Warning: that cheap pressure treated lumber from the big box store will warp on you

3 comments

3 Comments

The real issue isn't just warping - it's the moisture content when you buy it. Those big box stores stack their lumber outside, rain or shine, so it soaks up water like a sponge. You bring it home, install it, and a week later it starts twisting because it dries out unevenly. I've had better luck letting it sit in my garage for a month before using it, stacked flat with stickers between each board. Doesn't stop it completely, but it cuts down on the worst of the movement.

ivan_fisher991mo agoTop Commenter

WAIT, you're telling me they just LEAVE the lumber outside in the rain? That's insane. I always assumed they kept it in a covered warehouse or something, not just letting it get soaked. No wonder half the boards I bought last summer ended up looking like potato chips.

robin_foster11mo ago

Great, so I have to babysit lumber for a month before I can even use it.