Lumber getting soaked in this rain, issue?

[c6matt]

So my OSB and lumber were delivered yesterday, and the trusses are being delivered today. It was raining when I got home last night, all the wood was soaked. its suppoed to rain off an on all week, and the contractor is planning on starting monday. should I try to cover the wood? will it be ok?

 

[mygarageone]

Cover it ASAP , especially the osb

 

[ffjosh]

Only if it stays soak. I think the worst part is when it can not completely dry out.

If your planning on using it soon it will be fine.

I have plywood that has been outside since last summer and it still looks new. Now I am not planning on using it for anything so I am not sure how great it still is.

Be careful on covering it up as it will not allow it to dry and it will stay wet.

 

[c6matt]

Cover it ASAP , especially the osb

Be careful on covering it up as it will not allow it to dry and it will stay wet.

the first two answers were my dilemma... It will be used next week, I can cover it, but it will be wet when I do..

 

[mygarageone]

Get it cover and when it quits raining remove , nothing special . Why do you think lumber yards have there lumber in doors now ? To protect there materials.

 

[JimVonBaden]

As it is already wet, I would not cover it now as it will not dry. It wont hurt anything for a few days. If you plan on leaving it sit for weeks, then let it dry and cover it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

as it is already wet, i would not cover it now as it will not dry. It wont hurt anything for a few days.

+1 !

if you plan on leaving it sit for weeks, then let it dry and cover it.

+2 !!

 

[ctb]

Cover the plywood, the rain will only have soaked the top sheet or so. Leave the lumber but don't cut the straps. They should be able to put the lumber up fast before it starts warping.

 

[Zeke]

Cover it, don't wrap it. Let the air flow.

 

[dlcwent]

Cover it, don't wrap it. Let the air flow.

That would seem like the most logical thing to do.

 

[ratdoggy]

That would seem like the most logical thing to do.

Since when did logic enter into this?

 

[lisiecki1]

Cover it, don't wrap it. Let the air flow.

+1

As a former framer, please cover it. Don't wrap it.

Water-logged materials **** during construction.

 

[tgb]

It'll be fine they don't cover it on trains or trucks from the mills to the warehouses.

 

[dlcwent]

Since when did logic enter into this?

Good point. I was having a bad spell.

 

[toyoguy81]

I feel your pain c6...I was in same dilemma this time last year. I covered mine as soon as it was dilivered with 6mil vapor barrier and i had to wait 10 days after original start date to begin build because of rain...waiting for rain to stop will be the more worse part....

 

[Farmall450]

I feel your pain c6...I was in same dilemma this time last year. I covered mine as soon as it was dilivered with 6mil vapor barrier and i had to wait 10 days after original start date to begin build because of rain...waiting for rain to stop will be the more worse part....

And then you get into the mud...

 

[malibu101]

It'll be fine they don't cover it on trains or trucks from the mills to the warehouses.

Where I live I often see trains.
I often see loads of wood too like you said, but, the bundles are wrapped in a plastic usually with the company names on it.
Surely this plastic wrap is not totally waterproof, but, the wood is not just open and exposed to the elements.

 

[G_P]

The OSB is what I would be concerned about. OSB tends to swell up and get crumbly if left exposed to the elements. I would toss a tarp over it but dont tightly wrap it and trap the moisture in.

Uncover it as soon as it stops raining and let it dry out. At worse the top sheet might be wrecked but the rest should be fine.

 

[jhelrey]

I think it will be fine. Think about all of the framed houses that are getting soaked at the moment. Only the top layers will be wet.

 

[Justanoldguy]

Wood will be OK.
OSB will go downhill quick.

 

[justin1795]

I would cover it. my inlaws just built a new house over 6 months of contractors who didn't want to work it was finished last month. we got some heavy Midwest rain and they went down stairs to several inchs of water from wood around the basement windows that was put in when the foundation was poured.

 

[c6matt]

thanks, its supposed to be nice this morning, I'll let it dry a bit and throw a tarp on it. Waiting for the sound of the nail gun is def the hardest part, this was supposed to be finished last fall!

 

[bams50]

Leave it uncovered, it will be fine, but whatever you do, get it covered immediately!

At least that's what this thread has said LOL

 

[GTO]

Take that **** OSB back and buy the AdvanTech OSB.
They have a 500 day guarantee when exposed to the elements.

 

[NUTTSGT]

You don't want it exposed to the weather forever, a little rain won't hurt it. Buildings are caught in the rain all the time before they are closed up or covered.

