Drying cants and prventing checking

[AKRover]

The threads that turned up in my search all applied to slabs and I was wondering if the drying techniques for cants are the same? Also if they do crack how bad does it affect their structural qualities?

I ask because I have made a few 6x6 timbers with my mini mill and had to store them in the garage due to heavy snow fall and freezing temperatures. Because of this they are probably drying too fast and have developed some good cracks. I noticed that a good number of the craks started out at the screw holes used to hold my guide boared in place Would pre-drilling help prevent these craks?

Thanks

 

[Marklambert61]

drying

Most likely has more to do with the type of wood you use for your cants rather than being inside. Being indoors in an unheated space will slow drying because of lack of air movement.

Just my thoughts...

Mark

 

[AKRover]

I cut them out of Birch and my garage is heated.

 

[slabmaster]

It's the heat that does it. Better to keep them outside covered up with a tarp.Or unheated barn.

 

[AKRover]

I plan on building my wood shed with them. Think it would be ok to build the shed with them green and let them dry that way? Then I could come back and seal it up good before the cold weather sets in.

Also would it help to apply the wax coating or paint to the ends?

 

[MotorSeven]

Anchorseal seems to be the most fav end sealer, but any kind of paint will slow the process. Yes you can build with un-kiln dried lumber, but be prepared for the inevetable shrinkage/warpage. Most of the time the checks/cracks in un-sealed lumber won't be structual, but that also depends on alot of factors such as lumber type & how fast it gets dried out. If you are super anal about the fit & finish you better wait until your lumber is seasoned(air dry) at least 6 months or you won't be happy with the results. If not, or if you fall into the "caveman carpenter class" like me, go ahead & get the shed built:monkey:

RD

 

[Mike Van]

End seal works best when the logs are fresh cut, doing it now's probably a waste of time. Most every beam with the heart [pith] in it is going to check someday, as far as strength goes, I don't think it's going to hurt you. Thousands of old barns were built this way, framed up green [the beams are easier to work then, and because they just plain needed the building] Many are still standing. Most that failed were because of the sills rotting or the roof going bad.

 

[rayvil01]

Thousands of old barns were built this way, framed up green [the beams are easier to work then, and because they just plain needed the building] Many are still standing. Most that failed were because of the sills rotting or the roof going bad.

Here in Southern Maryland there were many, many tobacco barns built from dead-green Poplar with tin roofs. It nailed easily when green. Surprisingly tough to drive a nail into that stuff when it's dry. With the tobacco industry moribund, a lot of them are falling down now. The killer is the roof. Now that there's no incentive to maintain the barns, the failing tin is not replaced, and the barn rots.

Some of the barns date from Colonial days with pegged beam and post construction and cedar or cypress shingles. I hung tobacco to dry in a lot of them. Those old peg barns were stout...stiffer than the nailed barns. My understanding is that they were built with green lumber.

 

[AKRover]

I figured it would be fine, thanks for the reassurance. I was just worried that I had ruined them by putting them in the dry warm garage instead of outside.

It has started to warm up just a little bit here and the snow is starting to receed a little. That means shed building can be under way soon, thanks for the help.

 

[woodshop]

End seal works best when the logs are fresh cut, doing it now's probably a waste of time. Most every beam with the heart [pith] in it is going to check someday, as far as strength goes, I don't think it's going to hurt you. Thousands of old barns were built this way, framed up green [the beams are easier to work then, and because they just plain needed the building] Many are still standing. Most that failed were because of the sills rotting or the roof going bad.

This sums up pretty much what I would say... large beams/cant are going to crack... nature of the beast.