Drying out fresh Timber

jfh

Hi,
i cut up boards from a beech tree that fell last February today.
i cut into 2" & 3".

just wondering if i should turn the timber regularly?
also should i put on a sealer to the ends of the boards to stop them drying out too quickly?


any advise much appreciated.

recipio

jfh wrote: »

Hi,
i cut up boards from a beech tree that fell last February today.
i cut into 2" & 3".

just wondering if i should turn the timber regularly?
also should i put on a sealer to the ends of the boards to stop them drying out too quickly?


any advise much appreciated.

Just from what I read allow one year per inch to air dry. Put the planks on 'stickers' ( battens ) and keep it in out of the rain. Beech is not very water resistant. I don't think there is much point in turning them. Ideally you should use beech also for the stickers and don't use mdf which will stain and degrade the timber. ( don't ask me how I know )
As for sealing the ends it will certainly prevent splits and is usually reserved for high value timber.
Beech is nice to use, very strong and splinter free so ideal for childrens toys.
Good luck. !

jfh

recipio wrote: »

Just from what I read allow one year per inch to air dry. Put the planks on 'stickers' ( battens ) and keep it in out of the rain. Beech is not very water resistant. I don't think there is much point in turning them. Ideally you should use beech also for the stickers and don't use mdf which will stain and degrade the timber. ( don't ask me how I know )
As for sealing the ends it will certainly prevent splits and is usually reserved for high value timber.
Beech is nice to use, very strong and splinter free so ideal for childrens toys.
Good luck. !

Recipio, good advise, appreciated. would you have any idea of where to get a wood sealer?

Prenderb

for sealer, apparently pva glue or any old paint are good options.

recipio

jfh wrote: »

Recipio, good advise, appreciated. would you have any idea of where to get a wood sealer?

The British company Chestnut make the stuff - try the Carpentry store in Naas. I have also bought wood blanks with a thick waxy end seal.
It gets a bit pricey for a lot of wood so I believe PVA glue diluted 10 % with water does the job. You are just trying to slow down the rate of evaporation from the end grain.
My experience of drying is limited to small scale garden trees which I cut on the bandsaw. I just let them dry in the shed for a year or two. A moisture meter is invaluable to track the progress and I get them down to about 14% or so.

blue5000

Just to add, put the stickers in every foot approx along the boards, also put some weight on top over the stickers which should be directly over each other to prevent warping, I use 25L drums filled with water or concrete blocks. Beech I cut this summer is down just below 25% MC. Don't delay sealing the ends.