Sawing and Drying

You are not logged in. [ Login ] Why log in
(NOTE: Login is not required to post)

how long to dry oak for barn construction

6/18/14       
Gene Wooden

Recently purchased a chain saw mill to mill logs into lumber to construct a barn. For 2x6 or 2x8 Red Oak how long should I air dry the lumber prior to use?

6/19/14       #2: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Texas Timbers

Red oak is a poor choice for a barn. It is not durable like white oak. When it comes to rot resistance and durability RO and WO are as different as night and day.

6/20/14       #3: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Richard

Im looking at a barn that is 40 years old and the exterior siding is made from red oak.

6/20/14       #5: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Dave Boyt

the red oak board & batton siding on our house is 35 years old, and still sound. If the wood is in the dry, decay will not be an issue. Our house framing (post & beam) was put up within a week of milling and, other than beams sagging a bit, no problem. If the wood is fairly straight grained, not too many knots and free of the pith (center of the growth rings), building green is an option. The wood will shrink about 5% in width & thickness, but less than 0.1% in length.

An advantage of fresh-cut oak is that you can actually nail into it without pre-drilling.

Texas Timbers is right about white oak being more durable when exposed to the elements. I use it for trailer decking and similar applications.

6/20/14       #6: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Texas Timbers  Member

Website: http://www.woodbarter.com

I'm glad to hear RO lasts so long for some of you. In this part of the country it doesn't fare very well. But of course, any species that is kept dry should be fine. Personally though, I will never use RO or Ash or Cottonwood other such species for exterior siding applications but your mileage may vary.

6/21/14       #7: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Gene Wooden

Hey guys, great to know that white oak is more durable and red oak has been on a barn for 40 years but back to the original question: How long should I let it air dry? And I would think the drying time would be longer in this 80% humidity in the south.

6/21/14       #8: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Tennessee Tim

Website: http://www.tsmfarms.com

For a barn, green is fine. I've used fresh cut and put to the barn that week. There's TOO MANY barns around in the USA that were done that way and still standing after 100 yrs. THIS is what I've found out from 30 yrs of construction...and being around barns...the best barns have concrete/stone bases and keep the wood off the ground (NO ground contact) and the wood is 18-24" above the ground. This allows good wood drainage and drying for the ends that get soaked with water. UNLESS geographical area and wood species differ we in TN have very few woods that we won't use on exposed walls, cottonwood and buckeye are NO-NOs.
Ground contact is a whole different story, white oak, locust, sassafras, cherry and walnut heart are better but hard to beat ground contact PT lumber.
Build it an use what you have. There's a book by Jack Sobon that says... every region has a different wood that was prime, But when you get done to the facts it was because it's availability at the time of build....and I've found that to be true.

Building techniques make the major difference on durability. I have a hunting cabin I built at the farm with green Tulip Poplar...never sealed, painted or treated it, it's exposed to the elements and after 17 yrs it's still in good shape. There are a few nailing techniques that allow wood to move as it dries and moves in moisture changes.

6/22/14       #9: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Gene Wengert-Wood Doc

Avoid sapwood of red oak as, with its sugars, it will attract insects and decay fungi. Keep it as dry as possible...good roof overhang and no shrubs or trees close to the walls to restrict drying breezes. Rain gutters will also help. A water repellant coating is awesome.

Nailing is important so that the wood can move without loosening the nail or screw. Wood movement means the outer surface can have some open joints unless special construction, such as board and batten, is used. Some pieces of oak from today's smaller diameter trees will warp. Today's wood also is not as decay resistant as in the past. So, old barns do not accurately predict the behavior of today's barns made with today's wood.

Woodpeckers, carpenter bees, termites, powder post beetles, etc. are risks, so keep you eye on the wood and fix the any issues promptly to avoid severe damage...it may not happen, but often it does.

Note that in most of the South, the average relative humidity is close to 65% to 75% RH which is 12% to 15% EMC. Our bodies say it is more humid, but our bodies do not estimate humidity well. What large city are you close too? You can look up the condition at
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplrn/fplrn268.pdf

6/24/14       #10: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Dave Boyt  Member

Website: http://www.norwoodsawmills.com

Gene, your comment that today's wood is not as rot resistant as it used to be intrigues me. Why is this? Is this true of most species?

