Storing wood outdoors - sort of

[Michael Jasper]

Hi - Looking for some input on a storage thing I'm considering. My very small shop has no room for full sheets of plywood - I end up buying 2x4 ft pieces (or cutting sheets down) to fit in the available space. I'm also pretty constrained on dimensional lumber/hardwood. At best, I can stand 8' boards on end and just barely fit them under the ceiling - so again, I have to cut off anything longer.

I have a storage shed in my backyard, but I can't really use the space inside the shed for wood as I store bicycles, snowblower, gardening equipment, auto stuff (no garage). However, I could create some kind of storage "cubby" behind the shed, so long as it doesn't extend the actual shed foundation (setback issues). It's 12ft long so plenty long enough.

I was thinking of creating an eave in the back and either using plastic or some kind of sheathing to protect the wood from weather (I'm outside Boston so there will be snow). Essentially, creating either a "bag" or a cubby to put some sheets of plywood and long boards in.
Is this a crazy idea? If not, is it sufficient to protect the wood from direct exposure to rain and snow? How well sealed is enough?
I don't a vast amount of stock but I'd like to keep perhaps 3 sheets of plywood and an assortment of hardwood and 2x4s.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Michael

[Patrick Johnson]

That would make me pretty uncomfortable. I have a basement shop, so in the winter the air is much dryer than outside. High humidity and cold is not a good combination for plywood. I would worry about warping and delamination. I have the same problem though...I don't have a lot of space for plywood storage, and my ceilings are 8' max. I just bought some 2 x 4' plywood myself rather than a full sheet because of storage (and handling) issues. It's more expensive that way too, so I feel your pain.

Best,

Patrick

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have two sheds in the back yard. Both have wood in them. The garden shed is a tiny pole barn with steel siding & roof and a gravel floor. I keep mostly exterior plywood, framing lumber and a whole lot of reclaimed pine boards in there. The plywood will get moldy fairly quickly. The solid wood is up high on racks and stays in fine shape. The other shed is the kids old play house, a tiny wood building on skids. It has a vapor barrier under the wood floor and sits high off the ground on blocks. The roof is insulated the walls are not. I keep good lumber and good plywood in there with no problems. Both buildings get plenty of sunshine.

Some of the Fam are heading to Boston this week Go Celtics!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

We do it regularly with construction lumber, osb, ply ect. Most of that stuff can actually store outside in this dryer climate for a long time before we have problems. That being said, like Maurice said, mind the mold. Here the key is to give it a way to breath, just keep the rain/snow and the direct sun off. Plastic tarps, poly, etc is usually not as they deteriorate quickly and don't allow the condensation out. I would definitely not try it with cabinet grade plywoods. Rough hardwood would probably be fine. Also make sure everything is sitting level.

[Jim Becker]

My lumber storage has been in a "portable tent/shed" for over a year now while I've worked through the new shop building project. It's kept things dry and because I built a solid platform for it, it's generally protected from critters coming up from the ground. It was a reasonably economical option for not having the material out in the weather while allowing for fresh air that allows moisture to wick away rather than gather. It's certainly not unreasonable to have an outdoor storage area for lumber as long as it's protected from the weather, but a simple awning may not be enough do do that, honestly, at least in most climates.

IMG_0216.jpg

If what is show in the photo was going to be a more permanent arrangement, I would build racks. The space is 10'x10', BTW.

[Michael Jasper]

Thanks folks! I might be able to put some of the hardwood on a ceiling rack inside the shed - hadn't thought of that option but that could work. But that won't work for the plywood and it appears the consensus is for furniture grade plywood my idea might be a mistake. Perhaps I can build a fully enclosed "slot" off the rear of the shed with a door of sorts. Keeping the wood dry should be doable, but it would certainly be exposed to changes in temp and humidity. Or perhaps I'll just accept the need to buy the smaller pieces for now.
Love your tent Jim!
Michael

[Mike Cutler]

Michael

I had a wood supplier near me that kept stacks of cabinet grade plywood outside in Connecticut. I'm talking hundreds of sheets.
They were stored in some type of insulated "silver bags",??? and they were out there for years.
Unfortunately, he is no longer in business, retired to New Hampshire, or I would ask him. Maybe someone here knows what those bags are.
I have sheets of cabinet ply that have been in my open garage for over a decade, and they're fine. Other than out of the rain and snow, whatever temp/humidity swings there are in the garage, that's what they see. There's also some sheets of sheet rock with them, and they haven't been affected either.
Keep them dry and you should be good for awhile.

[Mel Fulks]

Sounds like Mylar

[Michael Jasper]

Huh. Mylar bags. If I filled them with helium, maybe I could float the wood above my shed.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

There is a video out there somewhere that shows Gorge Nakashima opening up his wood sheds. They are (were) quite primitive. A little air circulation and plenty of sunshine make a big impact.

I can not find that video, it was on PBS way back when. The shed was nothing like the ones in this video.

https://www.woodreview.com.au/news/t...kashima-estate

[Jim Becker]

There is a video out there somewhere that shows Gorge Nakashima opening up his wood sheds. They are (were) quite primitive. A little air circulation and plenty of sunshine make a big impact.

I have been in the Nakashima sheds. All of them. We were fortunate to participate in a "box lunch" event sponsored by the local museum at the Nakashima compound a number of years ago and got to see everything...not just a few choice places that are on the normal Saturday morning tours. The storage buildings did not appear to be conditioned space, but were closed to the elements. And wow...holy nice lumber, Batman! Some of the slabs that Nakashima (the company) buys comes from the same local lumber source I patronize from time to time.

Our former property was about five miles from the Nakashima operation "as the crow flies".

[William Hodge]

Moisture has to be taken into account when storing wood.

Cold wood in a shed will cause water to condense out of the air when the temperature rises. Like on a glass of ice water. Protecting cold wood from warmer moist air will keep your wood dry. My shop can be 70 degrees in the summer, but if I let warm humid air in, water will condense on the cooler items like wood and metal.

I store firewood outdoors in open sided south facing sheds. In June the wood will measure 30% moisture content. By the end of August, I get it down to 10%. Once cold nights and warm wet days hit in the fall, the moisture content will go back up to 12%. The sheds are built to maximize sun light and west wind ventilation. The wood all cracks and moves as it drys. Even the boards I store in the sheds for stacking wood on move a lot when the sun hits.

As much room as my 4' wide by 12' long by 11' tall woodrack takes in my shop, it's worth it.

[Michael Jasper]

Moisture has to be taken into account when storing wood.

Cold wood in a shed will cause water to condense out of the air when the temperature rises. Like on a glass of ice water. Protecting cold wood from warmer moist air will keep your wood dry. My shop can be 70 degrees in the summer, but if I let warm humid air in, water will condense on the cooler items like wood and metal.

I store firewood outdoors in open sided south facing sheds. In June the wood will measure 30% moisture content. By the end of August, I get it down to 10%. Once cold nights and warm wet days hit in the fall, the moisture content will go back up to 12%. The sheds are built to maximize sun light and west wind ventilation. The wood all cracks and moves as it drys. Even the boards I store in the sheds for stacking wood on move a lot when the sun hits.

As much room as my 4' wide by 12' long by 11' tall woodrack takes in my shop, it's worth it.

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately, it's not a trade off I can consider. There simply isn't that kind of room.