Dealing with mold on drying wood?

[PTsideshow]

I cut down the Arborvitae bushes that were in front of the fence. Then cut them into 8" to 12" lengths and sealed the ends with anchor seal. Then placed them on a wire rack, with a wire riser to keep them separate so the air can circulate around each piece. End of last week I went to check them, and noticed there appeared to be some green mold growing on some.

They were stored away from the wall, close to the floor in a basement. Under a bench on an outside wall.

I removed them and washed the outside of all with bleach water and plastic scrub brush removing all obvious mold including some that was growing on the sealed ends of the limbs. Then dried them off. Then moved them to another wire rack, were some more were drying with no mold growth on them.

Does any body else every run into this problem, and do they have any other solutions to it?

Or did I miss something after cleaning them with a dry brush and sealing the ends as the did have moisture other then what was in side of the tree's.
:clown:

 

[1080Wayne]

Both your pre and post mold treatment sound excellent to me . That said , insufficient air circulation is probably the cause of the problem . I have had it happen in my 55-60 degree basement cool room when I didn`t take any where near those precautions .

At worst . it may add a bit more spalt to your wood .

 

[PTsideshow]

insufficient air circulation is probably the cause of the problem.

Sounds like the likely culprit, as it was in the corner by two walls and the bench top. I thought that with it away from the walls and each other there would be air flow. The other was on a rack further out from the walls in an area with move air flow.
:clown:

 

[triw51]

Would a small fan help?

 

[PTsideshow]

Would a small fan help?

Just moved the whole stash after a bleach water wash to the other rack that will benefit from the furance dump vent in the basement.
:clown:

 

[plantman]

I cut down the Arborvitae bushes that were in front of the fence. Then cut them into 8" to 12" lengths and sealed the ends with anchor seal. Then placed them on a wire rack, with a wire riser to keep them separate so the air can circulate around each piece. End of last week I went to check them, and noticed there appeared to be some green mold growing on some.

They were stored away from the wall, close to the floor in a basement. Under a bench on an outside wall.

I removed them and washed the outside of all with bleach water and plastic scrub brush removing all obvious mold including some that was growing on the sealed ends of the limbs. Then dried them off. Then moved them to another wire rack, were some more were drying with no mold growth on them.

Does any body else every run into this problem, and do they have any other solutions to it?

Or did I miss something after cleaning them with a dry brush and sealing the ends as the did have moisture other then what was in side of the tree's.
:clown:

It's kind of a "damed if you do, damed if you don't" problem. First question. Did You remove the bark? Inner bark and cambium layers carry most of the moisture up and down the tree or bush. Sapwood carries sap from roots to leaves. Sealing the ends of the wood keeps it from drying to fast and splitting, but also traps moisture in the wood. Keeping it in a cool dark place keeps it from drying to fast also, but premotes fungus or mold. Fungus will promote spalting or staining of the wood. To much, and the wood rots. Bleach will kill mold and stop spalting but, may also lighten the color of your wood. Woods drys best if they are not touching each other and have air space all around them. Your wire rack is perfect as long as it doesn't rust. Wood also needs air circulating around it. Wind if outside, fan if inside. If outside it should be covered and kept dry. It also needs some heat to evaperate the moisture. Sun or maybe just a light bulb for small amounts. Best thing would be a small closed structure with a fan blowing air into it and a light bulb inside. If you drill a few 1/4" holes top and bottom for air flow you may not need the fan. Now you have an inexpensive drier. In your case just adding a fan blowing across the wood will help, as will moving them off the floor (heat rises). If you can direct that furnace vent air over them, it would also help alot. Jim S

 

[soundman]

I'll tell you fa free...... BORAX....Make up a solution in hot water, hot as it comes out of the tap is the enough.....mix in as much as will disolve.

Small pieces dip em in a bucket ( good long dip, now), big pieces and slabs spray em with a garden sprayer till it runs off.

Dry in the sun and Store as usual with ventlation.

It knocks mould rotten and also keeps the insects away.

A couple of years ago 3 of us milled up a mango tree...I drowned all of my stuff in borax as soon as I got it home....Mango is a shocker for going moldy and fast......most of my stuff came out fine.....one of the other guys left his a couple of days and probaly didn;t apply strong enough..almost all of his was useless.

If ya let the solution cool it will start to crystilise......so if working with a garden sprayer lay all ya stuff out first and work fast before the spray tip clogs with crystals.

cheers