Kiln Dried Wood vs Air Dried Wood
September 13, 2022
Where To Get Custom Cut Wood
April 26, 2023
Key Takeaways:
Moisture Removal for Construction:
Wood used in interior construction must have its moisture content reduced before being used in interior building projects since trees naturally absorb rainwater and retain it after they’ve been cut down. Damp wood cannot be used without being properly dried beforehand – therefore drying must occur before its use in interior projects.
Option for Drying Wood:
There are two primary methods for drying wood: home kiln drying and professional services such as iDry. While home drying may save money in terms of time and setup costs, professional services provide faster and more efficient drying methods such as vacuum kiln drying.
Consideration for Intended Use:
The intended use of wood determines its moisture requirements. Construction projects often need lower moisture levels to prevent mold growth, while furniture or interior projects may benefit from higher levels. Discussing intentions with service providers helps ensure optimal drying for their intended purposes.
For wood to be used in construction, it first needs moisture removed from within. A living tree absorbs a considerable amount of rainwater throughout its life, and this water is pulled up through the roots and pushed through its trunk and branches. When cutting the tree and trimming it down to a usable size, the moisture remains locked inside the timber.
Using damp, green wood might be a viable option for outdoor projects, such as fences or decking, but it’s not something you want to use when it comes to interior construction work. So, to prep the wood, it needs to dry out.
Letting the wood sit outside to dry out is incredibly time-consuming. The painfully slow process can take upwards of several years, depending on the species of wood and the thickness. That’s a long time to go from cutting down a tree to using it in the framing of a new construction. In order to speed up the process, a kiln is used. However, not all kilns are created equal, and knowing how to kiln dry wood is beneficial if you plan on taking timber from your own property and drying it out for future use.
Kiln Dry At Home vs Professionally
When it comes to drying wood, you have two options: kiln dry the wood at home or have it professionally done.
Kiln drying the wood at home theoretically will save you money. However, it will take you longer, and there will likely be a learning curve during the process. But, if it is something you enjoy, then it’s something you might want to consider. Some just like being able to do it on their own, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Setting up a “kiln” at home will depend on your own space. First, you will want to stack the wood outside, making sure each board is not directly touching the board underneath it or on top of it (usually, a kind of thin shank can be placed in between each board to allow airflow). You will want to have the wood covered from rain, and during this process, allow the wood to dry for a full season (as in up to a few months).
After the dry season, you can take the wood inside to an enclosed space, and restack the wood (again making sure the wood doesn’t touch), then, you can use a series of fans and dehumidifiers in the small space to pull out the moisture. Again, this will take another season. So, you’re looking at six to eight months of doing this (and even then, there will likely be some moisture left in the wood). It’s not the most efficient method of drying wood, but again, some people just enjoy the process of doing it themselves.
When you want a faster turnaround time on your wood, the top way to kiln dry is to use a professional service provider. Of course, the professional method used will also vary based on the service provider, which again will have an impact on the drying time.
iDry Method Of Kiln Drying Wood
We use the iDry Kiln to dry wood. Now, it is important to understand that drying, no matter whether naturally or with a kiln….it does take time. If you try to pull the moisture out of the wood too fast by using too high of a temperature, the wood will split, and then it will be useless beyond use as mulch!
However, the iDry method does deliver your wood as quickly and efficiently as possible. This is because the kiln drying process uses a vacuum method in addition to the kiln. The kiln can be temperature adjusted to help amplify the drying process without splitting. However, unlike other service providers (and the home method), the wood is more than just sitting in an enclosed space with fans assisting with the airflow. iDry uses a vacuum process that will pull air through the wood, which helps remove moisture from the wood instead of relying on it to dry on its own.
This method can shorten the drying time over non-vacuum service providers by several weeks, and you will likely save several months over your at-home setup.
Knowing What The Wood Will Be Used For
The amount of moisture left in the wood can depend on what you intend on using the wood for. If the wood is to be used for framing and the construction of a home, you will want a lower moisture point. You don’t want to risk the chance of mold developing, which means the wood needs to remain in the kiln for longer. However, moisture levels can be higher if you intend to use wood for furniture or other interior projects.
Depending on the wood species, its thickness, and what it is to be used for, moisture levels left inside of wood can vary, usually anywhere between seven percent and 19 percent. This is a sizable difference, so when it comes to taking your wood to a kiln service provider like Bloodhound Lumber, make sure to discuss what the intentions are for the dry wood, as this may impact the length of time it is to be left within the drying kiln.
Contact Bloodhound Lumber Today
Are you ready to get a project started but need your wood dried? Now is the time to reach out to the Bloodhound crew to discuss your options and get a quote.