For oak board & batton, I've had the best luck with a single nail in the center (width wise) of the board, with the head of the nail against the side of the board that was toward the center of the tree. The single nail lets the wood shrink width wise without shrinking, and nailing against the side toward the inside of the tree keeps the board from cupping.

6/24/14       #11: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Gene Wengert-Wood Doc

The Wood Handbook has recently indicated that baldcypress, redwood and pines have a difference. I suspect that we will likely see western red cedar and others added in future additions of this text.

I do not think that anyone has come up with a proven theory on why this is happening.

6/24/14       #12: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Gene Wengert-Wood Doc

Oops!

...future editions of this text.

8/6/14       #13: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Eric

Most folks will tell you a barn can be built from green. If you do that, expect shrinkage and gaps to form where boards meet. 8/4 will take longer to dry than 4/4, for obvious reasons (thicker means more time for moisture to transpire).

Wood dries faster in the warmer summer months than in the cooler winter months. The moisture comes out rapidly at first, then more slowly. So if you cut the wood early enough in the season, sticker and stack it properly to promote airflow, then you can probably use it at the end of the summer and will have less shrinkage than green. You'll still get some, just not as much. I'd recommend tight joints as much as possible. Now, if you are building the hay loft, for example, and want some gaps to promote air flow to dry the hay, just deck it green and let the drying happen, and it will form nice little 1/4" gaps for you ;-)

8/13/15       #14: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
olcus  Member

Hey Eric, I've got a similar project ahead of me usin' green Red Oak (Board and Batt.) for siding. A quarter inch gap you say... is that with 4/4 or 8/4... what dimensions? That would be some handy information for me. Also I've heard kiln dryin' time to kill the bugs at 155 deg. F is 30 minuets and I heard also 4 hours... almost makes my Vertigo come back... so what do you say on that matter? Thanks hoss.

2/19/22       #15: how long to dry oak for barn constr ...
Carl Cuperstone Member

Building techniques make the major difference on durability. I have a hunting cabin I built at the farm with green Tulip Poplar...never sealed, painted or treated it, it's exposed to the elements and after 17 yrs it's still in good shape.


Post a Response
  • Notify me of responses to this thread
  • Subscribe to email updates on this Forum
  • To receive email notification of additions to this forum thread,
    enter your name and email address, and then click the
    "Keep Me Posted" button below.

    Please Note: If you have posted a message or response,
    do not submit this request ... you are already signed up
    to receive notification!

    Your Name:
    E-Mail Address:
    Enter the correct numbers into the field below:
     

    Date of your Birth:



    Return to top of page

    Buy & Sell Exchanges | Forums | Galleries | Site Map

    FORUM GUIDELINES: Please review the guidelines below before posting at WOODWEB's Interactive Message Boards (return to top)

  • WOODWEB is a professional industrial woodworking site. Hobbyist and homeowner woodworking questions are inappropriate.
  • Messages should be kept reasonably short and on topic, relating to the focus of the forum. Responses should relate to the original question.
  • A valid email return address must be included with each message.
  • Advertising is inappropriate. The only exceptions are the Classified Ads Exchange, Machinery Exchange, Lumber Exchange, and Job Opportunities and Services Exchange. When posting listings in these areas, review the posting instructions carefully.
  • Subject lines may be edited for length and clarity.
  • "Cross posting" is not permitted. Choose the best forum for your question, and post your question at one forum only.
  • Messages requesting private responses will be removed - Forums are designed to provide information and assistance for all of our visitors. Private response requests are appropriate at WOODWEB's Exchanges and Job Opportunities and Services.
  • Messages that accuse businesses or individuals of alleged negative actions or behavior are inappropriate since WOODWEB is unable to verify or substantiate the claims.
  • Posts with the intent of soliciting answers to surveys are not appropriate. Contact WOODWEB for more information on initiating a survey.
  • Excessive forum participation by an individual upsets the balance of a healthy forum atmosphere. Individuals who excessively post responses containing marginal content will be considered repeat forum abusers.
  • Responses that initiate or support inappropriate and off-topic discussion of general politics detract from the professional woodworking focus of WOODWEB, and will be removed.
  • Participants are encouraged to use their real name when posting. Intentionally using another persons name is prohibited, and posts of this nature will be removed at WOODWEB's discretion.
  • Comments, questions, or criticisms regarding Forum policies should be directed to WOODWEB's Systems Administrator
    (return to top).

