Air Dry Inside or Outside

[davemartin88]

We're going to be air drying some reasonably large quantities of oak, cherry, and hopefully some sycamore in the near future- we have plenty of open space where we could cover the stacks of wood outside properly stickered,  covered,  and with some landscape type fabric to keep out water but allow air circulation from the sides. We also have space inside a large, unheated (or cooled) building that is used mainly for storing hay (I hesitate to call it a barn because of how nicely it's built) but  certainly wouldn't get any real air movement? We could stack and sticker on pallets, then move it inside so would certainly be less work with the indoor approach. I know that lumber is dried inside barns all the time but if you have the choice, which would probably be a better approach, the wood will be stacked starting in May we're located in northern Va. Thoughts?

[Kelvin]

Outside is the way to go.  Old barns with gaps in the siding designed to dry hay are okay for drying lumber, but they even go so far as to say arrange your stacks outside so that the stickers run east west so the prevailing winds can blow through.  I only put something over the stacks if it is lumber that is prone to air dry to fast, like white oak.  Haven't had trouble with red oak, but depends on your local climate.  I always tell my customers to stack their lumber outside on good bases that won't sink or frost heave.  On the sycamore make your stickers every 12" at least.  its squirrely and it will help if you do.  Make sure to have some heavy weight on top.  I like to use pallets with my firewood i'm drying in them.  Good, cheap dead weight.
Have fun,
KP

[davemartin88]

Thanks Kelvin, outside seemed like the way to go to me as well. Sounds like we can save the indoor space to hold wood once it's dried and can be dead stacked. Thanks.

[WDH]

If you put the sycamore in the barn to dry, it will stain on you.  Yellow Poplar, Maple, Hickory, Pecan, Hackberry, etc will be ruined from stain if it does not get good air circulation in the first month or so of drying.  I fear that there will be inadequate air flow in the barn.  The cherry would probably do OK, maybe even the oak.  I would not risk it.  To air dry, you need air, and lots of it.