How dry for outdoor use

Weekend_Sawyer · October 15, 2002, 08:07:18 AM

I am sawing 8/4 white pine to build my sawmill shed. I am leaving the sides open and will have an A frame roof overhead.

I am sawing, stacking and stickering and letting it air dry.
I am in maryland.

How long do you suggest I let it air dry here in central Maryland before I can use it.

Jon

Weekend_Sawyer · October 15, 2002, 08:24:31 AM

A little more about my milling shed,

A few months back I poured a 32'x24'x4" concrete pad for the shed. I have parked my Lumbermate on it and have been milling off of it.

One thing I have noticed is a LOT of sawdust is building up on the exaust side. I think I'm going to put an old flatbed trailer there to catch it. Any suggestions on sawdust managememt would be appriceated.

Jon

Don P · October 15, 2002, 05:25:06 PM

Lets see, you posted at around 10 this morning, the wood is white pine (watch your knot structure carefully for framing) framing lumber at the store is 19% for a heated building and you need to clean up first...I'd be happy with a month or 2., but for that use I've given it a good lunch break before hammering on it too.

Weekend_Sawyer · October 16, 2002, 06:25:21 AM

So what you are saying is, it is possible to use it green?

I have kind of gotten that impression from other earlier posts.

Jon

Don P · October 16, 2002, 09:41:15 AM

Although dry is always best, more stable dimensionally and nearly twice as strong, I'm envisioning an unheated/ non drywalled light frame building. If it moves a little in drying, no big deal. White pine shrinks about 2% radially, 6% tangentially and 0.1% lengthwise from green to dry, so your starting with a wood that has low shrinkage to begin with. Frame or pole construction use members in the lengthwise direction mostly so the shrinkage is not a huge deal in this instance. IMHO...
I like what Tom said about not speaking in absolutes, I see more and more exceptions the more I work.

Jeff · October 16, 2002, 08:16:35 PM

I will try to take a picture of my 10 by 12 barn I built out of red pine and white pine. It air dried about, oh, say, an hour and a half before I started building. I sawed all of it but the roof sheeting where I used OSB. Built the trusses, framing and siding with drippin green lumber. I am not a carpenter, but I think the sideing term I need is Board and batton? I sided it vertically and nailed 3/4 by 2s over the joints. The siding shrunk big time but not beyond the 3/4 by 2s coverage.

I love my barn. I just wish I could get in it. :D

Weekend_Sawyer · October 17, 2002, 05:03:43 AM

Another question on using green pine, when it gets hot in the summer does it drip much sap?

Jeff · October 17, 2002, 03:07:02 PM

I used osb for roof sheeting so I didnt notice any pitch. Sealed the outside of the barn with Olympic stain and left the inside raw.

My Barn.

Jeff · October 17, 2002, 03:08:51 PM

I just took this picture, you cant see it but its SNOWING! :'(

Ron Wenrich · October 17, 2002, 03:09:53 PM

What do you mean "drip"? One of the advantages of kiln dried lumber is the ability to set the sap.

I have replaced the outside of my house with air dried white pine. Most was air dried for about 3-6 months. That wasn't necessarily planned, but it worked out that way.

I used board and batten, as that was the original style. I have gotten a few pieces where the sap has come up, but only where the late afternoon sun has beat on it. After the initial resin rise, it seemed to set and hasn't caused any other problems. It rises and crystallizes.

I didn't have any pools of sap. You might get that with pitch pine. I've seen sap oozing off the lumber right after it was sawn.