My husband is fit to be tied this weekend! Last year he took down a 100 year old barn in exchange for the lumber. This August, he used the old lumber to build a 16X16 building. He is an accomplished furniture carpenter and has always worked with wood in the Northeast where it is no problem drying it out. Remarkable, as old as this wood was, it was still pretty wet inside when he sawed the boards. The poor guy worked his fanny off measuring and sawing etc. He is aperfectionist, so trust me, the boards were all nailed on perfectly, with no gaps. Well, dry weather came along and lo and behold, the wood shrunk to where there are many places with a full 1 inch space between them! Suffice it to say, he is not in a good mood. Wood caulking stuff costs more than out budget will allow by a long shot. Does anybody know how to use any other cheaper or natural materials to caulk these spaces? We have plenty of straw and dirt to make mud caulk, but wonder if it is worth the effort here in "monsoon country". You folks up North get snow, we get alot of rain during the Winter. Any ideas at all?????? Do not suggest tearing down the building, LOL he is one step away from the sledgehammer now!

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), October 06, 2001

Answers

The usual method here is to make strips about 3 inches wide and nail over the cracks. This is called batten, and almost every old barn and many new ones built here from saw-mill lumber has them. Caulking probably wouldn't work unless there is something behind it to hold it in place. If you put caulking in a crack that is open on both sides it will probably just fall out. The strips are the tried and true method. Hopefully he has some lumber left and can cut some.

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), October 06, 2001.

Poor Neil. I know the feeling, and frankly, it stinks. I agree that battens are the way to go. The only thing is that if the boards are horizontal you will need to put a bead of caulk on them anyway. For that I recommend Liquid Nails brand. It'll do double duty for you. They have a bunch of different types, but I don't know if they have clear. It'll be okay, just a bit more work than anticipated....that seems like the motto of my life;}.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), October 06, 2001.

Thanks guys! Now I know what we will be doing this week..back to the old table saw we go.....

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), October 07, 2001.

Just a thought here...you sound like you live in FL? If the boards were wet and dried, mighten they not get wet again? Seal them with a sealer after you finish the batten strips.

-- Stephanie Nosacek (possumliving@go.com), October 07, 2001.