Where can I find information about preventative techniques to be used during construction which would aid in minimize shrinkage or moisture issues in wood construction?

15If you are looking to quickly determine the amount of shrinkage occurring in your structure, Cecobois, a special project of the Canadian Wood Council has created an online tool for calculating the shrinkage of wood structures.

There are a number of resources pertaining to shrinkage and managing moisture of wood-frame buildings available on our website:

Moisture and Wood Frame Buildings

Managing Moisture and Wood

Vertical Movement in Wood Platform Frame Construction – Basics

Vertical Movement in Wood Platform Frame Construction – Movement Prediction

Vertical Movement in Wood Platform Frame Construction – Design and Detailing

In order to avoid problems with the movement in a wood-frame structure, the following is suggested to the builder:

  1. Plan carefully.
  2. Have the material delivered as close to the installation date as possible.
  3. Use proper storage and handling techniques.
  4. Store wood products in a dry, well drained area.
  5. Keep the wood products covered until ready to use.
  6. Use appropriate construction sequencing.
  7. Install the roof sheathing and roof membrane on quickly.
  8. Allow sufficient time for the materials to dry if they have been wetted.
  9. Avoid closing in walls that have wet materials.
  10. Specify wood products that are as close as possible in moisture content to the expected equilibrium moisture content of the end use.