Before and after on my framing lumber - moisture meter proved everyone wrong

Everyone told me to reject treated lumber that looks wet. Said it would shrink and warp. I tested 20 boards with a moisture meter last summer. Wet ones actually stayed straight after 6 months in my Denver build. Dry ones twisted like crazy. Has anyone else seen wet lumber hold up better?

2 comments

2 Comments

dixon.spencer11d ago

I read somewhere that the kiln drying process can actually set those internal stresses in motion, so the board is already fighting itself from day one. The wet ones just dry out together and stay relaxed. Makes sense if you think about it like a sponge drying out vs a piece of wood that's been forced dry.

allen.ivan11d ago

That wet stuff you had was probably still green but the moisture was distributed even through the board. I've seen guys reject lumber that read 22% on the meter and then grab a stack that was 12% but had all the sap concentrated in the heartwood. Those dry ones dry out uneven and start twisting like a corkscrew. The wet ones shrink together as a whole board, so they stay flat. Next time take a few of those dry ones you mentioned and cut them in half lengthwise right down the middle. You'll see the grain is pulling against itself already before you even nail it in.