takes less room but horizontal is fine, too. Personally, I would sticker the wood rather than dead stacking it if stored horizontally.

[Tom Fischer]

I keep most of my wood stored horizontally, stickered. But whatever you do, don't stack it on a concrete floor. Make sure it is well stickered off the floor. Don't let it touch the concrete. The moisture in the concrete will likely warp and twist the bottom boards.

[glenn bradley]

I store my material both ways without issue; stickered when horizontal and very vertical when vertical (no leaning of more than a degree or so). I have very moderate weather but do acclimate material initially and after rough milling to just over-size. The spikes in bathroom RH will not be acclimated to so, I wouldn't stand the lumber in the corner trying to acclimate it :) I have stored lumber for a bedroom set stickered under the bed before; not really necessary but it did seem poetic and I needed the room :D