Lumber Warping

[djw2112]

When i set my fence posts i made particular efforts to be sure that they were all lined up perfectly.  Now because of board warping they are out of alignment ( example B),  i also have boards that are warped up and down as well.  My 4x4 posted that i painted also have long vertical cracks in them now which look horrible. 

So far i have only used a jack and a pipe to jack the (example A) back straight again and then i put some braces  on it to hold it in place and i have been putting water on it every day now for 2 days in the hope it will stay straight.  Is this the correct thing to do?

This is all treated lumber.  See picture enclosed, i have drawn what im dealing with. 

Any suggestions on what i can do to correct the warping?  Can i cut slots in the board to help it stay straight or maybe even drill some holes in it to releave pressue?

Thanks

 

[jubileee]

Curious. What?s the orientation of the 2x6?s? 6? side vertical?

 

[SpencerPJ]

Pressure treated lumber always warps and cracks.  Especially if you didn't let it dry out a year prior to painting or staining. 

 

[Rene T]

I've got two 4" X 4" in my garage drying. They've been there for a month drying. I've got to go out and lift them to see if they are dry enough to paint and then put in the ground.
If you don't let them dry out of direct sunlight, then they will warp and split. Now if you're using 5/4 for deck boards, if they are fastened down every 16", they won't warp and split. Also do not put a nail between the boards for spacing. Install them up tight to each other. When they dry, you'll have a 1/4" space between each board.

 

[ChasA]

You can buy kiln-dried pressure-treated lumber.  It is much more stable. It is more expensive and harder to find. You won't find it in Lowes or Home Depot.  An old-fashioned lumber yard usually has it.
There's not much you can do to correct the warping and splitting.

 

[djw2112]

Curious. What?s the orientation of the 2x6?s? 6? side vertical?

Yes they are on the fence sideways, skinny side up and down like this | .


Should i pack the post splits with glue or some kind of adhevise then repaint?  I also wonder if i should cut the 16 footer in half.

 

[donn]

All wood can and will split as it drys.  Just the way of natural products. Typical PT lumber is soft pine  which is far more prone to warpage

 

[mel s]

When i set my fence posts i made particular efforts to be sure that they were all lined up perfectly.  Now because of board warping they are out of alignment ( example B),  i also have boards that are warped up and down as well.  My 4x4 posted that i painted also have long vertical cracks in them now which look horrible. 

So far i have only used a jack and a pipe to jack the (example A) back straight again and then i put some braces  on it to hold it in place and i have been putting water on it every day now for 2 days in the hope it will stay straight.  Is this the correct thing to do?

This is all treated lumber.  See picture enclosed, i have drawn what im dealing with. 

Any suggestions on what i can do to correct the warping?  Can i cut slots in the board to help it stay straight or maybe even drill some holes in it to releave pressue?

Thanks

djw2112
You need to use treated lumber that's kiln dried after treatment.... (which is difficult to find because the big box stores all sell the cheaper un-dried after treatment lumber)...
That has forced the independent lumber yards, (aka: the little guys), who used to sell kiln dried after treatment lumber to sell the same cheap stuff.

 

[Rene T]

It's called "Pond Dried".

 

[catblaster]

how far do you have the posts spaced???

 

[djw2112]

They are 8ft apart, well close to that, for some reason i cant seem to dig a hole at exactly 8ft so its off alittle bit.

Here are some more pics, you can see the cracks on the posts and the brace i put on the one board.  I jacked it up straight with floor jack out of my truck and then put those braces on there.  I read somewhere that steam can soften wood fibers so with it being 100 degrees out side for the last week and no rain i have been soaking it with water every day thinking maybe some steam will form as it dries out.  Worth a try, you can tell as i jacked it up straight it actually starting bending inward toward me so i stopped there.

Then the other pics are of the one 16 footer that is really bad and forcing my posts out of alignment.  Im thinking maybe i can take it off, cut it in half, then flip it over with the bend inward and maybe i can put my post back in place and secure it.  I dont think there is much i can do to straighten that one, i may even have to get 2  8footers to replace it and use it for scrap or another project.

 

[donn]

Its a fence for goodness sakes.  Leave it alone.

 

[djw2112]

But i want it straight  :'(  :'(  :'(  LOL    yeah i know im being picky huh.,..

 

[Rene T]

One thing you could have done that may have helped is put a piece of 5/4 vertically from the top board down to the bottom board and put in 4 or 5 screws at every horizontal board. Same principal as your 1st picture. Center them between the posts. It may be too late now but may be worth a try.

 

[djw2112]

Thanks yes we will see what happens, ill check it in two weeks and see if its still bad. 

One thing with the fence posts that i hope is not an issue but might be if someone makes an issue of it.    When i set the posts i set them so that then post is inside the property line but the cross board face actually is the properly line.  For example if i use a plum-bob and hung it from the top board hanging in front of the boards on the outside of the fence, that point on the ground is my property line.  So technically if someone wanted to make an issue of it, with my posts out of place that makes the boards inside their property line and they could make me fix it if they wanted to be an jerk about it. 

 

[Rene T]

Seems so I remember that the fence had to be 1' from the line. Not positive on that though.

 

[Rene T]

So technically if someone wanted to make an issue of it, with my posts out of place that makes the boards inside their property line and they could make me fix it if they wanted to be an jerk about it.

Why are they jerks. After all, it is their land and you could have moved the post in 12" to make sure you weren't on their land.
Now the neighbors you have now may not say anything but what if they sell the property and the new owners are as you say jerks, you'll be moving it.

 

[djw2112]

Why are they jerks. After all, it is their land and you could have moved the post in 12" to make sure you weren't on their land.
Now the neighbors you have now may not say anything but what if they sell the property and the new owners are as you say jerks, you'll be moving it.

Yeah you are right, i guess i misworded that, i should have said if they wanted to be literal about it.  Thanks for the correction, i should not have used jerks...   they paid for their land just like i did.  But part of the neighbors driveway is on my land and i dont say anything, but thats my choice ya know...

 

[Rene T]

I just read your other post and I see that you do have a new neighbor. Hope she doesn't know where the property line is or maybe she already does.

 

[djw2112]

Yes i showed her the markers in the ground when we first spoke, i had been mowing and weedeating her side of the ditch out front because its connected to my ditch (its not part of our property but the HOA says we have to maintain it anyway).  But once she blew that stuff in my yard, i stopped mowing her side of the ditch and she does not have anything to mow it or weedeat it with because its close quarters there, so its all overgrown now on her side.  Im sure she will be getting a letter from the HOA soon.

I dont like it that she is not going to improve her lot, that takes money out of my pocket and my sweat equity.