How do I properly store fresh cut rough oak?

[ebinmaine 67,497]

One of the things that I'm going to be doing to my 1986 Ford f250 is build a flatbed completely out of wood.

 

I'm going to have some freshly cut likely very green rough oak coming to my house in the next week or two.

It's likely I won't get to use it for at least a couple months and it could even be until spring.

 

So my concern is, how do I hold it tight enough to keep from warping but also allow it to cure?

 

I was thinking about stacking it with 2x4s in between horizontally and then also doing the same thing vertically and strapping it in several places along the 8-ft length.

 

 

Would this work? Why or why not?

 

[cschannuth 3,816]

I’ve done cedar boards before without any straps but I did put heavy weights on top of the boards right at the location where I had the spacers and it did a good job. I had four stacks of eight boards and I had a spacer in between each board and I also put the four stacks a few inches apart so that everything could get air from all four sides.  However, that oak might have a mind of its own so strapping it down would probably be a good idea if you can do that without introducing any curvature into the boards.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,557]

I think in order for it to cure correctly it should be delivered directly to my house. I will make sure it cures correctly…

 

Oh… you want it back…?

 

[Achto 27,574]

43 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I was thinking about stacking it with 2x4s in between

 

I think 2x's might be a bit excessive. We air dried some lumber and used plaster lath in between the boards. The 1/4" spacing was great plenty for air to pass through. 

 

https://www.menards.com/main/search.html?sf_categoryHierarchy=&search=wood+lath

Edited September 20, 2021 by Achto

[8ntruck 7,004]

I think it is called stickering the lumber to dry.  Google it?  Lath boards between each layer sound about right.  Spaces between the vertical edges of the lumber are a good idea, too.  Probably ought to keep it under a roof to keep the rain off.

 

Depending on the thickness and the length of the lumber, it could take up to a year or 18 months to completly air dry.  The ends will dry quicker than the rest.  In doing so, they will shrink faster and will probably split.  Some will treat the ends with some sealer (wax, paint, etc.) to minimize this.  Hopefully, you prdered your fresh lumber a little long.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,043]

Sealing the ends of the boards is a good plan. You want all the drying done through the sides of the boards.

3/4" stickers are the norm.

Since it is green lumber stack the board edges tight together which promotes more even drying. As the free moisture leaves the wood spaces will develop between the boards which is a good indicator of the progress.

A hot attic is an ideal location to do it if possible. The cool down at night relieves some of the tension in the wood that develops during the hot drying process.

Weight on the stack is a big help.

 

Garry

[ebinmaine 67,497]

Awesome ideas guys. Thank you. 

[ebinmaine 67,497]

I ordered a "minimum length" of 8 ft. 

It's through a local Amish mill. Actual length could be anywhere from 8 to 10 or even 12 ft long depending what's available.  

I don't mind the extra length because the cutoffs will be used by Trina for various projects.  

 

It will be under cover out of reach of sun and rain. 

I like the attic idea but we don't even have one. (trusses). 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,497]

.....

Edited September 20, 2021 by ebinmaine
Double post

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,043]

White oak I hope. Red oak will not last.

 

Garry

[ebinmaine 67,497]

1 minute ago, gwest_ca said:

White oak I hope. Red oak will not last.

 

Garry

Likely is red 

 

White oak is rare locally. 

 

We use properly treated red oak on commercial truck beds. 

It does ok for maybe 4 to 6 years.