Expert: Jamie Yocono - 12/23/2004

Question
Hello, thanks for your time.

I am in between houses. I sold my house, and am looking for another, so my good furniture is in a storage building. This storage building is the outdoor type with the metal door opening to the outdoors. The temperature is going to get as low as 13 degrees, for the next few days. Can wood split when it is so cold? Will it freeze and crack?

Thanks!
Dee

Answer
Hi Dee,

It's smart to be concerned about the weather affecting your wood, so your question is a good one.

While it's not great for the wooden furniture to be frozen, humidity is the bigger problem. Generally, lower temps mean lower humidity (that's why we get dry skin in winter) so the danger is that the wood can dry out and crack, more than freeze and crack. It's definitely a possibility.

Sounds like that storage place isn't really giving you any protection except a roof, since the metal door probably provides no sort of respite from the weather.

The other side of the coin is that if you brought the wooden furniture inside and warmed it up too quickly, it might have a reaction to the sudden change in atmospheric conditions. So you're sort of- damned if you do, damned if you don't.

My best suggestion would be- when you are able to move the furniture to a warmer location (when you find a home) warm the wooden furniture up very slowly. A way to do this might be to bring it into an unheated garage or perhaps a basement first, let it warm up and acclimate slowly. Slower is better, as it could take a little time to warm up.  You'll probably know when it's OK to move it inside- if the furniture feels warmer, or the temp in the room allows you walk around in light clothing, then the furniture is probably ready to come inside.

The important thing is to do it slowly. Wood moves, and if it moves slowly, it's fine. If it moves quickly, it can crack.  Good luck, I hope this helps. Feel free to write back with any other questions you might have after reading this.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV