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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Rough cut lumber problem
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bhebby
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2012 12:14
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The person building my camp wast able to finish when he said he was going to have it done. So needless to say the rough cut lumber on the interior of insulated cabin is still on the wet side. Went up there the other night and it was cold 30 degrees. It took me almost 8-9 hours to bring it up to 60 degrees inside. I have a 10K propane BTU trying to heat 240 sqft. the walls had frost on them when I opened it up, I am assuming that trying to heat the frozen mass on the walls and the air in the cabin was my problem. Anyone have any ideas on how to speed up the drying process? I was going to find a high BTU heater and let it crank to get things drying in there,oce they are dry that heater should warm things up in there???I hope??? I dont want to get mold inside the cabin becasue of the moisture. Thanks in advance for the help. The cabin and I are not getting along right now and I want to fix that and start enjoying all the snow up there.

Just
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2012 13:11
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try leaving some windows open even with the heat off the air will dry it out..

TomChum
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2012 13:14 - Edited by: TomChum
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It doesn't sound like a good idea to dry out just the inside, you might cup 'green' boards. If your boards are 'wet' what you need is equal air on both sides.

Using a lot of propane (kerosene too) adds to the condensation problem because there's no insulation. You might (?) be able to use propane heat to dry a well-insulated house, but not a house that has cold directly on the other side of the boards. Its the same as a cold glass of beer in a warm humid room, the water will come our of the warm air onto the cold walls just like condensation on the cold glass.

Until you get better suggestions from someone who actually 'knows' what to do, I would suggest that your problem needs 'ventilation', a fan, for example.

Good luck.

larry
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2012 13:44
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i'm with just, let the cold dry air work its majic.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2012 13:54
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I'm guessing the propane heater you have is a non vented heater. If so, the heater is a large part of the problem. Burning propane produces water vapor. Ditto with a non vented kerosene heater. So you are adding moisture to the interior whenever a non vented heater is operating.

Leave the windows open and hope for warm weather. There will be some evaporation of water over winter but it will be very slow.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2012 13:58
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Propane:

Calculating from the chemical formula for propane it looks like for every gallon of propane burned, 1.64 pounds of water is produced.

In liquid form that is 25 ounces of water per gallon of propane used.

bhebby
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2012 14:13
Reply 


I do have it insulated and I have gable vents on each side and also the foam sheets on the rafters to create air flow with soffit vents all across it. I think I am getting sufficient air flow inside the rafters and thats not an issue. I will leave the window open and let the heat crank and see what happens. Some moisture is ok I would imagine... I mean a stove is basically a vent free heater when being used correct?thanks everyone.

Martian
Member
# Posted: 1 Jan 2012 16:40
Reply 


Definitely use the fan idea posted earlier. You didn't say how high the ceiling is. When it comes to heating or air conditioning a space, volume of air is more important than square footage.

Tom

Swamphunter
Member
# Posted: 2 Jan 2012 05:23
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The local Amish here, cut a lot of their wood all winter and let it dry ouside until needed in the spring. I think as long as its covered, stickered and stacked, the air will dry it regardless.. I'd just created ventilation as stated above

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 2 Jan 2012 19:12
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Quoting: Just
try leaving some windows open even with the heat off the air will dry it out..


Agreed, the frozen temps is usually dry air. The windows open will allow it to breathe and when it gets above freezing, will dry the inside right out.

bobrok
Member
# Posted: 3 Jan 2012 10:50
Reply 


Would charcoal work to help absorb dampness? I have used it in smaller settings very successfully.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 3 Jan 2012 13:24
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Charcoal would be pretty good I think, but it is a great source of CO as well, so I wouldn't want to be inside at the same time.

bhebby
Member
# Posted: 4 Jan 2012 20:12
Reply 


Charcoal huh?I will give it a whirl while I am not there for a bit. thanks

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