Construction Materials: Storing Timber Materials Correctly on the Worksite

Poor storage of timber and other wood-based materials can cause an unexpected spike of the costs during your construction projects. In simple terms, if you purchase your wood products and place them carelessly on your site, they will experience accelerated deterioration. For example, the timber might decay, form splits or become discoloured. As a result, you might have to purchase new materials to cover the losses. Therefore, you should plan for the correct storage of your timber on your worksite for ideal results. Here are some practical guidelines to help you protect construction wood from degradation.

Choose the Right Location

You should choose the most convenient but safe location for the storage of your wooden materials. In general, it is advisable to select an area which is as close as possible to your construction site. This choice will allow you to collect and use your wooden products with ease. If you have to move over a long distance, you will be forced to expend a lot of resources and effort on getting the materials to the new structure. Also, there is a high probability that the timber will be damaged during transit. However, you should be careful not to place the materials in an area with high construction traffic.

Cover the Timber Boards

Timber materials must maintain the optimal moisture content, depending on the species and wood type. Simply speaking, wood suppliers normally dry the timber obtained from trees for construction gradually to eliminate excess moisture. However, the wood cannot be completely dry. If the wood does not have some moisture, it will be more prone to cracking due to brittleness. On the other hand, if the timber products absorb water, they will be more susceptible to rotting. Therefore, you must protect your building wood from external conditions which can cause these detriments. Ideally, you should build a shed or purchase a tarp to protect the timber from hot winds, rain and the direct sun.

Stack the Material Properly

You should stack the wood on supporting timber sleepers or stone pillars. This setup will minimise contact between your wooden products and the ground. If the lumber does come into contact with sol, it will gain moisture, sustain damage from pests or become discoursed. Remember that timber sleepers are also vulnerable to these detriments. Therefore, you should only use treated beam sleepers. It is also advisable to separate stacked lumber boards with wooden batters or crossers instead of laying them together in an indiscriminate pile. 

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