A basement flood in Cincinnati made me switch up my board storage for good

Got a job out in the west side last spring, and the homeowner had a slow leak they didn't mention. I left a stack of 10 sheets of 5/8 firecode in the unfinished basement overnight. Came back and the bottom three were totally soaked, just mush. That was over $150 down the drain and set us back a full day. Now I never leave board on a concrete slab, even for a few hours. I bring extra pallets or use scrap wood to keep everything up off the floor. Anyone else have a hard rule they started after a job went sideways?

3 comments

3 Comments

thompson.julia12d ago

Over $150 down the drain" is right, but wasn't it technically down the drain and into your board? Tough lesson.

jessica33112d ago

Yeah, that "down the drain" line from @thompson.julia is perfect. I learned the same lesson with a soaked stack of drywall in a garage. Now I look at any concrete floor like it's a threat, you know? It only takes one hidden puddle to ruin your whole day.

casey26812d ago

Wait, does that math check out for ten sheets? @thompson.julia, firecode around here is more like $20 a sheet, so that stack would be closer to $200 lost. Either way, it's a brutal lesson about concrete always being a little damp. I keep a couple of busted pallets in the truck just for that now.