RULES CORNER
High Log Inventory Can Result in Stain and Defects— Are you Prepared? with Chief Inspector Dana Spessert
T
he Covid-19 pandemic has the hardwood industry and the world facing unprecedented circumstances. Some industries, such as the restaurant and hospitality industry have adapted to take-out and delivery service to stay afloat, while other industries have been forced to completely close. In March, the Department of Homeland Security deemed the hardwood industry to be “Essential and Critical” to the security of the country, recognizing the life-sustaining importance of the wood industry. This declaration has allowed sawmills to stay open and has certainly saved our industry! This month, I would like to address issues with staining and other defects that are going to be on the rise as inventories continue to build in many areas of the country. Logs and lumber begin to dry immediately upon being cut. Sawmills would normally accept all the logs they could get their hands on during this time of the year, but as some mills are currently working at half-staff, there are a lot of logs stacking up. The lack of consumption at the mills is also going to cause logs to sit around longer than optimal, causing some of the white woods, such as hard and soft maple, to begin to stain. Stain, either chemical or fungal, is caused by the slow drying of wood, either in the log or lumber form. Due to the drying process beginning as soon as a tree is cut, time from tree felling to lumber on sticks becomes critical, especially when the daytime temperatures reach summer levels.
To mitigate some of these conditions, steps need to be put into place to minimize the amount of time that the logs and lumber are sitting on the yard before being sawn or stacked for air drying. STEPS INCLUDE: 1. Awareness of time from tree to mill as a log.
a. Old logs already stained cannot be improved in quality
2. Log Inventory Rotation
a. White woods should receive priority b. First in, first out plan c. Lower your inventory
3. Cutting white woods Monday-Thursday allows time for stacking on drying sticks
a. Utilize properly charged dip tanks for fungal stain
4. Lumber yard inventory rotation
a. Require all white woods to be put on sticks within two days
5. Lumber yard airflow and water drainage
NHLA has programs and resources that can assist you in achieving higher returns on your valuable assets. A visit from an NHLA National Inspector is a great place to start! I encourage you to reach out to your area Inspector for a ONE-ON-ONE CALL or a VIRTUAL CONSULTATION. We are here to help you in any way we can during this unprecedented time. 16
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