What kind of southern wood needs the least drying?

[brdmkr]

A friend is inerested in having me saw some planks for a 'rustic look' inside his shop.  He asked about SYP, but without a means to set the sap and with temperatures inside the shop exceeding 100 degrees, I didn't think that would be a good idea.  I don't think he would really care what kind of wood he uses, but I don't think he would like the sap.  What would be a good wood for an interior given the wood can only be air dried?  I suppose the other stipulation is that it needs to readily available and CHEAP.

[Rod]

Hemlock

[Tom]

I've used water oak and laurel oak cut thin.....as in 3/8 or 1/2 inch thick.  You have to be careful drying it because the thin stock cups pretty bad.

SYP would make some pretty paneling and it would be light and easy to nail.   Cut it a shy 1".   7/8 or 3/4 would work good.  I wouldn't worry too much about the sap.  If the lumber is from good trees, the pitch pockets will be minimal.  Dry it as good as you can and finish drying it inside of his shop.  You will know which boards are going to seep.

Cypress would make the best paneling if you have access to some.

[woodbeard]

Cedar dries in almost no time, with little shrinkage. It also is very good for the rustic look.

[rebocardo]

Cedar and birch dries very quick. Being southern, I would say sweetgum since it is widely available and once dry you will not have sap problems, though I would not cut it thin since it will probably warp when cut thin and stacked inside. I know my sweetgum firewood dries very quickly compared to oak.

[tnlogger]

popple an other choice if you can get it. make board and battan nail it up green

[brdmkr]

Poplar  and cedar are not readily available, though I agree that both would be a good choice.  I had wondered about sweetgum.  DanG showed me a sweetgum board and it looked nice.  Would you nail it up green and let it dry in place or would you air dry first?

[Rockn H]

Oak can be put up green.  Often is on the outside of a shop.  The inside may cause a problem with the acids in the wood if he doesn't have good ventalation till it dries.