How to best dry logs for use later.

[Markus Johnson]

Hello all, I have been a lurker here for a couple months and love the forum.

I am planning on building a house in about 1-2 years and plan on hand hewing certain support beams in the house. I will be using large Douglas Fir trees and the dimensions will be 10-14" thick beams.

How should I dry the logs before I hand work them? I was planning on cutting them this winter, removing the bark and putting the whole log under cover for a year or two.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

I'll let others tell you the details but the bottom line is logs don't need (and can't realistically) to be "dried" by any reasonable means while waiting on use. Best to work "green" also in many cases.

Good luck!

Herb

[Hiway40frank]

First off im not sure how you plan on moving 10-14in beams, but in terms of drying I think unless you put the whole log in a kiln in wont dry until its milled/hewn and put in a structure. A milled 10x10 say white pine could take 6months to several years to dry depending on enviroment. If I were you I would work the beams green put them in green and just plan for shrinkage, even with a "dry" timber it is still not at the level of MC in the house.

[Markus Johnson]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I will cut the trees now and start shaping them. I will be moving and lifting with a tractor.

[thecfarm]

Markus Johnson,welcome to the forum. 
Hand hewing got my attention. Pictures later??

[jim blodgett]

I don't know what seismic zone you're in, or how your permitting process works up there, but if these are structural beams we would need a structural engineer to sign off on them here in western Washington.

Might be worth checking into before you fall the trees.

[Markus Johnson]

This build will have to adhere to the BC building code and will most likely require an engineering analysis. Which is why I am planning on overbuilding the main support beams. There will be many pictures to follow once the build starts..

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

I suggest you have the engineering analysis done soon as you will find that the strength and stiffness is greatly affected by the depth (height) of,a beam and not so much by its width.  Also, the unsupported span length is a key factor.  Finally, not all wood in the tree has the same strength...compression wood, pith,  juvenile wood (wood within 20 years of the center of the log) and knots (especially on or close to the bottom face) all greatly reduce strength.  You need to know the minimum size and wood quality required.  In most cases, the acceptable beam is based on deflection limits and not strength. 

Finally, as a beam is oversized or gets larger, its weight increases MORE than its carrying capacity.  This means that a little oversize does little for you, but it does prolong drying and can also increase checking and splitting which lowers strength.