HELP!! My lumber stored in the garage is molding!!


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Old 10-01-18, 11:02 AM
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HELP!! My lumber stored in the garage is molding!!

Please Help!!!
I have no clue where to start, but my lumber that I have stored in the garage is molding & becoming mildewed!
I thought maybe a dehumidifier would help keep the moisture out, but man oh man are they expensive brand new. I have a upright Freezer in my wood shop, would that cause it?
Wish I could upload pictures on here of what it looks like, but my landlord built it, and you can tell he used what he had lying around.

Any tips on how to keep the moisture out? To seal up the garage? Or how I can do any of that cost effectively?

I'd hate to see all my nice pieces of lumber go bad.
Any help & tips are greatly appreciated!! Thank you!
 
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Old 10-01-18, 11:05 AM
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How to insert pictures
 
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Old 10-01-18, 11:38 AM
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You need to lower the humidity. That's really the only way to prevent or control mildew. Appliances in the garage have nothing to do with making mold grow.
 
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Old 10-01-18, 12:16 PM
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Was the lumber kiln dried . . . . or rough sawn raw timber (or somewhere in between) ?
 
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Old 10-01-18, 04:49 PM
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Air flow, air flow, air flow. Do you have plenty of room for air to circulate around boards/planks? Are you using "stickers" between layers? Can't tell exactly where you are (profile info hint hint) but appears in the South? Even more important as controlling humidity in an unconditioned space will be near impossible. Also, no tarping if it's under cover from weather...use some old sheets if you absolutely have to cover it...but still leave airflow.

And what kind of lumber...just plain old 2 x and 4 x? Or giant rough sawn slabs suitable for big dining room tables?
 
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Old 10-02-18, 03:18 AM
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Is it mold or mildew? Is this the same pallet lumber you are building your son's fort out of? If it's wood for the exterior I wouldn't worry too much and just plan on cleaning it after it's nailed up prior to paint/stain. Increased air circulation in the garage will help .
 
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Old 10-02-18, 05:58 AM
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Appliances in the garage will produce heat, which will contribute to mold and mildew. You really need a good dehumidifier in there to reduce the humidity.
 
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Old 10-02-18, 09:20 AM
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Going to try and reply to everyone.

The lumber is all sorts .A cabinet shop I used to work at up the road gave me permission to go through their dumpsters and take whatever I want. The BEST dumpster diving ever! Lol. They throw all kinds of things out, including whole cabinets. So the wood is a mixture of things since there's always a variety in there. The pieces I've noticed mildew first are the doors (to cabinets) and the different types of plywood (along the edges).

The reason I thought it could be the freezer is because it had alot of condensation on the outside, my guess is from the humidity.

And yes the pallet boards mildew too, that's great to know though bc I thought it would be pointless to keep going with building it bc I'm not familiar with mold or mildew. I thought it could ruin the whole thing.

I also thought maybe the garage being not insulated very well could cause it since the humidity has been high and the rain has been such a pain all Summer.

I live in Pennsylvania, I thought maybe my profile would say that, maybe i didn't sign up right, I'll have to go add more details. Thank you all so much for helping me! I truly appreciate it!

I'm thinking a dehumidifier would be the route to go. Anyone know where to get the best one for a decent price? I seen diy ones on Pinterest but don't know how well it would work out here.
 
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Old 10-02-18, 09:23 AM
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Spacing between wood

What do you mean by spacing? I built a wood cart to store all the lumber, wish I could show a picture, haven't figured out how to do that yet since I'm new, but I would love to know what you mean. I'll do anything that helps keep it perserved.
 
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Old 10-02-18, 09:33 AM
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Often when stacking lumber it pays to lay a strip of wood every so often between the boards to create an airspace. This added area of air circulation is often enough to prevent mold/mildew. While a humidifier might be best, a fan is cheaper and might be enough.

instructions for posting pics - How to insert pictures.
 
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Old 10-02-18, 09:35 AM
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I left a link on how to post pics in post #2.
 
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Old 10-02-18, 10:06 AM
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First, mold and mildew is partially caused by a high ambient humidity or condensing water. An appliance in the garage actually helps reduce the chance of mold albeit very slightly by warming the air inside the garage. Your fridge or freezer may have condensation on the outside but the appliance is not the cause. It just happens to be a smooth metal surface where you can easily notice the condensation.

The problem with unconditioned and uninsulated spaces is that when the temperature changes you can get high relative humidity and even condensation. Insulation can help by slowing the temperature swings and vapor sealing can help prevent the moisture from getting inside but those are things best done during construction.

Airflow works by helping get everything inside the garage the same temperature which reduces the likelihood of condensation. Airflow also helps dry things out if there was condensation.

You can heat the garage. The heat raises the air's ability to hold water vapor which decreases the relative humidity. Even with the same amount of water vapor in the air a warmer room will have lower relative humidity. If you chill that room to below the dew point condensation will form.

You can get a dehumidifier. That will lower the humidity inside the garage. The excess heat from the dehumidifier will also help lower the humidity.
 
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Old 10-02-18, 10:18 AM
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Things in a garage mold, mildew and rust because it is cold in the garage in the morning and then when the doors open it lets in relatively warm moist air which then condenses on the surface... kind of like how a mirror fogs up after a shower. It's why tools rust just laying around.

No real way to control it unless you plan on heating / conditioning your garage or running a large residential/ commercial dehumidifier with a bilge pump to get that water out of there... and then never open the garage door.
 
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Old 10-03-18, 04:07 AM
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The advice you got on putting strips of wood between layers should help with your problem.
Lay the boards horizontally and stack with strips of wood to separate layers and space individual boards slightly apart from each other.
About 3/8" should be fine.

This is how lumber is handled when originally dried.


Reduced humidity in the space and Increased airflow will also help but don't blow air against wood.
Uneven drying can cause wood to twist and/or warp.
 
 

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