    Carefully review your message before clicking on the "Send Message" button - you will not be able to revise the message once it has been sent.

    You will be notified of responses to the message(s) you posted via email. Be sure to enter your email address correctly.

    WOODWEB's forums are a highly regarded resource for professional woodworkers. Messages and responses that are crafted in a professional and civil manner strengthen this resource. Messages that do not reflect a professional tone reduce the value of our forums.

    Messages are inappropriate when their content: is deemed libelous in nature or is based on rumor, fails to meet basic standards of decorum, contains blatant advertising or inappropriate emphasis on self promotion (return to top).

    Libel:   Posts which defame an individual or organization, or employ a tone which can be viewed as malicious in nature. Words, pictures, or cartoons which expose a person or organization to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person or organization, are libelous.

    Improper Decorum:   Posts which are profane, inciting, disrespectful or uncivil in tone, or maliciously worded. This also includes the venting of unsubstantiated opinions. Such messages do little to illuminate a given topic, and often have the opposite effect. Constructive criticism is acceptable (return to top).

    Advertising:   The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue. Companies participating in a Forum discussion should provide specific answers to posted questions. WOODWEB suggests that businesses include an appropriately crafted signature in order to identify their company. A well meaning post that seems to be on-topic but contains a product reference may do your business more harm than good in the Forum environment. Forum users may perceive your references to specific products as unsolicited advertising (spam) and consciously avoid your web site or services. A well-crafted signature is an appropriate way to advertise your services that will not offend potential customers. Signatures should be limited to 4-6 lines, and may contain information that identifies the type of business you're in, your URL and email address (return to top).

    Repeated Forum Abuse: Forum participants who repeatedly fail to follow WOODWEB's Forum Guidelines may encounter difficulty when attempting to post messages.

    There are often situations when the original message asks for opinions: "What is the best widget for my type of shop?". To a certain extent, the person posting the message is responsible for including specific questions within the message. An open ended question (like the one above) invites responses that may read as sales pitches. WOODWEB suggests that companies responding to such a question provide detailed and substantive replies rather than responses that read as a one-sided product promotion. It has been WOODWEB's experience that substantive responses are held in higher regard by our readers (return to top).

    The staff of WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at WOODWEB's Message Boards. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB's Message Boards after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages it deems inappropriate. (return to top)


  • Forum Posting Help
    Your Name The name you enter in this field will be the name that appears with your post or response (return to form).
    Your Website Personal or business website links must point to the author's website. Inappropriate links will be removed without notice, and at WOODWEB's sole discretion. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    E-Mail Address Your e-mail address will not be publicly viewable. Forum participants will be able to contact you using a contact link (included with your post) that is substituted for your actual address. You must include a valid email address in this field. (return to form)
    Subject Subject may be edited for length and clarity. Subject lines should provide an indication of the content of your post. (return to form)
    Thread Related Link and Image Guidelines Thread Related Links posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should point to locations that provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related Link that directs visitors to an area with inappropriate content will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Thread Related File Uploads Thread Related Files posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. Video Files: acceptable video formats are: .MOV .AVI .WMV .MPEG .MPG .MP4 (Image Upload Tips)   If you encounter any difficulty when uploading video files, E-mail WOODWEB for assistance. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related File that contains inappropriate content will be removed, and uploaded files that are not directly related to the message thread will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links, files, or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Sponsors
    • Carter Products
      Band Saw Guides, Blades, Wheels, Tires, Line Lasers and 2D Projectors, Wide Belt Sanding Accessories, Vacuum Holding Systems and More
    • Baker Products
      Industrial Woodworking Machines, Wooden Pallet Manufacturing Machines, & Portable Sawmills
    • Rose Machinery
      Horizontal Band Re-rips, Standard & Custom Designed Machinery
    • Forestry.com
      Forestry.com is a specialized platform with educational content and equipment for Loggers and Foresters

    Become a Sponsor today!