Dry Lumber storage

[jeff...]

Since I have got into the habit of producing large amounts of lumber frequently, I'm looking into building a building to store KD lumber. I would like to keep it dry after it's been dried. So storing it in my shop won't do so much good, since it's kind of an old drafty building, although air conditioned and heated just not all the time.

Would a dehumidifier in a good insulated building do the trick or would I have to maintain a fairly constant temperature too? Maybe I should just upgrade the shop, but I really want to get all that lumber out of there and only bring in what I need when I need it.

Thanks

 

[scsmith42]

Jeff, one thing to consider is to pick up some surplus insulated shipping containers, and plumb an air conditioner into them. It will keep the temperature, as well as the humidity, in the correct area.

If you build a building, it will need to be very well insulated. I'd suggest an HVAC over a dehumidifier.

Scott

 

[Bernhard]

Jeff,

There is a place in South Boston (VA) not very far from you (and me) that sells used shipping container. I had the same idea regarding dry storage. A friend of mine did just that a while ago to use the container for general dry storage. I am getting the contact info over the weekend, I 'll pass it on as soon as I have it. That place actually either sells or rents and will provide transport to the site.
I have seen one of these units with a A-frame roof and shed roofs roofs attached on each side...did look more like a barn than a container.

Cheers,
Bernhard

 

[Sweetgum]

I'm sure that between all of us here on the forum that we could store it in a nice dry environment for you Jeff :roll::roll:

:eusa_pray:rolf::-D:eusa_whis:eusa_whis:eusa_whis

 

[Ivey]

I also would like the info on the storage boxes. I think I may need one.
Thanks, Ivey

 

[Kyle]

I would hesitate to have climate controlled dry storage. Although it would be ideal it is one more added cost that just keeps rising month after month on the unsold inventory reducing your overall ROI on the wood sawn.

Most concentration yards tight stack and bundle under shed roof or metal building. The main purpose of the kiln drying is to kill bugs and remove retained cell moisture.

 

[Ivey]

Yes Kyle it would hurt the old pocket book to run HVAC in a storage building just for the storing of lumber.
I need to get a dry kiln started..

 

[jeff...]

Got a few quick questions - is it true KD Lumber will pick up moisture of the enviroment it's stored in? For example: best case - stacking it in warehouse that's not climate controlled / worst case - stacking it outside under cover.

I'm thinking I really don't want to dry a bunch of lumber only to store it and have it pick up moisture again, setting the bug kill benefit aside, isn't the main reason to KD lumber is to reduce the MC to a level that's within an acceptable range to make into something for indoor use, like a piece of furniture?

I'm a thinking to much into this?

Thanks

 

[gator]

Jeff -

I'm not a sawyer nor a wood expert, but, from what I've heard: wood will seek equiliberium with its environment. I don't think that even dried to 6-8% that sitting outside (unless under water) that it will go much above something like 12% and this will come back down pretty quickly once you bring it inside to acclimate a week or two before using. Like I said, I could be totally wrong but I think this is what I remember hearing in previous discussions.

I went a did a quick look-up and this chart/calculator 'sorta confirms what I have heard.

http://www.woodbin.com/ref/wood/emc.htm

George

 

[bman]

i believe that the NORM stores his HW lumber outside in a a narrow closed rack on the back of his shop i think we saw it in a project he did with teak english bench

 

[Kyle]

Got a few quick questions - is it true KD Lumber will pick up moisture of the enviroment it's stored in? For example: best case - stacking it in warehouse that's not climate controlled / worst case - stacking it outside under cover.

I'm thinking I really don't want to dry a bunch of lumber only to store it and have it pick up moisture again, setting the bug kill benefit aside, isn't the main reason to KD lumber is to reduce the MC to a level that's within an acceptable range to make into something for indoor use, like a piece of furniture?

I'm a thinking to much into this?

Thanks

Jeff,

The kiln drying removes the water from inside the cells collapsing them so they cannot retain moisture again. Any moisture picked up subsequently will inhabit the wood tissue surrounding the collapsed cells. The kiln drying stabilizes and strengthens the wood in addition to killing bugs. Storage in a non climate controlled facility will allow the wood to obtain some ambient moisture that will be readily released without defect when brought back into a climate controlled environment.

 

[jeff...]

Found a few threads over on woodweb along the same lines as this subject.

http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Moisture_Regain_in_Dried_Lumber.html
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Storing_kilndried_lumber.html

Thanks

 

[NCPete]

need dry storage??? http://www.boxtcontainers.com

20 or 40 feet X 8X8. Cheap, and ownership is an option, too.

 

[Dusty Sawyer]

Once kiln dried, out of the rain, direct sun, and away from bugs is good enough for me. The info Kyle posted is right on target. You don't need to keep the wood in a controled environment like that.

Sure, wood takes on the moisture content of it's environment to a degree as does anything else; drywall, paint, carpeting, plants, and even your body adjusts for hot, cold, moist and dry climates. This will happen to a small degree even as you move your finished project from one room to another within your house. I look at some of the antique furniture in my house that probably came from old drafty houses, a back porch, or barn, and wonder how it survived

 

[William Roscoe]

You've got the right idea, Jeff, looking on the WoodWeb and listening to Gene Wengert. I've designed a small warehouse to store my dried lumber in and it's based on what I've read from that site. Insulate your walls and ceiling and use styrofoam under your concrete floor to help prevent condensation. Radio shack sells a small digital therm. and humidity meter to hang on the wall. Then put in a wood stove. As silly as it might sound, start a fire when the humidity is up, even if it's 90 degrees outside, and that plus your insulation should keep your lumber dry. If you keep your bldg. tight, you shouldn't have to start a fire very often. This is what I'm doing now with my wood shop and it works great except I cannot use my shop while it's 110 degrees. That's why I'm in a hurry to start on the warehouse.:BangHead:

 

[jeff...]

Seems there are a few differnt ways of looking at it, but I'm going to do the best I can to store my lumber in a climate controlled area. I really don't want it picking up moisture after it's already been kiln dried, if that makes sense :eusa_thin

Thanks everyone for your input