Building a shed with "new boards"

[theboman]

We have several oaks (mostly white, a few red) and we look to get a fella with a portable mill coming to saw so we can build a 24X16 shed (3 sides closed).  How long should we let the boards dry?  (just covering in plastic after cutting, we have no other way to store them.

Total greenhorn when it comes to this stuff. 

We had our lot cleared in the late summer/fall and the most logs have been down since then. There are a few newer that we took down and have a few others we are planing on taking down before the milling begins (if that's the proper use of milling).

'ppreciate anything you tell me!

[tyb525]

-A year minimum, especially for white oak, although you should be able to build with wood that is still slightly green.

-When you stack them make sure to put stickers in between them a couple feet apart minimum. (Stickers are narrow boards about 1"x3/4" and as long as you want the stack to be wide.)

-Put the perpendicular to the boards in between each layer, with the narrow dimension vertically "(i.e. it's 3/4 wide by 1"  high looking from the end).

-Only cover the top, not the sides, in order to get good airflow.

-Make sure the ground it is on is pretty close to level.

P.S. Oak is a pretty nice wood to be using for framing, are there any other trees around such as poplar, maple, elm, etc., to use?

I'm sure other have tips...

[fishpharmer]

Welcome theboman,
Where ya from?  Your location could make a big difference in drying time.  Thats about the extent of my knowledge thus far.  I am sure someone here can give you a good answer.  You might trying the search function as well. 

Get to know some folks they are a great bunch.

[brdmkr]

First, welcome to the forum.  Regarding your lumber.  I would not cover it with plastic.  You want to sticker it so that air can circulate around it; plastic might reduce air flow and trap moisture leading to mold.  Stickering involves cutting 1x sticks (1 x 1, 1 x 1.5, etc) and laying these perpendicular to your lumber.  Stickers should be placed over each course of boards and stickers should be perfectly lined up vertically.  Placing the lumber under a shed or putting some plywood on top (stickers need to be between plywood and lumber) will help keep rain and sun off of the boards.  Once you are finished stickering and stacking, place some weight on top.  The weight will help keep the boards from 'moving' as they dry.  I don't really know how long to leave them.  Some say 1 year per inch, but that is likely excessive.  If you are using the lumber for siding, you can put it up as board and batten and shrinkage will not be much of an issue.  I know with pine you can do this with the lumber fresh off of the saw.  Not sure about oak.  Maybe someone else will have some ideas there.  The white oak is pretty rot resistent and should hold up well.  I would not use red oak for siding.

Your sawyer ought to be able to offer advice on stacking, stickering, and drying as well.  There is a good cahnce that he will be able to cut your stickers while sawing the lumber. 

Good luck!

Well, I see that I typed too much. 

[marklambert61]

How is it sticker and stacked?

Mark

[brdmkr]

I did a quick search.  This file ought to have some pictures and additional information.  Also, there is a really large manual on kiln drying lumber published by the forest service.   Someone will likely be along to provide a link.  I have a hard copy, but don't know the link.

Try the following (pdf on drying eastern hardwoods)

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/ah528.pdf

After looking at this pdf, I think this may be the 'large manual' I was referring to.

[davemartin88]

A few years back, we built a shed/barn with mostly white oak that had just been cut- the wood is exposed on both sides for the most part so it dried in place. No issues with shrinking or structural integrity. Hated to use oak as well but it's what we had.

Have to be careful with nailing, etc. but don't believe you have to wait very long before using the fresh cut wood other than to let the obvious moisture on the surfaces dry up a bit. If you don't need to start right away, getting it stacked and stickered is key so you don't trap the moisture and end up with a big mold issue. Other posts describe how to get it stacked but I believe others will probably tell you they have built structures with fresh cut lumber. Your sawyer should be able to help you cut the stickers from the logs as they are milled.

[thecfarm]

I don't see a big problem with using it right off the mill for a shed.I made a horse run in,3 sides out of hemlock.Went into the woods,cut it down,twitched it out,sawed it up into lumber and built with it the same day.I would not cover with plastic either.I feel old steel roofing works the best for outside storage.Welcome to the forum.Others should post too.Lots of great ways to do things and get the same results in the end.

[theboman]

Thanks for all the great information.  We are having the trees cut up in middle/late April and we'll just go from there.

We got about a dozen trees down, some I know are too small, but they'll be used as poles in the shed, and gonna be cutting down several more to get the material.  And speaking of that, what's the smallest trees I should use?  I have nothing gigantic, a few pretty darn nice though.  Looks nearly all to be oak too. I ain't seen a popular on 5 acres that I can remember.

I know my dad built a barn 20 years ago with rough lumber, but I don't know where he bought it from but I know there was plenty of oak and I bent a pile of nails in that 1" stuff.

BTW, north eastern KY here in Carter County, the Tri-State of KY, WV and OH.

[theboman]

Did a rough count, measurement of logs.  At least 12 oaks with the smallest being 7+ inches at the smallest end, and the logs are 15' in length.  Many are in the 10" on the smallest end.  Got a couple bruisers too.

Got several other trees picked out and a couple others already down that I haven't trimmed and pulled up the hill that fit in size wise with the others 8-10" in size.  Sorry, I don't know the verbage for the big end of the log (butt?) and the small end (top?).

