Drying Wood In Attic

Inadequate ventilation attics must be vented to allow moist warm air to escape.

Drying wood in attic.

The most common method used to air dry lumber is to lay narrow sticks perpendicular to the layers of lumber to create an air space between each layer so the moisture can escape. All exposed wood needs to be sealed within six weeks for boracare to remain effective. If a tree has just been cut down or there has been recent storm damage it s best to process the logs into lumber as quickly as possible. Clean up any standing water with large absorbent towels or a wet dry vacuum.

Just bring in enough to satisfy your needs for the coming year. If it s a leaky roof or pipe place buckets underneath the leak to collect the water. You can air dry 4 4 lumber indoors from 15 percent to 8 percent in a single heating season. I ve had small stacks of wood drying in the attic the basement and the garage.

You can over dry lumber i don t know if you can do that in your attic but it can be done but that doesn t necessarily make it twist. Drying wood in the attic. How to dry out an attic 1. Here are some tips and cautions.

Leave the wood uncovered so the wind and sun can dry it more quickly. The attic is a handy place to dry small quantities of lumber. A good foundation is critical to successfully drying wood. Plastic is a more impermeable barrier but it will also stop condensation from evaporating.

Start off by air drying your wood for a few months to shed the first bit of water naturally maybe a loss of eight to ten percent. The effects of over drying are different for every species. Air conditioner condensate pan not draining. Remember you don t have to bring in the whole stack at once.

If it is raining or snowing cover the top of the stack with a tarp plastic sheeting or tar paper to keep rain and snow from touching the wood and dew from condensing on it. Bark on whole logs can act as a natural moisture barrier and if left unsawn can contribute to fungal decay and deterioration in some species. Drying wood in the attic. Put on protective gear such as gloves safety goggles and a breathing.

Locate the source of the water. Here are some tips and cautions. Stack the wood up with plenty of spacers or stickers to allow for good airflow and i like to put a piece of plastic on the ground under the wood to keep the humidity from the ground from effecting the lumber. Clothes dryers venting air to the attic rather than outside.

For elements that will be exposed to rain and sunlight wait at least 48 hours for boracare to dry before painting staining or sealing with a water resistant product. The attic is a handy place to dry small quantities of lumber. The twisting may be from many other factors such as stress in the tree or lack of proper weight on top of the drying stack of wood.