Does wood shrink along the grain when it dries?

[Noreng]

I need some props in the cellar of my barn to assure that the floor can support my growing wood stack above. I am felling some nice straight spruce and I am thinking of using some 6/8" thick lengths as props.

However if I use them green will they shrink along the grain/lengthways as they dry?

I assume most wood shrinkage is across the grain - I have seen my wood pile settle by a couple of inches as it dries.

 

[scottr]

I need some props in the cellar of my barn to assure that the floor can support my growing wood stack above. I am felling some nice straight spruce and I am thinking of using some 6/8" thick lengths as props.

However if I use them green will they shrink along the grain/lengthways as they dry?

I assume most wood shrinkage is across the grain - I have seen my wood pile settle by a couple of inches as it dries.

From what I've read, longitudinal shrinkage in wood is less than one percent.

 

[Noreng]

Hmmmm - how much less?

If I use a 2m length a 1% shrinkage is 20mm, totally unacceptable for this application. A 0.1% shrinkage, i.e. 2mm is about as much as I would want.

 

[trimmmed]

I think longitudinal shrinking is about .01 to .02 per cent, depending on species.

 

[avalancher]

you could do like I did a few years ago. I had to shore up a week spot under our guest house, and cut some pieces of wet hickory for posts. I planted the butt end on top of a pier pad with a piece of asphalt shingle to stop the moisture from getting up into the wood from the concrete, and a wedge between the post and the shingle. later that summer I crawled under the house again and drove the wedge further under the post, bringing the floor back up to level. The floor has stayed level since.

 

[Mike Van]

I wouldn't worry about shrinking in length, like Avalancher said, you can always drive in some shims. I would peel the bark though, as bugs like to get under it.