Need help drying a 400 ft white oak

[Pretty Sawdust]

Gentelmen .........
For 2 days I have been searching for an answer I think I may be down to best guess. Here is the story written 2 days ago-
I have a question about the cause of checking and splitting of 4/4 white oak.
As I understand the sequence of events the oak was fell, sent to the mill, and milled into 4/4 planks 8” to 12” wide 10’ to 14’ long. After milling it was steel strapped into one big bundle. Shortly there after it was hauled to the owners garage (2 car, no windows) and stacked with spacers for drying. (some black mold was noticed ) It was left in garage with a fan on it, (during 80+ weather) the garage door opened in the morning and at evening to refresh the air. The rough sawn boards soon began to severely split and check. The planks were then end cut and painted, some ripped to narrower widths in an attempt to slow process of splitting, to no avail. The owner is a perfectionist and just wanted it gone.

By searching this site I have learned from Finnbear-Wayne County, Ohio( is that near Wooster?) and several others the correct way to dry wood.

It is currently setting on my driveway with a tarp over it. There is 400 board feet + or - that I paid $100 for to use as firewood. Is their any way I can save it at this point or should I move it to the area where I cut and split logs to heat the house.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Terry

 

[hazard]

I dry everything outside in the shade if possible. Cover it with a sheet of plywood and add alot of wait on top. Leave the side exposed to the elements. There is some checking on the sides but not much. Sometimes I seal the ends.

I once cut a few 25"x2"x7' white oak slabs and left them in the back of a truck with a topper on it in 80+ degree weather. It check the same way as yours did. It got to hot from what I gathered.

If it isn't all warped you could still you the lumber for crafty stuff. Non weight bearing furniture. Picture frames. Or firewood

Chris

 

[Nikko]

I .... Non weight bearing furniture. ....Chris

Curious why "non weight bearing" ? For average everyday furniture properly designed, structural strength is never an issue. If any of the wood involved is checked/shaked/split bad enough to cause concerns for strength, I doubt it would be considered for use as i would be too ugly!

What am I missing??

Nikko

 

[hazard]

Okay my idea of weight bearing furniture are my fish tank stands. My 125g tank, which weighs 1200-1400lbs on this type of wood would make me have nightmares of water on my floor.

Use common sense.

 

[buzz sawyer]

Gentelmen .........
For 2 days I have been searching for an answer I think I may be down to best guess. Here is the story written 2 days ago-
I have a question about the cause of checking and splitting of 4/4 white oak.
As I understand the sequence of events the oak was fell, sent to the mill, and milled into 4/4 planks 8” to 12” wide 10’ to 14’ long. After milling it was steel strapped into one big bundle. Shortly there after it was hauled to the owners garage (2 car, no windows) and stacked with spacers for drying. (some black mold was noticed ) It was left in garage with a fan on it, (during 80+ weather) the garage door opened in the morning and at evening to refresh the air. The rough sawn boards soon began to severely split and check. The planks were then end cut and painted, some ripped to narrower widths in an attempt to slow process of splitting, to no avail. The owner is a perfectionist and just wanted it gone.

By searching this site I have learned from Finnbear-Wayne County, Ohio( is that near Wooster?) and several others the correct way to dry wood.

It is currently setting on my driveway with a tarp over it. There is 400 board feet + or - that I paid $100 for to use as firewood. Is their any way I can save it at this point or should I move it to the area where I cut and split logs to heat the house.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Terry

How far up do the cracks go? Since the ends are now painted, you should be able to rip into smaller widths and then dry it slowly. You don't want widths much more than 6" anyway.
One other thought - did the tree have any natural stresses in it? Did it grow leaning one way? Was there bowing in the trunk? Sometimes wood will have unpredictable stresses that you won't find until you try to dry and use it.

 

[rfalk]

fan might have done it

It probably dried too quickly with the fan on it and that caused the checking....white oak needs to dry slooooow......

 

[woodshop]

It probably dried too quickly with the fan on it and that caused the checking....white oak needs to dry slooooow......

Yup... a fan or lots of wind on fresh sawn boards will dry the outside of the board too fast, and it will crack ends first. Then stress builds up as outside dries fast but inside of board still soaking wet. Not just oak, but any wood has to be dried slowly at first. Nature of the beast.

