Wet lumber under tarps

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by Curly88, Oct 9, 2018.

  1. Curly88

    Curly88 Light Load Member

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    Couple questions on tarps. First of all I unloaded a tarped lumber load after driving thru rain for a day and a half and saw a few very big wet splotches on the sides of the load. I know the tarps have a few small holes from the bungees but I never figured that much water would come thru. Also when I parked for the night I made sure the trailer was downhill. The forklift guy never said anything so I didn't either. 'Plywood' Have any of you guys had tapped loads get wet? And did the customer say anything?
    Second question, I see guys tarp loads all the time with the tarps being 6" short on the sides or a ft or 2 short in the end. How do they get by with that? 'Not talking about vegetable loads either' thanks
     
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  3. pmdriver

    pmdriver Road Train Member

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    Look at what most lumber yards do with the lumber, it is sitting out in the weather and when you buy it you have to dry it out as a customer and try not let the warping begin. At least around here it is that way.
     
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  4. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    You aint going to see lumber yards scrambling to bring in stacks of wood in a rain.

    Eventually if plywood is your goal in a store as a customer, pick the good ones.
     
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  5. rcelmo

    rcelmo Medium Load Member

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    I used to work for a flatbed company......their policy was if the
    customer asks for a tarp but refuses to pay extra for it...…..the tarp
    job was not done to well. If the customer wants a top level tarp job they
    have to pay for it. Not saying that is the right way but they did have a point......
     
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  6. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

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    Always fun when it's pouring down rain, they load you outside, taking their time to get it all on there, and the entire load is thoroughly soaked by the time they're done putting it on your trailer.

    Then, they point you over to a covered area to tarp it.

    I guess that beat tarping it in the rain...but still seemed rather pointless.
     
  7. thelushlarry

    thelushlarry Road Train Member

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    The tarp is to keep the sun from drying it out!
     
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  8. Paddlewagon

    Paddlewagon Light Load Member

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    I actually had a load of lumber rejected once because it was too wet.........Forklift driver came over after I had untarped and jammed a "moisture meter" into the wood and declared it to be too wet and he wasn't accepting the load.:eek::mad:
     
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  9. REO6205

    REO6205 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    It depends on what kind of lumber you'te hauling. If it's kiln dried pine, quarter sawn, and surfaced on all four sides you better not have any wet boards. Same with vertical grain Doug Fir. No water on the load.
    Same with finished moulding. That stuff is expensive and usually gets tarped regardless of weather. LOL...nothing like tarping in August, in the Sacramento Valley, on asphalt that's been soaking up heat all day long, to make you wish you'd taken that tanker job when you had a chance.
    If you're hauling construction grade lumber and it has to be tarped a few water spots here and there aren't usually a big deal.
    I used to haul out of a mill that cut cedar fencing and siding. Didn't matter that the stuff was going to be used outside, it had to be tarped. I see now that the mill wraps the units in white plastic instead.
     
  10. Gumper

    Gumper Road Train Member

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    If they didn’t say anything when it was getting unloaded then get the papers signed, and GTFO of there. Once it’s off, and the signatures are on it’s no longer your problem :D
     
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  11. Boardhauler

    Boardhauler Road Train Member

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    [QUOTE="REO6205, post: 7984329, member: 137130"
    I used to haul out of a mill that cut cedar fencing and siding. Didn't matter that the stuff was going to be used outside, it had to be tarped. I see now that the mill wraps the units in white plastic instead.[/QUOTE]

    Oroville?
     
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