Thread: Silky Oak

Originally Posted by Stompa

A friend of mine is cutting down a silky oak tree and he said that I can have it. What I would like to know is what do I do with it in preparedness to letting it dry out. Do I paint the ends (with what?)

"End Check" from Carbatec or similar is the best thing to use, but if you are a cheapskate like me just 3 coats of old plastic house paint. No, the milled timber should not painted all over or it will take twice as long to dry.

do I saw it up into boards (how thick and are they painted all over?),

I would mill it now into sizes that suit you, allowing 25% for shinkage and warping. If you are unsure mill it into 50 mm thick slabs. Stack it on level blocks at least 250 mm above the ground and space each slab with a 20 - 25 mm thick strips of wood placed a maximum of 600 mm apart. If you have a something heavy (some concrete slabs) you can put on top that is a good idea.

do I let it dry outside or inside

Either is fine, out of the weather (direct sun) is best.

and would anyone know for how long, depending on the thickness I suppose, it would take to dry out.

A rule of thumb is 1" of thickness per year.

What moisture percentage does it need to be before it can be used.

It should be in equilibrium with it's surroundings - so get hold of a moisture meter and make sure its the same or within a % or 2 of a similar wood that has been around in your neck of the woods for a few years.

Can the branches be milled as well and used as small stock?

Yes, but expect greater losses due to splitting/movement etc.

Is this a timber that should be treated with Borax to stop it turning into powder? I can remember a friend of mine loosing quite a bit of his timber many years back to the beetle.

the sapwood will be destroyed by borers if not treated but the sapwood inst normally used anyhow.

Originally Posted by weisyboy

the sapwood will be destroyed by borers if not treated but the sapwood inst normally used anyhow.

Have seen borers destroy the heartwood of Southern Silky, as well the sapwood.and will continue to do so until the timber is nearly dry,They feed off the fungai that grow on the walls of 'burrows' or'tunnels' that they make,not the actual wood itself,so give the sawn product a proper spray.Borers are sensitive to chemicals,so a insecticide surface spray will do the job,for a number of months