Movement in oak - and a 2.5m piece

[Stevesd]

Hey Guys,

I wonder if you could help please. I normally make furniture from green railway sleepers, and I'm out of my area on this one. I've a potential commission for a large cross for a church, solid piece of wood if possible, around 8 foot high and arms length wide.

The piece needs to be a cross-section of 200mm by 70mm, and one piece 2.3m long, the other . The only wood I can find in this size is Bristish Oak, kiln dried to 8-10%.

The church is a modern building, with always on heating, so not damp or anything. Is a piece like this likely to warp over the years please?

Thanks
Steve

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

By the context I'm assuming the cross will be inside then? If its KD to 8% then that's fine for interior use and it wont move much. Oak has a habit of shakes appearing over time but that's part of its natural behaviour.

I would avoid having the KD wood spend any time outside at all. Get it straight from the yard into the church where it will live and let it acclimatise there for a few weeks if that's possible. Keep it stickered off any stone floors so air can circulate and if it can be stored near where it will actually be situated, so much the better. Once its settled, then do the construction and assembly. Having a moisture meter and testing it would also give you more information about the actual MC rather than just blindly trusting the yard.

 

[Stevesd]

Thanks Bob - that's really helpful.