In the event that your jobs are held up or slowed down, you could end up with material stored on site longer than usual. It is important to protect your stock and materials from the elements to avoid mold & mildew and to prevent water staining, cupping, warping, or checking. Far better to spend time properly wrapping and covering stock than to have it unusable when you need it. Here are some helpful tips from Weyerhaeuser, one of North America’s largest lumber producers.
How does mold grow?The key factors for mold growth are oxygen, temperatures exceeding 40° F, and moisture content above 19%. Since little can be done to impact oxygen or temperature levels, protecting wood from moisture is critical to preventing mold growth.
What you can do:- Keep bundles in a well-drained area.
- Protect bundles from direct moisture exposure by placing them under wrap, tarp, or other vapor-permeable material, preferably under a covered structure.
- Inspect wrap or covering regularly for holes and gaps.
- Ensure products stay wrapped or covered.
- Do not store wood products in direct contact with the ground. Make sure lifts are elevated on bunks to keep them away from ground water and to allow air circulation underneath.
- On the jobsite, do not open bundles until time of installation and re-wrap unused partial bundles.
Shepley will gladly provide free lumber covers that we remove from incoming lifts of dimension lumber. Simply ask your sales representative when placing an order for pick-up or delivery.