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Drying flooring in a garage.

Started by coalsmok, December 24, 2013, 08:27:36 PM

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coalsmok

I am planning on building a new house next year and want to use some of the oak and ash on site for flooring. The oak will be of mixed variety.
Would it be better to leave the rough cut lumber for flooring outside or bring it in to my unheated shop to dry? Or a mix of both then switch to running a dehumidifier to pull it to a more apropriate moisture level? 
Plan is to have someone else do the plaining and t&g. I want to end up with 4" width flooring.

Any help would be apreciated.
 

WDH

I would dry it outside, covered, so that the stack can get good air flow.  Once it has dried to 25% or lower, you could re-sticker it in the garage. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

The garage is more humid than your house, so the lumber will be too wet if only dried in the garage.  So, your idea of using a DH unit to get lower MCs is excellent.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

Larry

When I built my house a few years ago I did something similar to what your contemplating.  I air dried red oak for 7 months (excellent drying conditions) and got it to 20% or less.  At that point I moved it into the double car garage of the new house.  The garage was pretty air tight.  I put in a big dehumidifier.  After 6 weeks the lumber was in the 10% range and I started running trim/building cabinets.  For flooring it needs to be 8% or less which takes more time.

Timing is the secret and your dealing with a lot of variables.  If air drying I would want my lumber on sticks by March 1 to take advantage of the best weather.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

coalsmok

Ok looks like I need to leave it outside for awhile.  Was not certain if I could just bring down the mc faster by sawing then using a dehumidifer.
Thanks for the replies.

WDH

You could probably get away with it with the ash, but the oak has to dry slow.  The dehumidifier might dry it too fast and you could get internal checking and honeycomb.  Once below 25%, you can hit it pretty hard. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

jbuck984

my experience with red oak and air drying was not pretty....I have only tried it once... The garage and a dehumidifier seems like a good way to go since you should have some control of how fast or more like how slow it dries. Maybe we had too dry and windy of spring but if your air dried turns out like mine you will be sorely disappointed.   

Larry

Hot dry March winds can check freshly sawed oak deeply.  I orient my stack so stickers are at right angles to the prevailing wind (south for me) to prevent it from blowing through the stack.  I have also hung up one of those cheap blue tarps on the side of a stack to keep the wind from blowing through.  Usually only need to keep it in place for a day or two.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

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