Wood takes in and gives out moisture with the air around it, and it swells and shrinks as it does. In our climate that movement is big, so how you choose and store timber decides whether a piece stays true.
Choose well
- Pick boards that are straight, without twists, bows or cupping. Sight down each one before you buy.
- Check the ends for cracks, and avoid boards with large loose knots.
- Ask how long the timber has been drying. Freshly sawn wood will move as it dries.
- Match the timber to the job: hardwoods like iroko and mahogany for frames and tops, lighter woods for parts that carry less load.
Let it settle
Bring timber into your workshop a week or two before you cut it, so it adjusts to the conditions it will be worked in. Cutting it straight off the truck invites movement later.
Store it right
- Keep it off the ground on level bearers, so damp can't climb in.
- Stack boards with thin spacer sticks between layers, lined up from top to bottom, so air reaches every face.
- Cover the stack from rain and direct sun, but leave the sides open to the air.
- Use the oldest stock first.
Seal the ends
Wood dries fastest through its ends, which is where cracks start. A coat of sealer or paint on the ends of long boards slows it down.
On a MANDE job, materials are bought from the money set aside for the job, by you or by MANDE. Either way, it pays to check every board before it goes into the piece.
