kaip11•2mo ago

I keep seeing people skip the moisture check on reclaimed wood and it's going to cost them.

Had a client bring in a beautiful old barn beam last month, wanted it as a mantel. I told them it needed to sit in my shop for a few weeks to acclimate. They pushed back, said it had been in a dry barn for years. I stuck my meter in it anyway, and it read 18%. That's way too high for interior work. Everyone seems to think old equals dry, but if it's been outside or in an unheated space, it's still holding moisture. If you build with it right away, you're asking for splits and gaps in six months. Does anyone else run into this, or am I just being too careful?

3 comments

3 Comments

tarac162mo ago

What about kiln drying it first?

uma_baker882mo agoTop Commenter

Honestly, is that step even needed? It sounds like a lot of extra work for a problem that might not even be that big. I've done plenty of projects with air-dried wood and never had an issue. Sometimes these forums make things seem way more serious than they are in real life.

ivanjones26d ago

Actually read a study somewhere that said air dried wood can still hold enough moisture to cause warping later on, especially if you're working with thicker boards or putting them in a heated home. They tested some barn wood that sat outside for two years and the inside was still wet as heck. I know it SOUNDS overkill but one friend of mine skipped it with some salvaged oak and his tabletop split right down the middle after winter. Makes me think kiln drying isnt just for show.