Drying black ash on pallet

[beppi]

Hello all I have a question about drying my black ash.  I built a pallet 48" x 72" x 4" high I then sticker/stacked my ash on it about 4 feet high put tin on top and a bunch of weight.  Now its going to sit for a year or so outside but my problem is where I live we get about four feet of snow during the winter months, should I be tarping it so the snow doesn't touch the sides of the stack or should I just leave it the way it is?  Thanks in advance Rick.

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

A temporary roof over the top would help, but if it is stacked right now, it will be drying in a few months and so you should move it into a protected location.  In other words, three months of summer drying will achieve a low MC so it is ready for the kiln.  Leaving it outside longer is not a good idea.

Ash is a favorite food of ambrosia beetles, so make sure your yard is free of wood debris.  Also, the pallet should be in the kiln to sterilize it before using it again.

[beppi]

Thanks for the advice unfortunately I don't have access to a kiln, should I just bring it inside then before the snow flies, and will I be able to achieve proper MC without a kiln?  I have a variety of pieces in the stack some 2.25 inches thick and some 1 inch.  I was under the impression that it takes 1 year per inch to dry properly.  Thanks again.

[YellowHammer]

Ash dries pretty fast in the hot summer air, and it might be down to 20% including fall air drying time.  

Don't let the snow get to it and don't enclose it with a tarp or it will zebra stain.  Ash is prone to sticker stain when green and is also prone to sticker spalt or not exactly enzyme rot when left drying in a high moisture environment. So basically moisture will get hung between the stickers and the wood will stripe under the sticker and it won't plane out until the board is nothing but planer chips. 

So keep doing what you are doing but when Fall is here, finish the wood or protect it.  

The 1 inch per year air drying time is not applicable to 90% of the wood species and has ruined more wood due to overexposure to the seasonal elements during air drying than most anything else.  Ash is tough but does not like wet moist weather.  

If in doubt get a $30 moisture meter from Home Depot.  They are "reasonably accurate", better than their price would suggest. 

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

You really need a kiln to finish drying.  The kiln could be a hot box, a dehumidifier kiln, a controlled humidity room or even a partitioned (with plastic sheeting) section of a room  This could be a or even a small solar kiln.

[beppi]

 

Thanks for the replies everyone finally got out to my camp and took a picture of the stack, to give you some reference as to how I stacked my lumber.(Also first time posting a pic lol)  Will certainly be bringing it indoors before the snow flies.  Have since put a poplar log on top for extra weight.