Boards touching in air drying stacks?

[Dave Shepard]

What's the consensus on board edges touching when making stacks for air drying? I've always tried to leave an inch or so between boards.

[AnthonyW]

That is how I have been doing it, so I hope it is right. As I stack on pallets that are generally 45" wide, I can fit five 8" boards or four 10" boards with 1" between them. If I have to leave more space, my stacks will likely grow from 20-25% in height. As it is I have come to learn (the hard way) I should be aiming for 9" and 11" wide so I can end up with 8" and 10" finished boards.

Now if I could figure out a way to keep the mice out of the stacks. I have heard of bat boxes, is there such a thing as an owl or hawk box?  :D

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

The idea of a space between pieces was to encourage vertical, downward air flow in a wide (8' or wider) stack. It does not help drying in narrower stacks as there is good air flow from the wind. A space is not wrong, but is not needed or helpful. In fact, it may allow a bit more side bend compared to tight.

On the other hand, we usually pull the piece on one edge out to the pile edge and leave one gap. This is to help with pile integrity (reduce tipping risk) and make piles look neat with even edges.  The two edge pieces in each layer should be full length with shorter pieces inside.

[Henk198]

Now if I could figure out a way to keep the mice out of the stacks. I have heard of bat boxes, is there such a thing as an owl or hawk box?  :D

There is an owl box, here is a link on how to build and position them: http://modernfarmer.com/2014/05/build-barn-owl-nest/

One barn owl eats around 2000 mice a year, a nesting family of barn owls up to 8000 mice per year 

I have seen them nesting here(Holland, europe) in the truss of an old barn. Some old barns (churches too), even have a hatch up in the roof/attic area, to encourage the owls nesting there. They seem to like open barns, where they can enter and leave at will. They are absolutely dead silent in flight, and they can turn their heads almost 360 degrees. Farmer said he had seen them catching mice in the barn itself too  :D

[petefrom bearswamp]

Dr Gene made this observation many posts ago and since  have stacked my hemlock 4 wide and tight with no negative results.
In fact 2x8x12 I stacked tight last fall before leaving for florida weighed about half of green weight on Thursday.
My helper liked that!

[Dave Shepard]

I was just concerned about mold or stain on fresh white pine where it made contact. Thanks.

[AnthonyW]

Now if I could figure out a way to keep the mice out of the stacks. I have heard of bat boxes, is there such a thing as an owl or hawk box?  :D

There is an owl box, here is a link on how to build and position them: http://modernfarmer.com/2014/05/build-barn-owl-nest/

One barn owl eats around 2000 mice a year, a nesting family of barn owls up to 8000 mice per year 

I have seen them nesting here(Holland, europe) in the truss of an old barn. Some old barns (churches too), even have a hatch up in the roof/attic area, to encourage the owls nesting there. They seem to like open barns, where they can enter and leave at will. They are absolutely dead silent in flight, and they can turn their heads almost 360 degrees. Farmer said he had seen them catching mice in the barn itself too  :D

Way cool! I wonder where I could get some lumber to build one (or ten).  ???  :D

[WDH]

I always stack tight.  No issues.  All my stacks are 48" wide.

[Peter Drouin]

All 4' wide here, and ¼" apart.

[bkaimwood]

I was just concerned about mold or stain on fresh white pine where it made contact. Thanks.

Valid concern, Dave....I have recently started stacking my boards all tight, due to the majority vote...saves space, so far GREAT results... EXCEPT on EWP!!! Blued edges is a reality, and is currently happening to me... In some applications, it doesn't matter... In most of mine, it does...so back to a small space, but only on EWP...