Building a fence from fresh milled lumber

[BMan2005]

Have a friend with a mill & some big pine logs damaged by a storm. The pine logs were blown over at the root so no damage to the tree for lumber. I'm going to use this to make a wooden fence at the entrance of the property cutting 1x8's for the boards and buy treated post from a lumber store. My question, if I cut this and sticker it outside would it be ok a few months until I can put the fence up? I would let it dry for now then treat it in a few months when I put it up. Anyone see an issue with this since it's not being used as a structure just a fence?

Edit* meant to add it's Southern Yellow pine.

 

[mcfarmall]

Sticker and cover the top and maybe down the sides a few inches to keep it "sheltered." Might want to set some heavy weights on top to keep warpage under control as it dries. For what it's worth, don't see how it makes much difference whether it's used as fence boards or structural as long as you don't just let it rot.

 

[GLyford]

If you want to help keep the ends from checking, paint the ends with latex paint (house paint). You can get "mis-tinted" cans at the box stores for cheap money. Some people say thin the paint some with water.

 

[BMan2005]

Appreciate the advice, I'm out of shelter room so I was curious about keeping it outside. I'll paint the ends also.

Few months of drying during the winter should be long enough to stain/seal it when I put it up correct?

 

[Birdhunter1]

Few months of drying during the winter should be long enough to stain/seal it when I put it up correct?

The rule of thumb as it has been told to me is a weeks worth of hot and dry weather is needed before you paint or stain a pressure washed deck. Rule of thumb on air dried lumber is it will take a year for it to dry, granted there are alot of factors, but I would wait till next fall to stain it. A

 

[RNeumann]

Appreciate the advice, I'm out of shelter room so I was curious about keeping it outside. I'll paint the ends also.

Few months of drying during the winter should be long enough to stain/seal it when I put it up correct?

Your plan is a minimum I'd dry the wood. I used a few pieces from the local lumber yard and ended up with more than 1/4" between the boards that next summer. The shrinkage changes the look and plays heck with fasteners- even screws!

 

[4570Man]

I'd hold off until summer and put up the fence. It'll probably dry in a couple weeks in the sun. I don't think it'll warp too bad being screwed down.

 

[stuckmotor]

In my experience pine, unless it's heart pine or pressure treated doesn't last very long in the weather.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Stuckmotor is right on that. I grew up in AZ in the 40s and 50s. 1 X 12 green pine sheeting was used routinely as roof sheeting. They always butted the boards tight to each other. After a year there was over 1/2" between the boards and if you took the roofing off all the nails would be loose; usually due to the boards splitting around the nails. Thing to consider. All the above advice is pretty much right on, you might want to rethink it. I build a bridge a few years ago using rough 2 X 12 green fir decking. I knew it would shrink so butted tight together. Nailed it down to RR tie stringers with 5" X 1/4" galvanized nails. Year later I had nice 1/4" spacing between the planks. Pine shrinks a lot more than other species when dried out.

Ron

 

[newbury]

Sticker and cover the top and maybe down the sides a few inches to keep it "sheltered." Might want to set some heavy weights on top to keep warpage under control as it dries. For what it's worth, don't see how it makes much difference whether it's used as fence boards or structural as long as you don't just let it rot.

In some picky places anything structural needs a stamp of approval. Definitely weight it down.

If you want to help keep the ends from checking, paint the ends with latex paint (house paint). You can get "mis-tinted" cans at the box stores for cheap money. Some people say thin the paint some with water.

Lowes and HD near me in Va sell it for ~$9/gallon now. I've still got some old cans I bought at $6/gallon

The rule of thumb as it has been told to me is a weeks worth of hot and dry weather is needed before you paint or stain a pressure washed deck. Rule of thumb on air dried lumber is it will take a year for it to dry, granted there are alot of factors, but I would wait till next fall to stain it. A

"Rule of thumb" and air drying lumber greatly depends on what you are going to do with it, the species and your climate.

In the OP's climate (assuming it's GA=Georgia) if covered with a good tarp, well stickered to provide air flow 1" SYP should "dry" outside over 6 to 10 months, but probably NOT 6 winter months and wet spring. However for uses like fences etc. if you can keep it so a breeze will blow through the COVERED stack it might be considered dry by mid summer. Now if he moved it to Death Valley it would dry quicker