Hackberry Staining

Hackberry gets a green chemical stain if not sawn and put in a kiln without delay. February 12, 2007

Question
The hackberry I have air dried has a green stain under the surface when planing, and blotchy grain after you get through the stain. What is the procedure to eliminate this? Also having problems with sticker stain on ash. Does it help to use 3/4 x 3/4 stickers instead of 3/4 x 1 1/2?

Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor J:
I do not have personal experience with hackberry, but I did research it quite a bit. To prevent staining in hackberry, you need to get it into a kiln as soon after sawing as possible, preferably the same day that that the tree was cut down. I believe this is the main reason that hackberry has no value, because it is pretty difficult to cut the trees down, mill them, and get them into a kiln in the same day.

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From contributor L:
I orient my air drying stacks so the prevailing wind can blow through the layers and not be blocked by sticks. Biggest trouble I’ve had with hackberry logs is grey stain if they lay for more than a few days during the summer. I think a grooved stick helps with any light colored wood. I use them myself. They measure 1 1/4" by 3/4".

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From Professor Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
Indeed, hackberry is best dried if it is put into a kiln ASAP. Some people have had great success with a steaming before drying treatment, but this may be covered by a patent. The color you see is called chemical stain and also is called enzymatic stain, oxidation stain, and enzymatic oxidation stain. It is not fungal or bacterial. Check the archives here for more info.