Replies

1. 
   Bearmon_ | Apr 02, 1999 10:29am | #1

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   What are you framing?

2. 
   Guest_ | Apr 02, 1999 04:49pm | #2

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   Flavius,

   Borrow one, you have to appreciate the damage you could do by installing lumber that is not properly seasoned or even dry. The stacking method you described is not the best, so check it out first, anything else would be irresponsible, and I don't think that's what you want.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 03, 1999 07:09am | #3

   *I live and build in the great northwest and I have always heard that a good rule of thumb for air drying lumber (stickered with 1" stickers) is one year for every inch of thickness of board. When I was starting out here in the late 70's we still used quite a bit of #2 doug fir to frame with. This was usually stamped "S DRY". - which we all called "sorta-dry" or "swamp-dry" and the debates raged over which was better framing lumber this fir or comparably priced #1 kiln dried hem-fir (hemlock and other than doug fir mix I think). Anyway, the doug fir studs and joists would move and twist quite a bit if you didn"t get them sheeted pretty quick so I'd be very carefull using anything with a moisture content higher than 20 to frame with. I don't see how a pile of boards with no stickers would dry much faster than a log would since no air is taking the moisture off the surfaces. I have come upon many a log in the woods that rotted from its own moisture not escaping. You may come out ahead by properly stickering the boards now and selling the lumber to pay for commercial lumber to build your project with. That fir, in good shape, could easily be worth more than you will pay at the local lumber yard.Good cheer and good luck.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 03, 1999 09:28pm | #4

   *flavius,North Jersey where I just installed a skylight with new framing is all built with western fir that is green (wet.) They look at you cross eyed in the lumber yard if you ask for it kiln dried.I would use it rough cut for out buildings or have it planed if the price is right...In any event, use the wood or get rid of it because I don't think it will be of much value stored as is, in time.Good luck, near the stream,J

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 09, 1999 08:02pm | #5

   *Can I have it? My wife gets so amorous when she builds a campfire!Blue

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 15, 1999 12:03pm | #6

   *whats a campfire??

2. 
   Guest_ | Apr 15, 1999 09:15pm | #7

   *A campfire is a small bonfire. On that you can cook over. Blue

3. 
   Guest_ | Apr 16, 1999 06:16am | #8

   *Fir is about the worst fire starting wood I have had the pleasure to burn...I do burn all my wood scraps but that fir...not the greatest at burning.Near the stream, burning my oak floor scraps,J

4. 
   Guest_ | Apr 17, 1999 01:47am | #9

   *I know what a campfire is , I meant whats amorous? Does it have anything to do with getting hot?

5. 
   Guest_ | Apr 18, 1999 08:37am | #10

   *Jack, Alot of us in the woodburning NW buy fir specifically for fire starter. Unlike our framing lumber, we require that it be seasoned. I sticker my 2x scrap for a season before it goes to the stove. Not sure what that says about my building practices.JonC

6. 
   Guest_ | Apr 20, 1999 05:38pm | #11

   *I seem to recall that the standard laboratory test for establishing (testing) and comparing wood-stove performance (BTU output) figures employs the burning of kiln-dried Douglas Fir 2X4's. I know that's how Jay Shelton out there near Santa Fe, New Mexico, gets his numbers anyway.Brian

3. 
   Bill_Popow | Apr 25, 1999 07:14am | #12

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   My neighbor milled and stickered some doug fir 2 years ago. It is too hard to drive a nail into now. If it hasn't rotted , use it or sell it. Bill.

4. 
   flavius | Apr 25, 1999 07:22am | #13

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   Almost exactly one year ago we cut a
   150' Doug Fir tree down in our yard
   where we added a carport. The tree boys
   hauled all the limbs and the sections of
   log smaller than 2 feet in diameter. We
   were left with 4 lengths of log, at 20
   foot in length. They sat for 9 months.
   I then hired a portable sawmill to slice
   the logs in to slabs of various
   thicknesses--nothing specific. These
   planks sat for 3 months stacked uncovered out in the open
   but with no spacers in between planks
   . Now I want to mill the
   planks into usable framing lumber. I
   live in the Seattle area--you know, lots
   o' rain. What do y'all think-will the
   framing material be usable right away,
   or am I going to have to wait some more
   until the stuff dries out some more? I
   don't have a moisture meter to determine
   moisture content. Thanks l