Does any one have any soulution to avoid or minimize the appearance of blue stain on fresh cut pine timbers? Is there a spray that can be applied for this purpose? The trees have not been cut down yet, and we are trying to avoid this problem.

Thanks for any info.

In the past I have used a acid wash solution.
I have also used outdoor bleach with good relults. It will probaly take multiple applications. It's interesting, presently in my neck of the woods, blue stain pine is considered in vogue and can demand a premium.
-Collin

I've never tried to get rid of it.
I agree with Collin. I've used them exactly as they be off the Mill and customers love it or hate it. If a customer doesn't want them in their frame, then don't use the supply source. Or arborite them???

Collin, Is Outdoor bleach like wooden deck bleach / Deck cleaner? Do you treat the pine before the blue appears, or do you treat the stain and it disappears?

I could give you a ready supply of blue pine timbers - CHEAP!

Yes, I have used the outdoor, deck type bleach. You may want to investigate more specialty options though. In my case the blue stain was treated after it appeared on the timbers. 2-3 treatments and a stiff brush seemed to work well.
-Collin

david.... where are you located? my suggestion would be light and air circulation(but no rain), this may or may not be cheaper than bleach. usually this means covered outdoors and well off the ground.

by the way, how much for those blue timbers??? $.10/bd.ft.???
might pay to ship them to ontario....

Blue stain fungus in White pine needs three things to grow: food, water, and warmth. The food is the sugar in the sapwood. Look at an affected timber and note that it doesn't grow into the heartwood. The water is the moisture in the timber. Once the timber dries, the mold won't spread. It also only seems to grow in warm weather. The only thing you can really control is the moisture. When my sawyer cuts white pine in the warm months, he dips them in a fungicide that will hold the fungus at bay for a few months. When I get them, I carefully stack them, and keep air moving over them at all times (indoors, with fans). That way, they are dry when the fungicide wears off. You can spray regular old laundry bleach on the blue stain, to immediately stop the growth. This will also lighten the stain color somewhat, but will also color the timbers a little yellow. Good luck. CB.

Thank you all for your replies, they have been helpfull. We plan on having the timber dipped in NP-1 fungicide and stickering the whole frame.

When I worked in a commercial mill they tried to cut and mill all the pine in the winter, this pine never had any blue stain at all. As Diaku mentioned the fungus needs warmth and moisture. If the lumber is stickered and air dried before warm weather it's too dry for the fungus to grow.

Not sure what NP-1 consists of ,but I'd breath easier if I knew any sawdust I'm generating does not contain fungicide