Air Drying Green Lumber

Green lumber should be piled on stickers as soon as possible after sawing. This improves air circulation between the boards, speeds drying and prevents discoloration. Applying an end coating to the boards will reduce splitting and saves as much as 10% of the lumber value. Properly piled lumber dries quickly in warm, dry weather. Softwoods like pine will air dry to suitable moisture content in as little as 6 weeks during the spring and summer months. Hardwoods like oak will dry in 8 - 10 weeks. Little air drying takes place in late fall or winter. The illustration below shows a properly stacked pile of green lumber. The "stickers" (1 inch thick by 1.5 inches wide) and top weights should be aligned vertically and placed about 2 feet apart. Cover the top of the pile with a tin sheet with overhang on all sides. Leave a space between the cover and the lumber pile. Covering with plastic is not recommended.