Drying Slabs

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ehingerc

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I’m going to be slabbing out a couple logs soon. I have a shed with no power to it, so I won’t be able to run a dehumidifier in there. What would be better: storing them in the shed or just in my yard? Regardless where, I will be stickering them appropriately.

If in my yard is better, do I cover them? If so, how? I heard tarps aren’t good because they trap the moisture. Thanks in advance
 
I would preferably store them inside your shed but if you store them outside I would cover them keeping the following in mind.
I found if sunlight gets directly onto the timber it will preferentially dry those spots and this can cause checking/warping etc.

if the stickers protrude a few inches past the side of the slabs you can partially cover a stack with a tarp or sheets of something (doesn't have to be waterproof) as long as air can freely circulate around the stacks. Just don't wrap them up completely. That will trap moisture and possibly cause mould.

Provided no direct sunlight can get into the slabs, an ideal tarp cover is using a strip of (or folded) tarp from low down at one end of the stack, across the top and over to the other end, leaving the sides open. This reduces air flow around the ends (which always dry out quicker and hence check) and allows air to flow sun between the stickers.

For a while I had free access to dozens of yards of HD shade cloth and I covered the slab stacks outside with double layers. This worked a treat but I wouldn't go and buy it to do this task.
 
I use old metal roofing on outside stacks , my 3” red oak slabs are stored under my covered porch. The logs were 2 yrs old when they were slabbed, greatly reducing the moisture content from 60% to 30% , stickered and top loosely tarped . Going to be for stair treads and a 12 ft x 30” bar top .
 
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