18
votes
Accepted
How is it possible to let wood reach equilibrium moisture content?
In such a wildly changing environment, how is it actually possible to let wood reach its EMC, or is the advice misguided, and does it not actually matter?
It does matter, and the moisture content bit ...
- 12.1k
11
votes
Accepted
How can I tell if my green wood is dry enough?
No, there is not a visual aid; you must measure or calculate the moisture.
Measuring with a meter
To measure the moisture directly, you can use a moisture meter. Pin-type meters require you to drive ...
rob♦
- 18.6k
9
votes
How can you stabilize green wood after turning it on a lathe?
I have a relative who uses something akin to a steam box, without the steam, to control the moisture moving out of his green turned pieces. It is like a wooden cabinet lined with plastic, with small ...
- 1,762
8
votes
Accepted
What is the best finish for wood in a bathroom
As always "what's the best xxxx" is not a good Question. In almost all cases there isn't a best but instead multiple good options to pick from, and that is very much the case here.
I am concerned ...
- 61.8k
8
votes
How is it possible to let wood reach equilibrium moisture content?
There are many techniques for designing a piece of furniture that will not tear itself apart with environmental fluctuations, but the key point you're missing is that you ideally want to work the wood ...
rob♦
- 18.6k
8
votes
Accepted
Metal framed wood table, will expansion be an issue?
I would be quite concerned with wood movement in this design. You will be bonding epoxy (which doesn't move seasonally) directly to the end grain of wood. Since the wood will be expanding and ...
- 5,460
7
votes
Accepted
What is the proper humidity for a shop and how should I achieve it?
There's a lot written about the ideal conditions for the workshop but you have to be careful about the source since the figures quoted aren't as universal as sometimes implied or stated, some sources ...
- 61.8k
7
votes
How is it possible to let wood reach equilibrium moisture content?
To warp or to twist, that is the question
It is extremely important to let wood sit for a while in the environment it is intended to be used in before using it for a project so that it reaches ...
- 995
6
votes
Accepted
How long should I wait for staining a new deck?
So I asked a friend about his experience staining his deck and he advised me to wait a year for it to dry before I stain to avoid any complications due to trapping moisture.
Unfortunately this will ...
- 61.8k
6
votes
Can corner joints on a planter box that are warped and coming apart be fixed?
I would say that it is more likely that this joint failed due to the moisture from watering the dirt rather than being outside. Simply re-gluing it and keeping it inside will not be enough to fix it.
...
- 3,581
6
votes
How is it possible to let wood reach equilibrium moisture content?
I believe that the main problem with your question is assuming that the wood moisture content can change in an instant. This is not the case. Wood fibers do reach a moisture equilibrium with the ...
- 3,335
5
votes
Long term, what happens if I paint wet wood?
The usual advice from the lumber yard is to wait a year before painting pressure treated wood. It's really CMA advice which assures that the wood will be ready to paint and avoid the pitfalls of ...
- 3,667
5
votes
Accepted
Long term, what happens if I paint wet wood?
A paint chemist might have a cow over my answer, but I will give it a try.
Regardless of what finish you put on the wood, the surface must be dry. In order to bond with the wood, the finish must ...
- 7,964
5
votes
Can corner joints on a planter box that are warped and coming apart be fixed?
Easiest would be splicing in a little triangle reinforcement.
As described in this article.
You will need to clamp the corner closed when you make the cut in them and glue it up again. Here is the ...
- 4,454
4
votes
How can I tell if my green wood is dry enough?
There are several ways to check the moisture in a piece of wood.
The most expensive and simplest is a moisture meter, I bought a Ligno one and it works pretty good for me. You can set it to ...
- 15.4k
4
votes
How can you stabilize green wood after turning it on a lathe?
The best strategy I've seen is to rough turn, let dry, then finish turn.
The rule of thumb is to turn to a thickness 1/10th of the finished diameter. So a 10" bowl would be rough turned to 1" wall ...
- 4,382
4
votes
How is it possible to let wood reach equilibrium moisture content?
Just a simple note on your climate data: it is for outdoor. Since most of wooden furniture will sit indoor, you have to calculate for indoor climate. Which - thanks to heating and A/C - will pretty ...
- 41
4
votes
Long term, what happens if I paint wet wood?
If I paint wood, for outdoor use, while it is still very wet, what problems can I expect in the long run (2-3 years)?
I think the issues that should concern you are more short term than long term, ...
- 61.8k
4
votes
Best way to cut a thin board that resists warping
Are you familiar with how the wood fibers are aligned in a tree? They (mostly) run from top to bottom and are bonded together with lignin. If you used the 'B' method the wood fibers would be running ...
- 526
4
votes
Accepted
Should I “un-dry” wood for a while after oven drying?
My question is: After I do this but before I plane the boards, should I leave them sit out in the open air (maybe a week or two) to reabsorb moisture from the air?
I think it's certainly advisable, ...
- 61.8k
4
votes
How long should I leave a green yew stick clamped to a bench for straightening?
How long should I leave a green yew stick clamped to a bench for straightening?
Don't. That's not how to dry wood.
Makers of walking sticks and hiking poles, who harvest saplings and branches from ...
- 61.8k
4
votes
Are these cracks in this pergola of Nordic Pine wood something to be concerned about for use as a base for synthetic ceramic roof tiles?
Are the cracks something to be concerned about for structural soundness?
I want to reassure, and as @bowlturner says in a Comment, large beams do crack/split all the time. Even major structural ...
- 61.8k
3
votes
How is it possible to let wood reach equilibrium moisture content?
The theoretical predictions for equilibrium MC are approximations from empirical research done in the 40s. All well and good and they predict the MC of wood when left long enough at the stated ...
- 31
3
votes
Accepted
Acceptable wood moisture content for epoxy?
I called System Three and they were very helpful - they strongly recommended only epoxying wood that's reached it's equilibrium moisture content and not in any environment where it could be exposed to ...
3
votes
What is the best finish for wood in a bathroom
This is a tough problem to solve, and similar to what finish should be applied to wooden kitchen countertops. Overall, the difference between finish types is less significant than the difference ...
- 2,396
3
votes
Can corner joints on a planter box that are warped and coming apart be fixed?
You can use some metal angle brackets to reinforce the inside of the box.
As to the warping, boards usually cup like that when one side dries faster than the other. Having a metal container that ...
- 8,036
3
votes
Lightest woods that would be strong & stable for 2 components of DIY Wall Stall bar?
Just make the verticals out of run of the mill fir construction lumber, 2x2s or 2x4s, or 4x4s, (or whatever if metric, sorry!) and buy some thick dowels, maybe 2", for the horizontals, whatever's in ...
- 5,541
3
votes
How long should I wait for staining a new deck?
Pressure treated wood really could use a year to dry out before sealing it. The year won't bother the wood in the weather at all. Do you need a full year? No but you might not have enough time to ...
- 15.4k
3
votes
How can you stabilize green wood after turning it on a lathe?
I've only done this a couple times, but I have good luck turning a rough form (as @TxTurner notes) and then setting the bowl aside for a few months.
My technique is, I keep all the shavings from the ...
- 1,053
2
votes
How can I tell if my green wood is dry enough?
Rule of thumb is to allow a year per inch of thickness.
More precise answer would be to use a moisture meter, available from woodworking suppliers. Prices for these vary; I have a cheap one but do 't ...
- 9,111
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