Vertical or Horizontal--How to store lumber?

I stack mine horizontally. If you’ve ever been to one of the big box stores then you’ve noticed that their boards are stored vertically, but you’ll also notice that a lot of them are bowed.

-- JP, Shelbyville, KY

Thanks JP!
My lumber supplier stores the EXOTIC and EXTREMELY figured boards already surfaced to S4S inside their store building where they sell their tools, supplies, and hardware. The roughsawn (and really long boards—12 to 20 feet) is all stored horizontally outside.

I think the bowing of a vertically stored board depends on just HOW vertical the board is stood. If it is nearly 90 degrees to the floor, very little force will be pulling on the center of the board, causing a tendency to bow. All the force that gravity puts on the wood is transferred completely through the board from top to bottom, and nowhere in the middle. I base this argument on my college studies in physics and static forces.

But experience is more valuable to me than book smarts—and so far, I don’t have too much experience storing lumber. I’ve been a woodworker for about 4 years, and so far I’ve stored all my lumber flat in stacks, but I’m running out of room in my shop and would prefer vertical storage because it takes less of a footprint and it’s easier to get to any board you want. So before I make a decision on how to store my lumber, I’d appreciate some wisdom that comes from experience.

Does anyone else agree/disagree?

-- Lane Custom Guitars and Basses

I go horizontal for solid stock and vertical for sheet goods (though I rarely have much of the latter).

You are correct that it certainly depends on how vertical you store the stock. The more vertical the better to eliminate the possibility of the stock bowing (this applies even for sheet goods). One other factor for vertical storage is what you are setting the stock on (i.e. the floor or some other surface). Wood can pick up moisture from a floor (especially concrete) that can cause problems.

In contrast, horizontal storage gives support to the entire piece of stock. This in and of itself eliminates most of the problems that you may have when storing wood. Furthermore, if you want to acclimate the wood you are storing you can sticker it when stored horizontally and that will allow for air to flow all around the stock.

-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com

Thanks Mark!

How would I keep the wood from contacting the concrete floor in my basement? An old junky piece of plywood or OSB Maybe?

-- Lane Custom Guitars and Basses

I’m with Mark – horizontal for lumber, vertical for sheet. Thicker, shorter stock is much less likely to bow, so it may be more convenient to store it vertically. A lot of my 4/4 cut-offs 24-48” long and 8/4 up to about 72” are stored vertically, but I dig through that stuff frequently and I like to think it doesn’t stay there very long.

The rules of physics assume that the strength of the material is uniform and that it wants to stay straight. I don’t believe either is necessarily the case! Even stored perfectly vertical, the natural stresses of the wood will likely pull it out of shape and once it is not perfectly straight, gravity will be working on it! Even a dry board laying flat may warp as it acclimates or as weather changes. In construction, they are usually in a rush to get the sheetrock on the studs before the studs twist and bow. The studs are vertical and supported at both ends.

Gravity is your friend when storing flat and your enemy when storing vertically. Long term storage should be flat and any drying/aclimating should be flat, stickered, and weighted.

That’s my two cents – it might not be worth a plugged nickel!

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

I would do more than just the plywood. Maybe build a simple frame with 2×4’s and top that with the plywood. I think it’s important that you create an air space between the floor and the wood.

-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com

Hello,

The late master George Nakashima (The Soul of a Tree; A Woodworker’s Reflections) was an advocate of storing timber upright, in the same way it grew (lower part of the tree/board to the floor, top of tree/board up). He felt that to show proper respect for the tree, it was necessary to store it the same way that it grew in life. He believed that wood has a soul and he spoke often of giving a second life to a tree through his furniture designs.

So for me, I prefer to store my timber upright, whenever possible. The challenges with bowing can be easily solved with press-plates on the front of the storage unit. Vertical storage also saves lots of space, if you have sufficient height to accommodate your board lengths. Take care and all the best to you and yours!

Steve Russell
EWW, WVP, EWWFS
The Woodlands, Texas

-- Better Woodturning and Finishing Through Chemistry... http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com

Thanks for the replies!!

Does anyone think that the WoodWhisperer’s use of veneer press clamps for storing plywood upright would work for solid lumber?

-- Lane Custom Guitars and Basses

I try to keep mine flat, I’ve built racks in my basement, to hold as much as possible, without eating up too much floor space. There was some talk on this topic over on Wood Talk Online, and both Matt and Mark lay theirs down.

I do like the spirit behind George Nakashima’s reasoning though. That makes sense to me…. but with 6’ ceilings I have no option to do the same.

some have used bungee cords to secure their stock to the wall. I don’t know if they’d fight the internal stresses of the wood any better than gravity would. (if laid down)

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/