Question about letting lumber acclimate to a new environment

[SeeYou190]

So, build it now while the lumber is straight, don’t wait.

We need to emblazon this motto onto a banner!

-Kevin

[cats_think_well_of_m]

The benchwork will be my weekend project. It will not take long. I already have much of it cut, just need to do the glue and screws. As I already have the 1"x4"x8’ and 1"x2"x8’ pieces together, I used both glue and screws, I elected not to break it up into 2’x4’ segments. I’ll post pics soon!

Alvie

[JDawg]

JDawg
So, build it now while the lumber is straight, don’t wait.

We need to emblazon this motto onto a banner!

-Kevin

[:D]

[John-NYBW]

One slightly nice thing one can say about the big box stores that sell lumber is that, with some exceptions, one now shops for your lumber indoors, in a controlled (heated in winter, cooled in summer) environment probably not unlike your layout space in climate control.

Back when shopping for lumber meant trudging around outside in the open air, and the lumber not even always having a roof over it, although must were like the Atlas lumber yard kit, open air but a closed side or two and a roof – that was when acclimating your wood purchases was really important. It used to be winter was the worst time to buy lumber because you’d be buying it cold and wet and bringing it into a bone dry home. Some warping was almost guaranteed.

Also many of those big box stores sell sheet lumber/plywood stacked on a floor rather than suspended at the ends on a rack. So the stuff is often flat when you get it. That makes a difference.

Because I got “a deal” on the dimensional lumber when I started my layout, I bought more than I initially needed. So some of it was carefully stored for many months, even years, and now some pieces have been there for decades (!) before I got around to it. Ideally I suppose a full rotation of the seasons would go by but would anyone actually do that for all the wood that is needed?

Dave Nelson

I think I read in The V&O Story that Allen McClelland allowed his lumber to aclimate for a year before begining his benchwork. Sounded like a good idea but I just didn’t have the patience for that. I wanted to start building right away. The book is packed away somewhere or I would double check that but that’s what I remember.

I used a plywood base for my yards and towns and if anyone plans to do the same, I would put a slight gap between sheets to allow for expansion. I failed to do that and in a couple p

[richhotrain]

I used cabinet grade plywood to build my current layout. The plywood was stored indoors at the local lumber yard. No warping whatsoever. No need to acclimate.

Rich

[SeeYou190]

I used cabinet grade plywood to build my current layout.

I have always used marine grade plywood, which is easy to get down here.

Same experiences as yours. No warping and no need to acclimate.

-Kevin