Bringing wood into the house for woodworking projects

[samandothers]

I have some oak and birch behind the house I cut and stickered and has been air drying. The birch has been there for about 3 years and the oak for over a year or so.  Most is 1" and some 2" or so.   I want to bring into the house where it is closer to point of use and stack and sticker.  I would like to have it available as I start to work on projects.  However at the speed I do projects it could be there a long time!!!   :    The birch was cut first was not sprayed with Timbor or anything else.  The oak I did spray 'some' with Timbor.  Not sure I did a good job though based on what I have read here and given how I sprayed. 

My question is should I re-coat with Timbor prior to bringing in?  Am I inviting insects in?  I did not plan to take this would to a kiln to be dried. I appreciate your input!

[beenthere]

Won't know until you break the piles down and look at what you have going on in the boards.

Pretty much will depend on just where and how the piles are located and stacked as to your air drying results so far.

Keep us tuned in.

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

Do you have an attic?  That has great MC conditions and also heat that insects do not like.

I do not think Timbor is appropriate for dry lumber.  Adding water to species like oak can create lots of deeper checks and sometimes warp.

[samandothers]

I will probably move stack closer to house and restack this fall/winter and see what is going on in the stack.

I do have an attic however getting the wood too it could be quite challenging.  Dr. Wengert is it that Timbor would not be affective on dry wood or more the risk of causing issues with placing water back on/in the wood?  I gather it is the risk of causing issues with water being placed on dried wood.

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

In dry hardwoods, we are only concerned about the powder post beetle.  It can live in the wood for two years, making tunnels, before it exits, making the small holes on the lumber's surface.  So, there are two concerns:  First is adding water to the surface, especially oak, will increase checking size and depth and also will probably increase warp.  Second is that the chemical needs to get deep into the wood, which will not happen without a lot of water and a long treating time, which means that we will have to retry the wood.

Note that the risk of getting PPB in air drying is small.  It is more likely to get it when your lumber is stacked or held in proximity to infected lumber...especially foreign wood.  In either case, getting the wood to 133 F will kill the insects and eggs, so when the lumber leaves the kiln, it will be free of active PPBs.  Hold in in clean dry storage, and you will not have to worry about the PPB while you have the lumber.  (Document everything if you sell the lumber to "prove" that it is not your doing, but how the lumber was handled after it left your facility.