To sticker or not to sticker

[Tom Andersen]

Hi Guys,

Here's a question on storing dry wood. During the drying process the wood must be stickered. Once it's dry, the commercial guys do not sticker it anymore but simply stack it compactly. Why is that? Simply for space reasons? If one has the space, wouldn't it be better to keep the wood stickered?

Thanks
Tom

[Dan Oliphant]

Tom,
I believe it is due to the fact that the inventory is turned over in a fairly short period of time.

[CPeter James]

I try to keep my stuff on stickers until I am going to use it. I use 1/4" stickers in the shop and 1" outside. I don't have the bug problems with it on stickers and it dries down better in the shop. I Use wood that I cut myself.

CPeter

[Jim Becker]

I do the same as CPeter...1/4" stickers "in the shop" to save space, but still allow a little air flow and 1" stickers outside in my pile. But specific to your questions, you do not "need" to sticker dry wood in your shop. But it's not a terrible thing to do, if as Dan eludes to, you don't use your stock with regularity.

[Steve Schoene]

Definately sticker, especially on work in progress items where you may have, perhaps inadvertantly, created a moisture imbalance with the shop. It is the worst feeling to come back the next morning to discover a cupped panel because it was lying flat on the bench.

[Jules Dominguez]

I think "stickering" alludes to a wood pile either in storage or drying.
For "work in progress" I always stand boards on edge or otherwise expose both faces to prevent moisture imbalance. It is indeed sad to go into the shop and see a board you've invested time and labor in that bowed overnight due to a change in relative humidity. Even if you know it will straighten out with time and two-sided exposure, you lose the time that could have been spent completing the project. This is most likely to happen if your shop has forced air heating, and probably won't happen if the relative humidity is stable.

[Guy Germaine]

Not to hijack the thread, but along those same lines, I have some cherry in the shop that is on stickers. Some of the pieces have a slight twist to them. Can I get the twist out by adding heave weight to the stack?

[CPeter James]

No, you can't permanently straighten the board by adding weight on it. over time it will twist again. The only way to ensure that it stays straight is to mill out the bend or cup or hook. Start with a jointer on one side and then to the planner for thickness. There is a definite procedure for milling straight lumber.

CPeter

[Steve Clardy]

Never resticker. It's dry.

[Steve Schoene]

It WAS dry. But as soon as its environment changes it must go through a reequilibrating process either gaining or losing moisture. So unless your shop has constant humidity control, that is the same as the wood was previously stored in something is always moving. Its going to move for the next 200 years.

[Steve Clardy]

It WAS dry. But as soon as its environment changes it must go through a reequilibrating process either gaining or losing moisture. So unless your shop has constant humidity control, that is the same as the wood was previously stored in something is always moving. Its going to move for the next 200 years.


Yer cracking me up here. I know all that stuff.:rolleyes:

[lou sansone]

I think "stickering" alludes to a wood pile either in storage or drying.
For "work in progress" I always stand boards on edge or otherwise expose both faces to prevent moisture imbalance. It is indeed sad to go into the shop and see a board you've invested time and labor in that bowed overnight due to a change in relative humidity. Even if you know it will straighten out with time and two-sided exposure, you lose the time that could have been spent completing the project. This is most likely to happen if your shop has forced air heating, and probably won't happen if the relative humidity is stable.

I agree with jules on this point. For smaller stuff I simply place a small tarp over all of it and then uncover when beginning a shift. standing on edge or end also works great for bigger pieces.

As far as long term storage in my shop I don't sticker it, and haven't found a big problem with it. I also have a seperate wood storage building that houses a portion of my total inventory of air dried lumber. I also do not keep it stickered, except for one section that has some 12/4 planks still drying ( 3 years now ). when I move lumber from my unheated wood storage building into my shop that is always heated, I do sticker it for a few months to allow it to go from 15% to 8%-6%.

lou

[Glenn Clabo]

Hi Guys,
Once it's dry, the commercial guys do not sticker it anymore but simply stack it compactly. Why is that? Tom

They don't do it Tom because it's not required. I've never stickered any "dry" wood...and have never had a problem.