# How to keep your building material from twisting and cupping before you use it.



## mako1 (Jan 7, 2014)

Bad idea IMHO.Lumber is going to move no matter what you do or build with it.What helps keep lumber straight is drying evenly on all sides,By wetting a stack you are introducing moisture to one side of the lumber which will never allow it to dry evenly.When lumber is kiln dried it is stickered and there are fans to keep the air movement the same on all sides.
No matter how you nail,screw or whatever when you build something the lumber will move .No way of stopping it.you have to consider this into your design.
Best idea is to figure what you need and buy it when you need it.


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## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

All I can say is that it works for me. The idea is to get it installed before it changes shape.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

See if you can get Alkaline Copper Quaternary treated douglas fir, or ACQ for short.


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## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

> What’s causing the lumber to move into these shapes is that it’s slowly drying out.


Right.



> If I need to store it for a while I repeat the soaking at least once a day. This works for regular KD lumber as well as PT.


Even if this was a good idea, why would you wet wood which was already dried?


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

The stacking is a good idea. WE always try to keep our lumber stacked neatly and tightly. By wetting it, you are just delaying the inevitable, and probably making it worse in the long run.


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## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

I imagine that you pros wouldn't have this problem because you burn through materials at a pro pace but for a DIYer where you buy enough wood for the weekend only to find that your project takes a backseat to life.
I've thrown away a bit of wood because it twisted beyond use in the stack.
Once it's tacked in place, it typically doesn't twist.
All I can say is try it.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I hand pick every board I buy and buy more then I know I need and keep the recepts, then just take back any that have a mind of there own.
What are you using 1 X 6 PT wood for?
That for sure is going to curl or cup.
Unless that PT wood has been allowed to dry out it's likely to shear off the screws, and far more likely some pieces will need to be replaced due to cupping, checking, twisting.
And take longer before it can be stained.


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## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

I'm using 1x6 and 1x4 for my deck skirt. It's a shadow box style.


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## 78Vette (Nov 25, 2009)

Ex neighbor of mine when i lived at another place was building himself a shed. I was watching him cut the bands of the stack of lumber after it was delivered. Figured he was getting started. Days went by and i could see some of the lumber starting to twist and bend all the way from my place (about 250 feet). A week after he cut the bands he started building and when he was done, the shed looked pretty crooked, which was quite a sight. Wish i had taken a picture of it.


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