The Forestry Forum

Hi all:  I have cut a large 12"x 12"x 24' beam and will be making 3-4 more. The customer wants me to keep them for a week or 2 till he can use them-- Is there a risk of turning black or other degrading during this time and should I do somthing ??? JP

There is a chance that a mold or mildew could develop.   The colder the ambiant air, the less chance that it will happen.

to minimize it, sticker the beam so that air can get all the way around it.   Keep it out of direct sun and provide an airflow just as if you were air drying it.

Spraying it or rubbing it down with a household beach, like clorox, cut about 3 (water) to 1 (bleach) will help to kill any mold spores that were carried to it from bark by the sawblade and make it difficult for air-borne spores to take a foot hold.

Note*  Household bleaches are already at a 5% solution.  If you use a pool bleach take note and don't use a strength that will harm the surface of the wood.

Tom the temps should be in  JP's favor in NH. ;)

Will

When I was doing some timber framing a few years ago, the customer wanted the white pine timbers light colored, not weathered.  They simply used a garden sprayer to spray a 50/50 mix of bleach and water on the timbers (less bleach would probably work, too).  It was neat to see how quickly they lightened....you could see light streaks forming down the sides of the timbers as the solution ran over the edge.

Thanks all: its about 30 deg now but may get up into 60-70 on Tue-Wed Ill spray them Monday---JP