What Is A Drying Wood in Timberwork?

What Is A Drying Wood in Timberwork?

Drying wood, also known as seasoning lumber or wood seasoning, is a process that reduces the moisture content of wood before it is used.

There are two main reasons for drying wood: one is for woodworking, where the wood is used as a construction material and the other is for wood burning. Drying wood can be done through traditional methods such as air drying or in a kiln known as kiln-dried timber.

Drying wood prevents damage from shrinkage and improves the burning process. However, for some purposes, wood is not dried at all and is used green. Drying wood too rapidly can lead to “case hardening” where the wood warps and becomes dangerous when the stress is released by sawing.

Benefits Of Wood Drying

Wood drying is an essential part of the craftsmanship and construction process. By properly drying wood, you can prevent warping and cracking, as well as improve its strength and longevity.

The benefits of wood drying include improved stability, a reduction in mold growth, enhanced color and texture, prevention of rot or decay, reduced splitting and cracking, better resistance to insect damage, and increased durability.

Dried wood is also easier to work with for making furniture or other projects because it has already been conditioned for use. Wood drying is a valuable tool that can help make any building project successful!

Process Of Wood Drying

Wood drying is the process of removing moisture from wood in order to prepare it for use. It is an essential step in preserving and preparing lumber for carpentry, furniture-making, or any other purpose involving woodworking. Drying wood helps prevent warping and cracking which can occur when wet wood is worked on or exposed to extreme temperatures.

The process of drying involves carefully monitoring temperature and humidity levels over time, as well as controlling the amount of oxygen present in the kiln or other drying chamber.

Depending on what type of material you are drying and its end use, different methods may be used to control the condition of the air around the lumber. Wood drying can take some time depending on size and moisture content but is necessary for achieving a quality final product

Types Of Wood

Wood is classified into two types based on its botanical origin: softwoods, from coniferous trees, and hardwoods, from broad-leaved trees. Softwoods are lighter and simpler in structure, while hardwoods are harder and more complex.

However, in Australia, the terms “softwood” and “hardwood” are used differently, with “softwood” referring to rainforest trees and “hardwood” referring to Sclerophyll species. Softwoods, such as pine, are easier to process and have lower density compared to hardwoods like fruit tree wood. Both types contain around 12% moisture once dried.

Hardwoods, due to their denser and more complex structure, are harder to dry and have less permeability than softwoods. Although there are more species of hardwood trees, softwoods are the main source of commercial wood due to their ease of drying and processing.

Common Drying Methods

The various methods of drying wood that are economically feasible and commonly used in the industry differ in the level of control they provide over the drying environment.

These methods include air drying, where wood is kept in a shed or covered by a roof and left to dry naturally with protection from rainfall.

Forced drying, which involves using fans in addition to natural air circulation to dry wood while keeping it in a shed;

Low temperature drying, where wood is dried under controlled temperature conditions in a building, with humidity control achieved through vents and fans.

Kiln drying, where heat and humidity are controlled in a kiln chamber to dry wood quickly. Within the kiln drying category, there are different types of kilns, heating methods, and humidity control techniques.

Conventional kiln drying is a specific method that involves drying wood in an installed structure at a temperature of around 200oF and using a combination of vents and steam spray to control humidity. Air circulation is achieved through high-velocity fans.