Air drying different species

[True North]

Hey guys. I was wondering if someone could give me some advice.

I would like to cut several species this summer and sticker it outside (covered with metal) to dry for several months to a year, and then kiln dry it in the future. I understand that some species will last outside better than others. For red oak, popple, sruce, and maple, will it be ok to dry it outside like that?

Also, if the trees are cut in the spring/summer after the sap is running, will I have to worry about mold if they get stickered right away? Also, with those species I have been told that if they are cut to late into the spring or summer, you need to saw them right away. How fast is right away?

[petefrombearswamp]

Hi True,
If you sticker it at the ends and every 2' and cover no problem except, in my experience ,Hard maple which will sticker stain.
I sticker it for about 3 days and then re- stack moving the stickers slightly. I make my own stickers for this in a I-beam cross section configuration to aid with air flow.
When I only have a few boards of HM,  30 or so i line them up vertically along my nearby pole bldg for again 3 days so the surface dries then stack them as outlined above.
Labor intensive but worth it.
It is important to get the stickers exactly above each other to prevent undue strain.
Good luck,
Pete

[True North]

Thanks, Pete!

[Brad_S.]

I like to keep my oaks (white especially, red to a lesser extent) shielded from breezes or heavy air flow for at least a couple of weeks to prevent surface checking. White oak has very little tolerance for dry breezes flowing across it. I have had issues in as little as a day after stacking.

[woodmills1]

direct sunlight even when it is cold will cause oak to rapidly surface check