How do you store your timber?

[TheDudester]

As my stock of timber slowly (very slowly) increases, I am looking for ways to store the timber that I am not using. I was wondering what others do with theirs. I have some space inside the garage and I will shuffle that around at the moment. If necessary though, I have thought of using this space in the pic below.

I would probably construct a frame, with peg holes for iron rods to support the timber.

What would I need to do to protect in terms of sun (cough) and rain. Just drop a tarpaulin down over it? Is there anyway to secure the timber in a frame like this, although I don't think that would be necessary.

The gate at the end is secured.

D

 

[wizer]

For the past 4yrs I have had my Yellow Balau in a corner of the drive, stickered and covered with tarp. It's been absolutely fine, still got it's colour and no excessive cracking or warping. Of course it's not pretty. That looks like a throughfare? If not then you could build something similar to the outdoor storage shed in your other thread. Basically a lean-to mini shed with a bit of ventilation. I'm probably going to do this towards the end of the year to get some much needed space in the workshop.

 

[mister henderson]

Is this storage required for timber that is going to be used indoors? Is the timber already air dried, kiln dried or green when you acquire it. We'll need to know this stuff if we are going to be able to provide any useful advice

 

[TheDudester]

Is this storage required for timber that is going to be used indoors? Is the timber already air dried, kiln dried or green when you acquire it. We'll need to know this stuff if we are going to be able to provide any useful advice

In theory it could be a mixture of all three. I would certainly cover the timber to prevent it from getting wet/direct sunlight. The path runs south to north as the picture is taken.

Hope that helps.

D

 

[mister henderson]

Well, thie thing with timber is that it will try to reach moisture content equilibrium with its surroundings. Generally the warmer it is the faster this process works (hence the use of kilns when drying timber)

If you are going to use it indoors then unless warps, splits and shakes are part of the design then timber from outside, even if covered, isn't going to be suitable.

Air dried timber is fine for garden furniture but not really suitable fro use inside modern centrally heated houses, where the relative humidity can easily drop below 30% in the winter

 

[TheDudester]

Well, thie thing with timber is that it will try to reach moisture content equilibrium with its surroundings. Generally the warmer it is the faster this process works (hence the use of kilns when drying timber)

If you are going to use it indoors then unless warps, splits and shakes are part of the design then timber from outside, even if covered, isn't going to be suitable.

Air dried timber is fine for garden furniture but not really suitable fro use inside modern centrally heated houses, where the relative humidity can easily drop below 30% in the winter

I didn't fully appreciate this.

Thank you for the explanation.

D

 

[OPJ]

You could always use that space to store timber that's been freshly cut for seasoning, so that you could then turn it in to something a couple of years later. :wink:

A roofspace is ideal in your workshop for storing timber, especially at this time of year.

 

[TheDudester]

You could always use that space to store timber that's been freshly cut for seasoning, so that you could then turn it in to something a couple of years later. :wink:

A roofspace is ideal in your workshop for storing timber, especially at this time of year.

The space is there to be used if need be.

When the garage was built the roof was lined with plasterboard. There would be a lot of usable space up there.

When the need arises 'll know what to do.

D

 

[Frank Drew]

Well, thie thing with timber is that it will try to reach moisture content equilibrium with its surroundings. Generally the warmer it is the faster this process works (hence the use of kilns when drying timber)

If you are going to use it indoors then unless warps, splits and shakes are part of the design then timber from outside, even if covered, isn't going to be suitable.

Air dried timber is fine for garden furniture but not really suitable fro use inside modern centrally heated houses, where the relative humidity can easily drop below 30% in the winter

Respectfully, I disagree with this, although I might have misunderstood something in what you said.

Air dried timber absolutely does not automatically warp, spit or check; of course, it needs to be stacked and stickered correctly, and protected from the elements, including direct sunlight. Here in the U.S. most kiln-dried timber is in fact initially air-dried for a period of up to a few months; I don't know the practice in Britain. Additionally, here in the states most kiln-dried timber is eventually stored in unheated, though covered, locations for some time before sale to the end user; that's effectively the same as outdoor storage minus the rainfall. Sometimes space limitations necessitate (covered) outdoor storage for wood we've bought that had been kiln dried; it will never go back to the moisture content it had when green, but will fluctuate winter to summer with level of ambient humidity.

Air-dried stuff is ready to be worked after several years air drying (depending on thickness, and more is better); of course, any wood for a project needs to be brought into the shop well ahead of working it up, to allow it to acclimate to an indoor environment. A moisture meter should be considered an essential shop tool, no matter what the source of your timber.

I believe that Edward Barnsley's and Alan Peter's shops, to name just two of the better known, have had great success working with native timbers, carefully air dried. Among the best timber I've used, in terms of workability and color, has been stuff I've air-dried myself.

[Of course, I've also had some lovely walnut stolen while in outdoors storage :evil:.]

 

[Grinding One]

Not to mention bugs....leave it outside and you may have visitors to the site.

 

[woodbloke]

Well, thie thing with timber is that it will try to reach moisture content equilibrium with its surroundings. Generally the warmer it is the faster this process works (hence the use of kilns when drying timber)

If you are going to use it indoors then unless warps, splits and shakes are part of the design then timber from outside, even if covered, isn't going to be suitable.

