# How to save lumber that got wet??



## LJR (Apr 23, 2009)

Help! I bought some quarter sawn red oak for a project today and brought it home in the back of my truck bed. It started to rain and it got wet. How do I properly dry it to avoid any warping?? My workshop has a heated floor and the temp there is around 68 degrees. Do I just lay them out on some support boards to dry? How about wraping in newspaper - will that draw the moisture out? Thanks in advance for your advice!!
LJR


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## reggiek (Jun 12, 2009)

It depends on how much moisture the boards were exposed to….if it is just surface moisture…then a quick dry would work just fine - I have used a hair blow dryer…or a heater…blowing on the boards lying on a flat surface….if the moisture was enough to infuse the grain….you would want to air dry on a flat surface with a flat weight on top for a few days or so….to keep the boards from cupping/warping. If you know someone with a kiln that would be the best for really soaked wood. If the wood cups/warps…a jointer and or planner would be the way to go.


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## bob101 (Dec 14, 2008)

My stock gets wet during transport all the time if its not soaked threw the grain and you have time to wait ,a couple days of air drying should be good, especially in a dry heated shop. as above if it moves start up the jointer and make some lite passes to true it up.


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## Timbo (Aug 21, 2008)

If the wood is wet from the ride home, just bring it in the shop, it will dry fine. You can always cut up some scrap for spacers (3/4×3/4) and stack it. put the spacers about a foot apart and add some weight to the to of the stack.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

just stack it so it drys equally on each side


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