I'd guess that your contractor will not use that top sheet of OSB till he is at the end. It should be used to cover the pile at the end of the work day. If it's not his plan, ask him to do it for your peace of mind. The blue paint is what is protecting it from soaking up moisture.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

It'll be fine they don't cover it on trains or trucks from the mills to the warehouses.

UH, yes they do....

 

[Kevin54]

I'd throw a tarp over it, but all in all, you'll be fine. Houses under construction get wet all of the time. Like stated above, what's bad is if things are covered to the point that they won't dry out. As in the OSB sheeting on a roof, then immediately covered with felt paper. ANd most of you OSB is fine except for the bottom sheet and the top sheet.

If you have any treated lumber, make sure to get it up off of your concrete as it will stain the concrete.

 

[c6matt]

thanks, the only treated wood I have is the sill plates that I bolted down last fall

 

[james.work.90]

Where do you think all of this lumber is stored at the lumberyard....usually outdoors. It will be fine.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[Flexia]

Im surprised the lumber didn't have some house wrap over it or something. May want to have the lumber yard swap it out for new stuff.

 

[Justanoldguy]

Im surprised the lumber didn't have some house wrap over it or something. May want to have the lumber yard swap it out for new stuff.

Surely you are kidding right??

 

[Flexia]

Surely you are kidding right??

Heck no. You bought a product from them and delivered it in the rain without protecting the product. Its there fault if it gets soaked. I am just talking about the OSB though.

OSB should have a number of times it can get wet and dry out without compromising the product. Most of the stuff is 1 time.

 

[Kevin54]

Heck no. You bought a product from them and delivered it in the rain without protecting the product. Its there fault if it gets soaked. I am just talking about the OSB though.

OSB should have a number of times it can get wet and dry out without compromising the product. Most of the stuff is 1 time.

Houses are built all of the time and get wet a few times before anything is buttoned up.

 

[Flexia]

Houses are built all of the time and get wet a few times before anything is buttoned up.

OSB is never left flat on the building when it's exposed to the elements. In the picture the OSB is flat letting water sit on it and one is in the grass just absorbing water from the bottom. At any lumber yard the OSB is stored inside or under a roof for a reason.

 

[JimVonBaden]

OSB is never left flat on the building when it's exposed to the elements. In the picture the OSB is flat letting water sit on it and one is in the grass just absorbing water from the bottom. At any lumber yard the OSB is stored inside or under a roof for a reason.

Best tell any of the dozen builders in my area that! They have no choice but to let it get wet on occasion.

My garage got wet a few times during construction.

I do not see how it is possible to build a large building in any place that rains and keep it 100% covered against the rain.

 

[bczygan]

We used the 7 rains formula.

If lumber got rained on 7 or less times in the process of production, transportation and construction, then it was OK.

And then there are the houses we framed, but before drying in, they got covered with snow......Much worse, especially for those early particleboard sub-floors where the edges swelled up.

I prefer none.

 

[Dan M]

Matt,
I wouldn't sweat it. My lumber got soaked last year before the build. The top sheet of OSB bubbled and was ruined, but the rest was fine. The dimensional stuff was OK after sitting for a week with on/off rain.

I still have that ruined piece of OSB. The brick layers used it as a snow shield when they were heating sand (so now it is bubbled and scorched), I used it to cover the left over brick pile through the winter, it was used as a bridge to drive across a mud puddle in the spring, etc

 

[-Brent-]

All the wood isn't soaked. It'd take a flood to soak those stacks. There's a lot of bad info in this thread. OSB (Oriented Strand Board) isn't what it used to be. It's much better. I'd still prefer a quality ply but prices rule that out for 98% of us. OSB's vapor permeability is very good as well as it's drying ability, many think it's better than ply for that reason (as well as weight). Left in "bulk water" OSB is done for. However, bulk water isn't kind to most woods. The issue for extremely wet OSB is diminished strength and future mold.

I wouldn't worry about either for those top sheets.

Anyhow, back on those stacks. I'd pull the first (top) sheet and get working with the dry stuff below it. Then, by the time you need it, it's dry and easier to lift/cut/etc. Even the way it's pictured, it's probably not that bad as it sits.

Oh, and to answer your question, yes, cover them up with a tarp when it's raining. If you get some sun, uncover it if it was wet previously. The contractor will appreciate it.

Experience: 10+ years framing/rough carpentry

 

[Fcvapor05]

Wood will be OK.
OSB will go downhill quick.

This.

 

[Justanoldguy]

Heck no. You bought a product from them and delivered it in the rain without protecting the product. .

No mention of it ever being delivered in the rain.
He said it was raining when he got home, that's all.

Assumptions aye...