 

[Pretty Sawdust]

[QUOTE=buzz sawyer" you should be able to rip into smaller widths and then dry it slowly. You don't want widths much more than 6" anyway.
One other thought - did the tree have any natural stresses in it? "

My impression is it was a clean straight tree selected for max board feet. It was on his father's land in southern Indiana to be used in the house he is building in N. MI.
Most of the boards are 8" &10" with a few 12". If I need to I can rip it down I can, but will that cause it to cup, twist, and bow more?
Terry

 

[Sawyer Rob]

It probably dried too quickly with the fan on it and that caused the checking....white oak needs to dry slooooow......

Yup, first it was stacked tight where mold started to grow... then it was stickered and a fan put on it in 80* weather... On top of that, the log wasn't --------> Anchorsealed, ASAP... All no no's

At this point, i'd take the boards and with a circle saw (skillsaw) and saw out what ever i could get out of them... I'm assumeing they are "air" dry now.

Rob

 

[woodshop]

I'm a little confused here... are these boards, that apparently have a degree of splitting and cracking, already dry at this point? If not, go ahead and sticker them as they are, outside, preferably out of direct sun, weight on stack, covered on top but with sides exposed to elements as hazard suggested. Personally, I wouldn't be ripping or crosscutting anything if they aren't dry yet. When you air dry lumber you are always going to get a little end checking, usually only quarter inch or so, no matter what you do. For several reasons, I rarely have a need in a project for a board more than 8 inches wide in the woodshop, but occasionally I do. One thing a wide board affords if you do mill them is the ability to yield more "pieces" of something you are cutting out of it.

 

[slabmaster]

My thoughts on this is that it went from two extremes too soon,from wet to dry causing all the problems mentioned.Would have been alright if dried slowly in moderate temp. with ends sealed and properly stickered. Mark

 

[Pretty Sawdust]

TO CLARIFY
The tree was cut "maybe" three/four weeks ago.
Milled and banded tight.
Picked up and stickered, a week and a half to two weeks ago with fan in garage 80+ weather.
after splitting started 100 board feet cut off an re-stacked, ends painted with spray paint.
sold to me for firewood on Monday 8-18-08.
currently setting on my drive in a pile.
- the wife says it really adds to the ambiance of the house........
I would like to save it for woodworking, aka "pretty sawdust" instead of $6+ a ft. next time I need white oak.

I have to move it tomorrow morning, preferably once.
At this point my plan is to stack it out of sun, 8-12 inches above ground, ( is it better to cover soil to reduce moisture?) oriented so winds will blow through stack, with 3/4 sq. dry stickers spaced every 16" then cover top and stack heavy weights on top cover. Then cross my fingers and hope next May I don't have to cut it for firewood.

hows that sound? PLEASE make corrections to my plan
Thanks Terry

 

[Sawyer Rob]

TO CLARIFY
The tree was cut "maybe" three/four weeks ago.
Milled and banded tight.
Picked up and stickered, a week and a half to two weeks ago with fan in garage 80+ weather.
after splitting started 100 board feet cut off an re-stacked, ends painted with spray paint.
sold to me for firewood on Monday 8-18-08.
currently setting on my drive in a pile.
- the wife says it really adds to the ambiance of the house........
I would like to save it for woodworking, aka "pretty sawdust" instead of $6+ a ft. next time I need white oak.

I have to move it tomorrow morning, preferably once.
At this point my plan is to stack it out of sun, 8-12 inches above ground, ( is it better to cover soil to reduce moisture?) oriented so winds will blow through stack, with 3/4 sq. dry stickers spaced every 16" then cover top and stack heavy weights on top cover. Then cross my fingers and hope next May I don't have to cut it for firewood.

hows that sound? PLEASE make corrections to my plan
Thanks Terry

NOW, we get the "rest of the story"...

1. Paint has NEVER worked for me as well as Anchorseal, so i won't even waste my $$ on paint... Sooo, IMHO, your oak isn't end coated...

2. I prefer 1"x1" DRY stickers...

3. I put my stacks where it's dry, and no water will stand, and AT LEAST 12" above the ground.

4. I use a hard cover, to cover the stack and make sure NONE of it touches the stack. I prefer PT plywood, and it last forever, is easier to handle and doesn't blow off like tin does...

You are on the right course and have the best chance of saving the stack, i hope it works out for you...

