Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions How to store bents for winter?

Hi guys,

well, I have been cutting all my frame members this summer, after doing excavation foundation etc. and now I'm having an issue. I have been delayed several time for different reasons this summer and my bents are still not assembled.

Ok, it's october, but here in the arctic (Lofoten in the north of Norway) the weather is not easy right now (lots of rain), the snow coming soon and especially the dark is a little more present every day.

My issue is that next week I start working another place and in december I'm moving to Switzerland for the all winter, so the question is:

How you guys would do for storing properly the frame/bents during winter?? Precision: my temporary deck/floor is built already, I'm pre-assmebling, adjusting the bents on it at the moment.

My plan (so far) is to assemble bents as if I was getting ready to raise (plugged, braced), and cover the all structure with a large armed cover. It's stormy up here so the cover has to be properly screwed and tight to resist the winds and the rain, snow.

In spring time, I will raise and frame it!

Any experience to share, advices, ideas...???

Thanks, Neil

Hi Neil;

I am not experienced at leaving assembled bents for a winter but I had some thoughts. You are running the risk of mildew growing on the timbers. Also as timbers dry they can twist and shrink so some readjustment of the joints may be necessary before and during the raising.

I do not have any answers to avoid these things. All I can do is wish you well.

Please post some pictures when it is up!

Jim

I have not done this before either. But we have weathered timber over a winter.

I think part of it depends on your local weather patterns. Where I live in Canada when winter comes here it freezes and stays frozen till spring. No mildew should be possible except before freeze and after thaw. I suspect twisting caused by drying would be minimized during this time too. If the timbers or bents are stacked and covered to allow airflow and prevent moisture and ice buildup I suspect they will be fine except for some finishing work that would result from weathering.

As for leaving the whole bent assembled on the deck, just need a bigger tarp. I don't see any harm in leaving it assembled. Get it up as soon as the ice and snow is off. If the tarp leaks or water can get in you may have water staining on parts, adding some patina.

ok I see, nothing I haven't think about then.

Concerning the mold/mildew, I guess i got that since june since I have been working outside having my timber showered sometimes with the cvonstant changing weather up here in the Lofoten Islands in the North of Norway. I didn't attached a lot of importance to it since it's drying again aas soon as the sun is shining and that I don't have any other solution anyway. My idea is to bleach this as good as I can later and I will apply borax and then lin oil after.

Concerning twisting and bending, I already had some during my workshop period and I just finished adjusting the joineries now last week before starting assembling the bents members. Same here, no other choice, no chance to avoid that since working outside, and alone!

Winter varies a lot here never cold never warm, alternative of snow and rain until january and a frost/drying period until april when the rain comes back. Lofoten is where they do dry fish, so winter is good to dry anything up here. But anyway my timbers were ordered dryed down to 17-20%, I guess that even if I had rainy days this sommer and this fall time, they are still pretty dryed, at least the first bent looks ok on the joineries (post pictures soon).

So I guess I'm a kind of experimenting subject on that then! My wish is to get the bents assembled and stacked ready to raise, covered properly with a big tarp, with no risk of water infiltration and some air circulation underneath (I'll also post pictures).

Thanks for support anyway guys.

But a question, that mold or mildew, is it dangerous to have some so far?

Some molds are a hazard to some people, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mold_health_issues

I am not clear what the difference between mildew and mold are but I have not heard of health issues from mildew.

Jim