Replies

1. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Jan 05, 2005 06:17am | #1

   Drywall turns to mush when it gets wet.   Green lumber is wet. 

2. 
   301 | Jan 05, 2005 08:09am | #2

   If you can you want to use wood from the same batch of lumber with the same moisture content.  That way it can all dry together at the same time.  With experience you will see "twists" and other complications originate from any area where there is a different feature to the wood.  For example a knot hole or a big wide sticker from a dry source or even an area where the stickers were too far apart.

1. 
   olopua | Jan 05, 2005 12:59pm | #4

   I must object to your suggestion of using wet wood for stickers. That will result in sticker stain where the two wet surfaces touch. Stickers should be dry wood. I usually use 3/4 x 3/4 inch stickers.

1. 
   301 | Jan 06, 2005 04:14am | #7

   I have never experienced sticker stain...seems like there is always some new problem on the horizon.

1. 
   highfigh | Jan 06, 2005 05:30am | #8

   Most lumber yards will use 1 by to sticker the majority of the wood. There's no real reason to use 2 by since they have so much in stock that the stacks will get too high and be unstable, not to mention taking up too much space. When they get lumber, it's not stickered and as long as it stays together, it won't be, either. Most yards carry S4S as their main stock. Fewer will have rough stock, mainly the ones that specialize in it. They aren't going to spend a lot on stickers and as long as whatever keeps the stack off of the ground is lined up correctly with the stickers, the stack will be OK.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

2. 
   forestgirl | Jan 06, 2005 09:12pm | #9

   You've never experienced sticker stain?  Oh, el papa, you haven't lived yet!  I first learned about sticker stain when reading a "Help Me" letter to one of the mags.  Poor guy had made a large tabletop out of alder, I think, prepped it for finishing.  It was gorgeous.  Then he proceeded (applied stain or dye or whatever) and there they were -- distinct, uniform stripes from stickers.  Can you imagine?  What a nightmare.  Sanding did no good, light planing did no good.  Yikes.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   301 | Jan 06, 2005 11:09pm | #10

   Maybe it is species specific.  I have never dried alder (and likely won't) so who knows.  I have had "warps" originate under an extra wide or previously dry sticker but then again it may have everything to do with the materials involved.

2. 
   woodhoarder | Jan 07, 2005 02:14am | #11

   Papa,

   Sticker stain is not species specific, it can happen in any species in any climate. It occurs when the contacting surfaces of the wet lumber and wet stickers do not dry and mildew is allowed to grow. You may be in a relatively dry climate or are doing all of your drying inside under controlled conditions, that could reduce the risk of staining. It can also be caused by the presence of reactive metals (iron, etc.) in the wood from groundwater. The best way to avoid staining is to keep contact between board and sticker to a minimum, and to use CLEAN, DRY, hardwood for stickers.  The best stickers I have ever seen were ones used by an elderly mentor of mine, he used 3/4 x 3/4 hard maple, and cut 3/4" wide x 1/4" deep dadoes 3/4" apart all along the top and bottom edges of the sticker so it resembled dentil moulding. This effectively reduced the amount of contact surface by half without sacrificing strength or stability.

   If your boards are twisting, the problem is probably not the stickers, but insufficient clamping pressure on top of your drying pile, or uneven foundation boards.

   Happy Board Hunting!

   Woodhoarder

    

3. 
   budreaux | Jan 07, 2005 05:56am | #12

   That would be sticker shock indeed...

4. 
   forestgirl | Jan 07, 2005 05:59am | #13

   "sticker shock"  (tee hee)  Hadn't thought of it that way, but you're right.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

5. 
   301 | Jan 07, 2005 07:30am | #14

   I have bought poplar from my supplier on occasion that has dark horizontal stains running deeply into the stock.  That is the only time I have seen this situation.  I try to move my stickers slightly after a few weeks too, maybe that has saved me in the past.

3. 
   UncleDunc | Jan 05, 2005 09:52am | #3

   Even if the wood you're drying isn't wet enough to turn the drywall to mush, it might be heavy enough to crush the drywall that's near the bottom of the stack. If some of it crushes and some doesn't, some of your boards will no longer be straight.

4. 
   Frozen | Jan 05, 2005 05:03pm | #5

   The gypsum in drywall is hygroscopic, so I would expect it to do weird things in the presence of damp wood. I once left drywall dust on my drill driver after an installation, and it rusted the chuck something awful.

5. 
   gb93433 | Jan 05, 2005 05:20pm | #6

   When professional yards dry lumber they use sticks that are 3/4" X 1-1/2" and kiln dried. Anything that stays wet will promote sticker stain.