Rob

 

[Pretty Sawdust]

Thanks Rob,

Odds on me finding "Anchorseal" even if I knew what it looks like are real thin. I am what some call an eastern suburb of Chicago. Not much of a lumber industry around.
Since I last poster the black mold is flourishing. Somewhere on this site it was said to mist boards with a bleach spray while stacking. Do you agree?

Thanks for the input,
Respectfully yours,
Terry

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Thanks Rob,

Odds on me finding "Anchorseal" even if I knew what it looks like are real thin. I am what some call an eastern suburb of Chicago. Not much of a lumber industry around.
Since I last poster the black mold is flourishing. Somewhere on this site it was said to mist boards with a bleach spray while stacking. Do you agree?

Thanks for the input,
Respectfully yours,
Terry

I'd scrape off all the mold i could, and then "mist" the boards... This is why i use DRY 1" stickers, it seems to be the best spaceing for air drying without mold...

As for A. seal, i buy it directly from the company that makes it, and they direct ship to me. UC Coatings is the company... I wouldn't waste any $$ on sealer for those boards now though... It goes on like paint, even looks like paint, but it dries clear... Here's a log i Anchorsealed about two weeks ago...

DM

 

[hazard]

try Woodcrafts end grain sealer. I use this stuff to seal logs and also rough out wooden bowls. I am very happy with the stuff. $20 per gallon. It goes along way.

Chris

 

[woodshop]

hows that sound? PLEASE make corrections to my plan
Thanks Terry

What sawyer rob said. Thanks for clarifying your situation. The black mildew should stop growing as soon as it's stickered and the outside of those boards get some air. I HAVE put bleach ( strait from bottle, it's cheap) in a paint tray and rolled it on the boards like paint till they were covered. Again, no need really for what you describe though, it should stop growing as soon as you remove the moisture on surface.

 

[Pretty Sawdust]

Rob,
Will the Anchorseal seal keep the whole log from splitting? what wood is it? How long will you let the log dry?. .............. Sorry, I sat down saw your photo and the questions came flooding in.
Thanks for your help. I'll just set back and read what the other's no this site say over time.
Terry

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Rob,
Will the Anchorseal seal keep the whole log from splitting? what wood is it? How long will you let the log dry?. .............. Sorry, I sat down saw your photo and the questions came flooding in.
Thanks for your help. I'll just set back and read what the other's no this site say over time.
Terry

AS (anchorseal) will stop or at least "minimize" end splitting. The reason the ends of boards or logs split is, because the ends have open pores and so are looseing moisture faster than the side of the log or lumber. AS will do nothing about the "stress" in the log or lumber, that also causes splitting and warping...

AS is nothing more than a paraffin like substance, that somehow in disolved in water so you can spray or brush it on. You can melt paraffin and spread it on the end of a log and have the same results. Also, you can mill right through it without it affecting your band or chain at all... I've had sawyers tell me that thick layers of paint will take the edge off bands or chains as it has an abrasive in it. Of course, they are sawing logs all day every day, not one or two logs a week...

That log is Walnut... I got a whole tree from a friend a couple weeks ago, and it was 25' to the first limb...

It's best to mill your logs as fast you can, if your sawing for grade lumber. Yes i know, some logs get better color if they set around for a time, but in general ASAP is the best choise. You will get more lumber of a higher grade if you saw them right after thay are harvested.

Rob

 

[Backwoods]

Rob seems to have hit the nail on the head and you seem to be on the right track.

Anchor seal seems to be the best water based wax product available. Nevertheless, there are other water based wax products out there and they do a good job as well, so if you are unable to find Anchor seal, try End seal or one of the other brands.

When I go out to do a site evaluation for harwoods, I paint the ends of the logs if the trees are down. I prefer to be there when the tree falls and paint on the sealer then. I use a no name industrial product call 036. If the tree is still standing and I will not be there when it comes down, I leave a gallon can and paint brush with instructions to paint it as soon as possible. If I make a cross cut on the log at any point during the milling, I paint it with sealer right then and there.

The damage is done and all you can do now is minimize the amount that accurse from this point forward. Will you be able to use part of the wood for projects? Sure thing.. I would consider it a good find as well. Just let it dry completely and do not rush it. Next summer you can start pulling a few boards at a time out of the stack and cut off the cracked ends and rip some of it to cut the long cracks out. You will loose a larger percentage of it then if it had been taken care of correctly from the start. Maybe even 25%-50% but it is what it is, and the price was right.