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I've just received my window shutters back after a company stripped years of lead paint off with caustic soda. The shutters are still quite damp, i'm wondering whether they need to be dried flat or upright?

I've tried to Google the question but nothing conclusive. The shutters are large and fairly heavy with panel detailing.

Thanks, D

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It may not make any difference, but the structural integrity of the shutters and how straight-grained all the wood is may make drying flat preferable if you can arrange it somehow. I would do this myself given the chance, just to be on the safe side.

Stacking them on the ground is probably sufficient (the bottom one not in contact with it) but if they can be supported higher up on sawhorses, an old bench, some old chairs all the better.

  • If on the ground raise the bottom one on some bricks, a couple of lengths of 2x4, something.

  • If using 2x4s the bottom shutter can go directly on them, if using bricks/sawhorses/bench/chairs you can protect them and/or it with a few layers of newspaper before placing first shutter1.

  • Then build your stack, using thin strips of wood in between the shutters to ensure airflow. And final step, place heavy weight on top to counteract any tendency they might have to warp (there may be none, this is just an insurance policy). You can use concrete blocks, stacks of bricks, buckets/old paint tins full of damp sand, weight-training weights or whatever for the weight, but any metal should not be directly in contact with the top shutter.

  • Now leave them for a week or longer. A few days might be enough, but I'd wait at least a week to be on the safe side and longer won't hurt2.

This is similar to how planks are stickered when air-drying if you're having trouble visualising it.

1 There may be some slight transfer of printing to the wood but this won't matter, regardless of whether you intend to use a clear finish instead of repainting, because some sanding is absolutely guaranteed to be needed and this should easily take care of it.

2 It won't hurt to leave them stacked this way for an extended period, so don't worry if life gets in the way and they get ignored or forgotten about for some weeks.

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  • I would add a suggestion to make sure that they're evenly supported, especially with a large stack and weight on top. If they're not, the bottom ones could start to sag a bit. It might not be too noticeable when they're drying, but when attempting to mount them on the house, the curvature might become quite obvious.
    – FreeMan
    May 20, 2022 at 12:30
  • @FreeMan, yes this is obviously vital, and it's why I posted a link to a pic showing a drying stack. ................unrelated, and since this has happened I think five or six times in the fast fortnight, my Answer not useful IYO?
    – Graphus
    May 20, 2022 at 14:37
  • A) I didn't click the link since I know what stickering is - I didn't even realize it was an image not a link to Wikipedia (or lumberjocks or something else). B) In comments, I try to call out things that I think need extra emphasis. Not that there's anything wrong with the answer itself. Things that I might have put in italics or bold if it had been my answer.
    – FreeMan
    May 20, 2022 at 14:41
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    You've taken me wrong. This is useful, I tend to add emphasis where I think it might be necessary (for example where I think I might make a careless mistake). I have +1 now, I thought I had done so earlier.
    – FreeMan
    May 20, 2022 at 15:09
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    @AloysiusDefenestrate, TVM. I've heard that it's much easier to neglect to vote on both Questions and Answers on the mobile version of SE because of the restricted screen real estate.
    – Graphus
    May 21, 2022 at 16:22

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