Wood Identification - Sassafras not persimmon

A land surveyor sent me a piece of a rotten stump that was thought to be from an old persimmon tree that was cited on a boundary map.

Microscopic examination revealed that the wood rays were up to 5 seriate (five cells wide). This rules out persimmon, which only has 1-2 seriate rays. My opinion is that it is sassafras.

Cat safe wood coatings

A homeowner wrote about what to apply to his deck to water proof it without risk of harm to his cat.

There is no risk to his cat (or to anyone) with any water-repellent coating. An evaluation of some available clear coatings for wood is available.

Air Drying Times for Poplar

An email asking about how long to air dry poplar boards for a fence to prevent subsequent warping.

The air-drying time of green yellow poplar lumber depends on a lot of factors, including the temperature, humidity, air flow and thickness. But, if we can assume good drying conditions and 1-inch boards, then about 3 months should suffice. Longer is better and can't hurt if the wood is kept dry.

Poplar is a very decay-susceptible wood and I wouldn't recommend it for a fence. Better to use pressure-treated pine or a naturally durable species (cedar, cypress, white oak).

New Wood Industry Residues Information Available

A new Google-Earth map has been created that shows the location, name and production numbers for primary mills producing wood residues in the state of Tennessee. Click here to learn more.

Mold on hickory stick furniture

A call from a supplier of small, green hickory roundwood. He supplies a manufacturer of rustic furniture who is having problems with mold growing on the wood.

Mold requires free water on the surface of the wood to become established and grow. Rapid drying of the wood surface will be the easiest and most effective way to cure the problem. Chemical treatments can be used to kill mold but for lasting protection drying is the best option. More information can be found here.

Counting tree rings

A call from a property owner in Grainger County who heard that someone from UT had inspected an old barn once to count the tree rings in the logs. Did I know who this would have been.

It probably was Henri Grissino-Mayer or someone from his lab. Dr. Grissino-Mayer is a expert in dendrochonology.

Micronized copper

An equiry from a health and safety official wanting to know about micronized copper.

Micronized (small particles of) copper is now used in some wood preservatives instead of soluble copper. This preservative has lower corrosivity to metal skrews and nails and imparts less color to the treated wood. It should have the same performance and safety characteristics as soluble-copper-based formulations. For more information, click here.