When we stack lumber with really dry stickers, the wood that they are in contact with dries really fast, most often giving a very light color to that region. When the rest of the lumber is dried more slowly, or even a bit too slowly due to rainy or humid weather, then the rest of the piece dries a darker color. The basic concept, which applies to all species, is that differences in drying rate result in differences in color.

KNOWLEDGE CENTER Find more Wood Doctor at FDMCdigital.com Gene Wengert, aka The Wood Doctor, troubleshoots wood related problems, and explores lumber and veneer qualities and performance, species by species, in Wood Explorer, inside FDMC's Knowledge Center.