Storing Lumber Outside?

Good Evening: :)

I'm wondering is there any reason why I couldn't store S4S and rough lumber outside, assuming it was covered and neatly stacked?

My shop is about 20 X 25 and I have a lot of lumber on one wall. Pretty much from floor to ceiling taking up a good 10' of wall space. Every time I go in there I think, sheesh I wish I could have that wall for something else. The weather here rarely goes below freezing although it is a damp climate. If it was out of the rain, could I keep it outside? Maybe in a little shed just for that purpose?

Thanks for any and all input....:) :wave:
 
if yu look at your larger hardwood suppliers yu will see that they basically have it outdoors as well, covered with a roof and maybe a sunshade..but if they had to have everything inside the building costs would to much overhead costs..
 
I don't keep 1000's of bf of lumber, I usually buy it as I need it so I keep it all inside. By keeping it inside my shop I don't have to let it acclimate before I use it. I would keep my finished stock inside. Keeps the bugs and critters from setting up a homestead in it. Pine will turn grey and weathered looking if left outside too long.
 
Mine is outside in Mint Tubs (basically a metal shed). It keeps 99% of the weather off of the boards. They are stickered to eliminate molding and help in circulating air. I would not have a shop if I didn't store my wood this way.
 
Keep in mind that the lumber will equalize with the humidity somewhat depending on species. You can store kiln dried lumber outside covered but there can be moist air and even mist blow through the stack. This will raise the moisture content of the wood back up. Stored indoors out of the elements helps some to keep moisture out but the humidity of the air will also cause a rise in moisture content of the wood. Kiln drying sets the sap in woods and changes the ability of wood cells from taking on moisture. This does vary by wood species.

My shop is well insulated and heated and I will bring lumber in to acclimate (a few months) to the different environment for a while before using it to build something. I dried some white oak down to 6% and stored it in my barn. I think it is at 10-12% now which might be O.K. for furniture in Michigan, but not for furniture in New Mexico or Nevada. A moisture meter tells you where the wood moisture is at. Moisture change in wood can cause real problems with joints especially in air dried wood.
 
I have some 2x4's in sawhorses behind my shop that have been covered all winter. They were kiln dried and MC was around 8-10% when I first covered them. Now though the MC is 18-20% with a winter long outdoor humidity level around 90%. (the wood is sitting 3' above uncovered ground with airflow through every layer and the tarps 2' above the ground so moisture is not trapped inside from the ground.)

I keep all my hardwood in my shop so the MC stays as close to original as possible.

A small shed I think would be ideal as long as it has ventilation so it does not get too humid in the winter and bake the wood in the summer. Those two extremes will warp and twist your wood faster than anything.

I'm thinking of doing this myself to free up room in my shop.
 
Here it is in all it's glory, blue roof and all...



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hey brent i know you cleaned out your shop but just moving it outside doesnt count.. you need to organize what yu have and keep it inside and in order.. the stuff yu dont need can go outside or in the yard sale box but in your case i doubt they have any yard sales to far between houses:)
 
Yeah, once I get the shop organized, I'll fill the truck up and go to a local flea market or something... :rofl:
 
Cynthia
I've noticed many rural properties around Vanc Island and the Gulf Islands that have an open storage shed, sometimes just a roof on posts or maybe three-sided, which seem well-suited to your climate for storing RV's, lumber, vehicles, feed, or whatever. They keep the rain off and what little snow you might get. Your lumber would pick up some moisture, but seems to me it would soon aclimatise again after a few weeks in the shop.
There's a building of that sort on the list here for lumber, firewood and old farm vehicles, which we seem to be accumulating.
Take care
Peter
 
Cynthia
I've noticed many rural properties around Vanc Island and the Gulf Islands that have an open storage shed, sometimes just a roof on posts or maybe three-sided, which seem well-suited to your climate for storing RV's, lumber, vehicles, feed, or whatever. They keep the rain off and what little snow you might get. Your lumber would pick up some moisture, but seems to me it would soon aclimatise again after a few weeks in the shop.
There's a building of that sort on the list here for lumber, firewood and old farm vehicles, which we seem to be accumulating.
Take care
Peter

Peter, I'm liking this idea better and better. Do I need to worry about bugs? I guess I could put some netting around it?........

We've got one of these: http://www.shelterlogic.com/Product...3-48b2-b685-9df80095b3e8&CategoryName=Garages
would that work?
 
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your plastic shed yu linked to would work just fine,, and yu wont keep the bugs out of it.. if they want in they will get there.. so make sure no bark is on the lumber when its done being cut..
 
...and yu wont keep the bugs out of it.. if they want in they will get there.. so make sure no bark is on the lumber when its done being cut..

Not sure if it's available in Canada, but a borate product like TimBor would help keep the bugs out of it. You just spray it on with a garden sprayer and let it soak in and dry. Once dry, it's pretty much inert so far as humans & animals are concerned, but it acts as a dessicant to bugs.
 
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