Air dried timber is fine for garden furniture but not really suitable fro use inside modern centrally heated houses, where the relative humidity can easily drop below 30% in the winter

Respectfully, I disagree with this, although I might have misunderstood something in what you said.

Air dried timber absolutely does not automatically warp, spit or check; of course, it needs to be stacked and stickered correctly, and protected from the elements, including direct sunlight. Here in the U.S. most kiln-dried timber is in fact initially air-dried for a period of up to a few months; I don't know the practice in Britain. Additionally, here in the states most kiln-dried timber is eventually stored in unheated, though covered, locations for some time before sale to the end user; that's effectively the same as outdoor storage minus the rainfall. Sometimes space limitations necessitate (covered) outdoor storage for wood we've bought that had been kiln dried; it will never go back to the moisture content it had when green, but will fluctuate winter to summer with level of ambient humidity.

Air-dried stuff is ready to be worked after several years air drying (depending on thickness, and more is better); of course, any wood for a project needs to be brought into the shop well ahead of working it up, to allow it to acclimate to an indoor environment. A moisture meter should be considered an essential shop tool, no matter what the source of your timber.

I believe that Edward Barnsley's and Alan Peter's shops, to name just two of the better known, have had great success working with native timbers, carefully air dried. Among the best timber I've used, in terms of workability and color, has been stuff I've air-dried myself.

[Of course, I've also had some lovely walnut stolen while in outdoors storage :evil:.]

This is a good assessment of how to store timber outside and Frank is quite correct in that the Barnsley shop stores all its timber in large, spacious open air sheds. Timber is then brought in to a shop environment a few months before making to reduce the MC to indoor conditions - Rob

 

[TheDudester]

I have seen Norm store his timber this way too.

Although he also has "friends of the show" sending him stuff.

Lucky b*****d!

D

 

[wizer]

Every timber yard I have ever been to stores it's timber outside. As long as it is protected from the element, it will be fine. Just remember (as I recently didn't) to bring it in to acclimatise to its final surroundings for a couple of weeks.

 

[TheDudester]

Every timber yard I have ever been to stores it's timber outside. As long as it is protected from the element, it will be fine. Just remember (as I recently didn't) to bring it in to acclimatise to its final surroundings for a couple of weeks.

Thanks for the tip WiZeR

D

 

[OPJ]

Not to mention bugs....leave it outside and you may have visitors to the site.

I find tiny bugs or insects tend to live in the bark of the timber, no matter how dry it is. They're not the kind that will try and eat their way through and destroy the timber so, when buying waney-edge stuff, I always try to rip two straight edges on each board before storing them indoors to dry.

Sometimes, it can be impractical, depending on the length and width... But that's when you clamp the timber down and use a hand-held circular saw instead! :wink:

 

[mister henderson]

Every timber yard I have ever been to stores it's timber outside.

That's fine, and will be OK if as you says it's brought inside to acclimatise before use

AS LONG AS IT HAS ALREADY BEEN KILN DRIED!!!!!!1

We didn't get a clear answer from the OP when I asked about the source of the timber.

One thing is for sure, and that is that unless the timber has been kiln dried at some point it will NOT be suitable for use indoors

 

[Tusses]

Kiln or Air dried - I still thought it was just a matter of time before they reached the same moisture content ?

I have some air dried oak in my shop - I'll go and measure the content in a bit, and compare it to some Kiln dried stuff.

I must admit I keep all mine in the workshop for so long I havent measured the content for ages - never had any problems. Then again - we dont have central heating !

 

[OPJ]

The problem is when people try to kiln dry timber too soon - or, in the most severe cases, without even air-drying the timber. That's when it will dry out too fast, which would lead to sever splitting, etc. I think you can also end up with trapped moisture within the timber this way, which is known as case hardening?

I always assumed that most companies kiln-dry the last few % so as to save time and have it ready to sell on, rather than to have it sat there for several more weeks where it can't be touched?

 

[mister henderson]

Kiln or Air dried - I still thought it was just a matter of time before they reached the same moisture content ?

The important thing about the kiln drying is the kilning. It's the heat that forces the wood to give up its moisture, then it's up to the drying equipment to remove that water. Air drying can produce the same effect, but will take many years in some case. Air drying something like 2" oak for use in a centrally heated house, you are probably thinkng time scales similar to maturing vintage port.

I must admit I keep all mine in the workshop for so long I havent measured the content for ages - never had any problems. Then again - we dont have central heating !

This is a good example of matching your timber to its environment. As long as you don't feel the need to fit central heating you should carry on like this. It's the way furniture has been made for hundreds of years and very effective too.

 

[Frank Drew]

One thing is for sure, and that is that unless the timber has been kiln dried at some point it will NOT be suitable for use indoors

Not to beat this thing to death, and maybe we can just agree to disagree, but the above is simply not true, at least in my experience and that of some others whose work has stood the test of time.

I agree, however, with your later posting that air-drying takes considerably longer than kiln drying. The often recommended one year drying per inch of thickness, plus a year, is about half of what I'd give.