Any ideas on what sizes work to be cut into boards? Totally clueless here!

Got half dozen other logs (mostly oak) for the "poles" in the shed, they are all at least 6".

[scsmith42]

Siding is put up green all the time; the preferred method being a board and batten style with the board only nailed on one side.  The batten holds it in place on the other side), and allows the board to shrink underneath it as it dries.

[thecfarm]

You stated you bent a bunch of nails with some lumber your Father brought.This wood was dry,right?From what I read on here,you can drive nails into oak green,but when it's dry,it's harder to do.
About the size of your logs,bigger is better,or faster I guess I mean.I don't think I would bother much with a tree 6" on top end.This is inside the bark,by the way.I know others have sawed smaller,but it's a bother.Call up your sawyer and see what he says.
I myself prefer 10" boards with 4" batten.But if you don't have 10" boards,than you have to go to another width.

[davemartin88]

Did a rough count, measurement of logs.  At least 12 oaks with the smallest being 7+ inches at the smallest end, and the logs are 15' in length.  Many are in the 10" on the smallest end.  Got a couple bruisers too.

Got several other trees picked out and a couple others already down that I haven't trimmed and pulled up the hill that fit in size wise with the others 8-10" in size.  Sorry, I don't know the verbage for the big end of the log (butt?) and the small end (top?).

Any ideas on what sizes work to be cut into boards? Totally clueless here!

Got half dozen other logs (mostly oak) for the "poles" in the shed, they are all at least 6".

Do you have a cut list or know what size of lumber you'll need to build your shed? That would helpful for planning the milling. Small logs can make lumber but you may have to plan a bit more closely if that is all you have. Don't ask how often I've been asked to get as many 2x8's as I could from a 6" log and you may not get many usable pieces from each log? There's also lot more handling of smaller logs but think a good place to start would be to have a good idea of what you're looking to have when the cutting is done. I would make sure that your sawyer really has a good idea of what you're looking for and what logs are available before they get there.

[TblRxDave]

I'm no expert at at sawing and using green lumber, but this is what I've learned in the last three years of building my 32x44' barn. Small logs make small lumber and they have a tendancy to be highly reactive to warping, so getting them nailed or screwed in place within 3-4 weeks dry time has been my method. If you can't go wide go thick when sawing. Sometimes all that you can squeeze out of a log is 1-4x4 or two 2-2x4's, but you"re gonna work for it. I tried to stay within 12 to 18" log diameters on the average. Limited to 800lbs lifting  capcity with my little Kabota.
I used random width B and B SYP siding with 3/4x2" battons, and used a number of oak 2x6" girts. I had to pre-drill them. The nails would just bend if I did not drill. Can't say much for the quality of nails that are available these days. Anyway that's my two cents worth. Good luck on your project. David.
 

[scsmith42]

From what I read on here,you can drive nails into oak green,but when it's dry,it's harder to do.

4/4 dry oak will usually nail ok with a nail gun.  Hand nailing is a different story though...

[theboman]

It's been a brutal year, well, let's see my F250 is up to $3300+ in repair charges, still ain't running, still in the shop, where it's been the past 17 days.... But the sawmill man is a coming Monday morning to mill my logs into lumber so BO-DADDY can get his barn/shed!!!

He said I should have enough to get 1000' board foot,  if not I'll take down a tree or two that's within the scopes of what my little 'Bota tractor will pull. 

No promises but I'll try, or have the wife try to take a few pics as we progress. I'm his helper, with my bad shoulder and all!

[WDH]

Some pics would be nice.  You seem excited about the venture.  Makes me want to go out and build a sawshed .  I need one, thats for sure.

[LeeB]

Did you ever make up a cut list? How big of a shed are you trying to build? Not trying to be a spoiler, but 1000BF don't really go far.

[rbhunter]

He wants to build a 24' X 16' three closed sided shed.

[theboman]

Pics a coming soon.  He arrived at 5:45am and left at about 4:45pm and we got 1080 board feet.  It was a Wood Mizer something, a 1993 model he purchased in 1996 with 740 hours and if I remember correctly he had 7000+ hours or was it 4000? Anyhow, he impressed me and so the the mill!  He's nearly 70 I'm guessing and I worked my but off stacking and keeping the logs handy.   Most the boards are 16', there is a handful of 12' stuff too.  We had a crooked log or two that got culled but he cut nearly my entire stack and there was only one bad log!!  Ripped two sides and about 1/3 down the second rip the log hollowed out and there was no holes in the end or in the side either.

A 16X24 3 sided shed is the plan, and estimates came in at around 500 board feet total.
I didn't have a cut list and told him what I was building and he went to town and I relied on his experience.  2x4 for stringers and rafters and 2x6 for the top stringer with a 2x4 plate for the rafters to set upon.  He told me that'd take care of my little shed.

Wow, I want one now!! Not a lot of trees big enough for me to mill but loved the day.

BTW, anyone wanna but my 37' 5er? Take over payments and I'll give you my 2003 Ford F250!! It's blown up and looking at $7,000 for engine replacement!  I am serious on this deal! We're too broke to trade vehicles and the 5er needs a  3/4 ton to haul it around.