Stickers for wood drying

[Gofor]

I currently have several stacks of different species of wood air drying. Most of it is stickered with 1 1/4" spacers ( I had a lot of old deck balusters from a deck expansion project). Pine seems to be drying fine, but the cherry, sweet gum and oak are starting to check (i.e. split on the broad face if I have my terminology correct). That leads me to think it is drying too fast (albeit, the cherry is probably wind shakes due to the location/wind exposure the tree was subject to).

So, my question: What is the best size for preliminary outdoor (rain and sun covered) drying? 1", 3/4"? Right now I have sweet gum, red oak, wild black cherry, and pine, mainly in 6/4 to 8/4 thickness. Hope to have some walnut, white oak, and maybe some sycamore by winter's end (don't worry Scott, I'll be coming for a another load of QSWO as soon as the bank account heals from Christmas!!)

Or am I "measuring with a micrometer and cutting with a chain saw" on this one?

Go

 

[scsmith42]

Mark, the standard size of sticker for wood dried in a kiln is 3/4". The standard size sticker for wood that is air-drying is 1", but I see no reason for 1-1/4" not to be acceptable.

What you are describing sounds like "surface checking" to me, and you are correct that it results when the wood is dried too quickly. Pine is very forgiving; it will tolerate very rapid drying (as will poplar and cypress). Oak is not forgiving at all; it is a very slow drying species and easy to check, and the thicker the boards, the more prone to surface checking. Surface checking will also result if partially dried lumber is rewetted.

Be sure that your stacks are covered (with a good overhang all the way around the covering). If the wind through the stacks is too severe, simply cover them with some type of mesh that will restrict the air flow. There is a product called "Shade-dri" which is commonly used in the industry to surround the stacks. Shade-dri is similar to the black mesh product that is used over greenhouses, etc.

 

[CrealBilly]

Mark, the standard size of sticker for wood dried in a kiln is 3/4". The standard size sticker for wood that is air-drying is 1", but I see no reason for 1-1/4" not to be acceptable.

What you are describing sounds like "surface checking" to me, and you are correct that it results when the wood is dried too quickly. Pine is very forgiving; it will tolerate very rapid drying (as will poplar and cypress). Oak is not forgiving at all; it is a very slow drying species and easy to check, and the thicker the boards, the more prone to surface checking. Surface checking will also result if partially dried lumber is rewetted.

Be sure that your stacks are covered (with a good overhang all the way around the covering). If the wind through the stacks is too severe, simply cover them with some type of mesh that will restrict the air flow. There is a product called "Shade-dri" which is commonly used in the industry to surround the stacks. Shade-dri is similar to the black mesh product that is used over greenhouses, etc.

Spot ON :thumbs_up

 

[Gofor]

Thank you. I'll look around and try to find some greenhouse fabric. I am cutting more stickers, so will do them at 1".

Although I have my stacks just into the edge of the woods, they still are getting quite a bit of wind, so that isn't helping. The tops right now are covered and overhang pretty well, keeping out the sun and rain, but the main reason for cutting the pine is wood for better shelters.

Really just getting started in this, but want to get a decent result before I risk any nicer wood. I figure if I can get a decent dry on sweet gum, then I should be good for most of the rest that I would most likely have access too.

Guess I was lucky drying that walnut I got from Jeff several years ago but it was a smaller stack and I put it under my deck. I did lose a couple boards, but that was because they were the wettest and on top of the load in the truck uncovered on the way home. That 65 mile 70 mph trip down the interstate in dry Jan weather sure did a job on them. However, that lesson is what keyed me to keep an I on what I have now.

I really appreciate the advice.

Go

 

[davejones]

A follow-on question on air drying:

When is it OK to remove the stickers and stack the wood normally? For example, if it gets to the 12-14% range is there risk in doing this, or is that dry enough to not cause any issues?

 

[Gofor]

I leave mine stickered until ready to use it. When I move it into the shop, I give it a bit to normalize (still stickered), unless I store it vertically. However, my shop is not climate controlled (i.e most people call it a garage).

Go

 

[scsmith42]

A follow-on question on air drying:

When is it OK to remove the stickers and stack the wood normally? For example, if it gets to the 12-14% range is there risk in doing this, or is that dry enough to not cause any issues?

Generally speaking, you'll be ok flat stacking the lumber once it has reached 16% or less. However, if you're in a season where the lumber may dry more (such as winter in NC), then you might want to leave it stickered until the spring so that it can dry further.