As long as you can, for as long as you can

[Grahamshed]

This seems to be a popular adage when drying green wood, and makes sense,but is there any benefit in having long pieces stood up rather than laid down ?

 

[Dalboy]

Some times it depend on the wood. I store mine as it is easier and also some of it is holly which I have heard is best stored like that, something to do with keeping the wood whiter.
Some woods when laid down will go a greyish colour

 

[Bodrighy]

There is with sycamore. Dry it lying down and you will get grey streaks in it which can look good but are just as likely to look terrible. Can't speak for other woods but I haven't personally found any problems stacking them horizontally.

Pete

 

[Grahamshed]

The question really resulted from a comment made by Phil Irons at the Nuneaton event. He wasn't specifically talking about drying wet wood but about a dead tree that had dried from the top down so I was wondering if you could sort of "work your way down" a stood up log

 

[finneyb]

I've stored vertical on a concrete floor and placed a plastic bag/cardboard box over the top end to reduce the rate of drying . Seems to work.

Brian

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

I have a fair amount of sycamore which was sliced, sealed, and stacked in the wood-pile. The timber looks fine until turned, then it starts to "bleed" into the end grain. A definite candidate for storing upright next time I get some.

 

[tekno.mage]

The only problem I've had with sycamore not dried on end is sticker-marks on some of the planks I've bought from a local supplier - and they weren't actaully a problem as I was able to cut the pieces I wanted from between the marks.

I've found that holly will discolour however stored, unless you get it as soon as it's felled, process it immediately and then allow it to dry (or split - which is more probable!) The only holly peices I have that are still beautifully white are some bowls which were rough-turned when freshly felled and then left a couple of years to distort (they didn't split) massively before finish turning.

 

[Roger C]

Graham contact the following company and ask if the have a product to stop sap stain which is a fungus that causes the blue streaks in light coloured woods. If they do not have contact the Dept of Forestry and ask them or the nearest sawmill.
It is best to apply the anti fungal solution as soon as possible after felling the tree and seal the wood.

J.J. SMITH & CO. LTD.
Liverpool, England UK
email: [email protected]

Regards Roger

 

[Grahamshed]

i Roger
Thanks for the link. Is that going to do any more to stop splits etc than PVA or wax etc ?

 

[Roger C]

Wont stop splits but will stop fungus. When you contact the Dept of Forestry or saw mill ask what they seal with, if it is like here in RSA it will be an emulsion which when dry is like wax . You must remember that all the timber you acquire can not be turned in to some thing there is a waste factor up to 30%. In flat work the waste factor can be as high as 40% on some timbers. Regards Roger