Thread: Fixing bowed treated pine

most timber is slightly bowed so you construct things so that opposing bows tend to straighten each other out.

Check the timber fairly carefully. See if you can get the bits that need to be straight out of the straightest pieces. IN many cases a 'bad curve' becomes nearly unnoticable when cut into shorter lengths.The ones with a simple curve can/should be used for the horizontal parts such as the sill plate and the tie beam at the top of the wall - 'n' wise, not 'u' wise. This is pretty much inevitable in any timber - use gravity as your friend.

If it is bent 'sideways' you have a bit of a problem. Most 'treated' pine is still wet and MAY have bent due to irregular drying. You could try wetting the shorter side/outside of the curve - it may not work, and if it does, the timber may want to go back to being warped when it dries out.

No. 2 option is to just leave it lying around & hope. Bearing in mind how stacking left over bits in a corner seems to result in a curved piece of wood, you could try leaning them against the side of the house for a few weeks

If the timber is bent like a cork screw, I'd be taking it back. Depending on whether the timber seller wants you back as a customer you shouldn't have a problem. If he puts on an act, mention 'Dept. of Fair Trading' (or whatever they call it today) and 'merchantable quality'. It always pays to say what you want the timber for - its a 'garden shed' or a 'gazeebo' not a 'chook run'.

Peter, will the chooks mind?... One way to fix treated pine, use match and stay well clear of smoke

Anyway, I often end up making something (like a bench) out of left over buckled and twisted timber. I used to put blocks on my bench and clamp it and all sorts of things but it will very often return on the next major change in humidity. The inherent properties of the timber can generally be overcome only by machining.

Assuming that you don't want to get too carried away with the chook house just go with the flow. Look over your timbers and work out where the bends can go and least affect your frame or that they can be compensated for. I do this all the time. Its not hard, sometimes a rebate has to be of a different depth or location, sometimes clamping in assembly will overcome it. It aint a perfect world right.

The quality of the timber as supplied will depend on the grade and scruples of the supplier. A lot of timber yards will let you zip through a stack and pull out some timbers but A LOT wont. Ask your supplier don't just take what they need to unload on some poor unsuspecting chook house builder.

Be careful with dust from treated pine.

Cheers, hope the chooks like it.