Log Aging/Longevity

Hello, All.

My wife and I have been dreaming of building a Timberframe in Virginia for years. We want to use locally harvested pine.

We have a bandsaw mill and want to cut our own timbers but we have been told all the timbers have to be CUT within 2 months of each other or they will be in different states of dryness.

Since we can't get all the logs at one time from our local tree guy, our question is this:

"How long will pine logs last without molding or rotting if properly stored off the ground"?

We appreciate your knowledgeable reply in advance.

Softwood summer cut trees/logs can blue stain quickly in high humidity conditions. Bugs will infest logs with bark on them. Debarking will help a lot for bugs but not for blue stain. Winter cut softwood is better for eliminating blue stain.
Storing logs should not be directly on the ground but up on some extra low grade logs called "runners" or "bunks", as you appear to understand.
You should develop a design of the frame. Obtain a stock list of timbers needed. And then harvest your trees to fill you stock list.
Different ages of dryness is a concern but not the end of all procedures as you can cut your joinery to compensate for shrinkage.
Good luck with your project.
Jim Rogers

Thanks, Jim!

Here in Virginia we have lots of humidity!

Here is what we were hoping to do (but may not be possible)

This summer we can acquire 60 pine logs at no charge delivered, store them over winter and mill them next spring.

Is that too long? How do we prevent Blue Stain?

Most likely they will blue stain this summer if it is humid. And the only way I can think of to prevent blue stain is to keep the logs wet. Mostly in a pond or lake.
Other than that, a sprinkler over the pile. Such an idea is costly to construct and maintain.
Good luck.
Jim Rogers

You may get some better answers on the forestryforum.com
go there an register and ask in the general section.
If it's the wrong section the moderator may move it to the right section.
Jim Rogers

Hello Matt,

I'm sorry you got that advise...As Jim has stated, it is not at all a game changer or a reason not to harvest your own logs. We have many timbers at different stages of development, and some for a large project we have have age ranges from fresh off the stump to rested in shade for over a year. Some of that project even has jointed timbers for the large Anchor Beams that are already done...

Needless To Stay, you don't have to worry about different ages, just be aware of them...



That is only a concern if the logs/bolts are not taken care of properly...



No, that's not to long...

Water storage like in an old mill pond is the ideal method of long term storage of logs, but is not a must...

They will need to be debark or beetle infestation will occur...

However, I would offer that this also is not a game changer and prodometly aesthetic in nature. As soon as the log/bolts are milled and processed they begin to alter in humidity state often killing or driving the larva stage of Coleoptera infessting them to be stressed of die. "Wormy Pine" is a sought after commodity for paneling, and only after logs have been grossly neglected for a long time (years) does structural damage occur...

Blue stain too is cosmetic for the most part and seldom causes structural compromise. Many (myself and most of my clients) find it more pleasing than the plan pine alone...Google "Blue Stained Pine" and see how you feel?

Regards,

j