wood storage, outside?

[Mats Bengtsson]

Ron and Glenn: I store lumber in my barn for years and it doesn't have any bad effect on the wood. The outside may change color a little but most of mine is rough cut. I would suggest to bring it into the end use environment a few days before use.

Outside and a barn can be quite different. As was pointed out earlier, inside heating dries out wood, and cooling if not combined with a dehumidifier humidifies wood.

The Attic is different if it is not isolated: Warm in summer, heating the wood in the most humid period, and as dry as outside in he cold period. High in a barn has a good chance to be good in same way as the attic.

--- Mats ---

[David Keast]

I store wood outside, stickered and under a rough roof. No problems in long term storage, but you do need to think ahead when you want to use some as conditions can be quite different inside/outside under certain weather conditions. For example, we are in a river valley, river 50 yds from the door, and humidity can be very high when there is a drop in temperature and no wind to clear the air. Bringing wood in to work immediately under these conditions is not advised.