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Thread: Acclimating a 1000 bdft of lumber

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Acclimating a 1000 bdft of lumber

    I am taking delivery of a large quantity (1000+ bdft) of 4/4 S4S Claro Walnut this week. It is coming from western Oregon and I live in arid Montana. I'm concerned about acclimating it. The wood won't be put to use until late next spring or summer.

    I plan to build a 4' x 12' torsion box to set and shim on my somewhat unlevel concrete warehouse floor. I will then sticker the lumber using lath on about one foot centers. I'll top it with another torsion box and apply weight to the top. Or maybe I'll strap it to the bottom plinth?

    Most of the lumber is in long lengths and 8" to 12" widths.

    The warehouse is heated to 70 degrees.

    Am I over-thinking this?

    Is there a better affordable material for stickering?

    Suggestions?


    Thanks in advance,

    Scott in Montana

  2. #2
    I'd say you're way over thinking it if the material is KD. I'd be putting some clubs on the floor, if its way out of whack shim them to the same plane with shims or wedges and stack away. If your space is damp then stickering may help you but if the space is conditioned just dead stack it and go on.
    Last edited by Chris Padilla; 09-23-2014 at 2:37 PM.

  3. #3
    I agree with Mark. Remember that many here use air dried wood,whole different deal. Cut a short piece off one of the wider boards and keep it in your house ,then take it with you when you "visit" your lumber. Hold it against its original
    position and most likely you will see no difference in width ,even if you soak the the piece in water.

  4. #4
    P.S. , I would not pay for heat for lumber storage.

  5. #5
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    I would put some 4-8 mill plastic under the stack. Put 2x4 stickers on the plastic then shim them so they are level. Then stack and sticker your boards. Put weight on top or use ratcheting cargo straps to hold down the top pieces. I see no reason for the torsion boxes.
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  6. #6
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    Mark, I was initially thinking just like you and it still may be the best answer.

    I didn't put this in my first post, but what has me thinking is this material cost $30+ per board foot. I guess some would call it "instrument grade".

    Thanks for the input.


    Scott

  7. #7
    I used lath to sticker some green lumber and got mold and sticker stain. If it were me i would cut my own stickers from trusted, dry lumber or composite material if u can afford it.

  8. #8
    What type or grade of lumber it is is irrelavent. If its KD stickering and weighting is an anal retentive waste of time and space. If KD material benefited from stickering every single lumber broker, retailer, and manufacturer, would require twice as much warehouse volume due to wasted air space. Tractor trailers would only be able to haul half as much material, prices would go through the roof.

    I would agree with the poly under the pile only if your space is damp.

  9. #9
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    Torsion boxes? That's a waste.
    Stack it, and forget it. Put plastic sheet under it first as mentioned above.
    When you take it into the shop, let it sit a day or so before using it.
    Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night

  10. #10
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    Let me think about this.....1000 bdf at $30 a board foot.....$30,000. If I made an investment of that amount I would go overboard to protect it. I would not want to take any chances that it warped or something else due to not stacking it properly. Just call me overly careful....

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Frank View Post
    Let me think about this.....1000 bdf at $30 a board foot.....$30,000. If I made an investment of that amount I would go overboard to protect it. I would not want to take any chances that it warped or something else due to not stacking it properly. Just call me overly careful....
    What if stickering it caused you more problems? Why do you think by default that stickering is better?

  12. #12
    If it is kiln dried, and if the space where it is stacked has a moisture barrier underneath, and is level, then dead stacking it is the way to go. That way, only the top layer will be exposed for moisture change. Stickering it will allow air flow through the layers, and unless the storage space is climate controlled, the wood will gain or lose moisture, most likely gain moisture.

    Just make sure that where you stack the wood is level, that there is a moisture barrier underneath the stack.

  13. #13
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    Hello Danny,

    I received a sample board from this supplier a month ago. I compared it to another piece of 4/4 Claro walnut I purchased a year ago. There is a little over 4% difference according to my meter. So it will lose moisture.

    Because of other usage of my warehouse, it is heated to about 70 degrees during the winter. The temperature rises to the high seventies during the summer months.

    There is no direct sunlight.

    No vehicles other than an electric forklift are stored in the building. Here in Montana vehicles often bring a hefty amount of snow in with them during the winter yielding unwanted humidity.

    The floor is very old concrete, in good condition but slightly unlevel or straight.

    My concern with stacking the lumber is that I'm not sure that the lumber in the center of the stack will reach equilibrium.

    At the value of this lumber, I am willing to go the extra steps to care for it.


    Scott in Montana

  14. #14
    I sticker all my lumber, kd or not. It keeps just fine. You may not have to, but i do not believe. That doing so will cause problems.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Frank View Post
    Let me think about this.....1000 bdf at $30 a board foot.....$30,000. If I made an investment of that amount I would go overboard to protect it. I would not want to take any chances that it warped or something else due to not stacking it properly. Just call me overly careful....
    OVERLY careful??? I'm going to call you border line negligent. After building 12 foot torsion boxes, and stacking and sticking it every 12 inches, I would hire armed guards.

    But to offer something real to the mix, the one thing about using weights or ratcheting straps would be the concern that I would be locking in stresses that could be released later at just the wrong time. It might be best to stack and stick the lot as carefully as you can yet still allowing the wood to do it's thing as it acclimates. The straight, stable stock will self identify as will the short stock.

    Having said that, SOOOOOOOOO many people here know so much more about drying and storing wood than me. The best advice might be to keep this thread alive and get a very WIDE range of suggestions. No single person will have the answer.

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