Drying Wood In Attic

You can over dry lumber i don t know if you can do that in your attic but it can be done but that doesn t necessarily make it twist.

Drying wood in attic.

Clean up any standing water with large absorbent towels or a wet dry vacuum. The attic is a handy place to dry small quantities of lumber. If it is raining or snowing cover the top of the stack with a tarp plastic sheeting or tar paper to keep rain and snow from touching the wood and dew from condensing on it. Bark on whole logs can act as a natural moisture barrier and if left unsawn can contribute to fungal decay and deterioration in some species.

Start off by air drying your wood for a few months to shed the first bit of water naturally maybe a loss of eight to ten percent. Firewood being stored in the attic firewood contains moisture that will. The attic is a handy place to dry small quantities of lumber. Stack the wood up with plenty of spacers or stickers to allow for good airflow and i like to put a piece of plastic on the ground under the wood to keep the humidity from the ground from effecting the lumber.

If a tree has just been cut down or there has been recent storm damage it s best to process the logs into lumber as quickly as possible. Here are some tips and cautions. Leave the wood uncovered so the wind and sun can dry it more quickly. Inadequate ventilation attics must be vented to allow moist warm air to escape.

A good foundation is critical to successfully drying wood. Put on protective gear such as gloves safety goggles and a breathing. You can air dry 4 4 lumber indoors from 15 percent to 8 percent in a single heating season. If it s a leaky roof or pipe place buckets underneath the leak to collect the water.

How to dry out an attic 1. Drying wood in the attic. Top causes of attic moisture. For elements that will be exposed to rain and sunlight wait at least 48 hours for boracare to dry before painting staining or sealing with a water resistant product.

The effects of over drying are different for every species. I ve had small stacks of wood drying in the attic the basement and the garage. Air conditioner condensate pan not draining. Remember you don t have to bring in the whole stack at once.

The most common method used to air dry lumber is to lay narrow sticks perpendicular to the layers of lumber to create an air space between each layer so the moisture can escape. Clothes dryers venting air to the attic rather than outside. Here are some tips and cautions. Locate the source of the water.

All exposed wood needs to be sealed within six weeks for boracare to remain effective. Just bring in enough to satisfy your needs for the coming year. Plastic is a more impermeable barrier but it will also stop condensation from evaporating.