[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Using trees felled onsite in building process

[Sacie Lambertson]

At 04:45 PM 9/18/2007, Lawrence Lile wrote:
>  Oaks present some concern because
>they eventually get some kind of beetle in the wood that will weaken
>them.

There's pretty good information on powder post-like beetles here: 
http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/powder_post_beetles.htm

A number of years ago however, when we needed to know how to handle 
evidence of beetle infestation I checked on the best way to do 
it.  Was told pretty authoritatively that boron or tim-bor is not 
effective, that the wood needs to be fumigated by folks with 
licences, which, if you have only a few boards or beams is 
possible.   We had many hundreds of feet of wood however, so we took 
a different tack: it is also known that the beetles will not 
re-infest wood that is 'lacquered', so several coats of acrylic or 
similar material should take care of the problem.  I would definitely 
not use any wood that has evidence of a large infestation.  The 
critters particularly like the sap wood and it is easy to saw off 
this part of a board or beam.

I would avoid building with red oak unless it is clear and 
clean.  This wood is particularly susceptible to pp beetles and it is 
also not as structurally sound as the white oaks, ditto honey 
locust.  That said, we used a lot of honey locust (a rampant first 
growth tree in our country, along with osage orange) for face boards 
on walls because the wood is lovely.  Kentucky coffee bean is even 
more beautiful, particularly when combined with black walnut.

Re stickering, to which others have responded, it is important that 
the wood used for the stickers is uniform in size, is dry and is 
placed at least every two feet, depending on the thickness of the 
wood being stickered.  Furring strips work well but are not 
inexpensive in the amount required.   Needless to say, the stickered 
wood needs to be placed in an open area where there is lots of air 
movement and the pile must be covered.    For boards, the ends of the 
wood should be painted as well, to prevent these from drying more 
quickly than the wood inside the pile.  Best is to research how to do 
this, using the correct wood on wood etc.  Lots of info out there.

Sacie