Kiln drying timber

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Kiln drying timber
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tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:32 am Post subject: Kiln drying timber

We're going to go for a fruit and nut floor through the hall and living room, basically end grain blocks of various fruit and nut timbers, this'll mean sourcing the trees, getting them milled (green), air drying and then kiln drying before final milling. I'm fairly confident that we can get hold of the right trees (anyone getting rid of any fruit or nut trees this winter?) and a mobile saw mill, but not so sure about the drying/kilning, anyone ever dealt with these kind of things?

This is what end grain blocks look like:

https://www.kaswell.com/woodblock/end_grain.htm

We're looking at 4x4x1" blocks

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:40 am Post subject:

Hmm, drying can take some time, but I guess that's why you're going for environmental rape method of kiln drying.

Traditionally seasoned wood is given a year per inch diameter to allow it shrink without shakes or splits.

You could maybe speed things up if you cut things down to, say, 2" square sections. These would probably warp during drying, but as you're only after 4" lengths you should be able to trim them up nicely.

It's a nice idea - be great to see it. Are you going to let the girls lay it?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:44 am Post subject:
1" lengths, the blocks are 4" square

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:46 am Post subject:

Northern_Lad wrote:

Hmm, drying can take some time, but I guess that's why you're going for environmental rape method of kiln drying.

Traditionally seasoned wood is given a year per inch diameter to allow it shrink without shakes or splits.

Shakes aren't a huge issue, I don't know if you can achieve 8% moisture by natural drying, can't be easy.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:46 am Post subject:
Do you plane them after fitting?

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:47 am Post subject:

tahir wrote:

1" lengths, the blocks are 4" square

Oh, that's going to be much tougher. Problem is, the wider the diameter, the more stress there is from differential drying which creates shakes and the such like. You'd need to get 6" diameter logs to make the 4" square (assuming no defects)

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:47 am Post subject:
Sand after fitting, you cut oversize (4.5x4.5") and then mill them to exact dims after drying

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:48 am Post subject:
If you had the time solar kilns might be worth investigating. If not would it be worth phoning some of your local timber merchants to see if any kiln dry their own wood?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:49 am Post subject:

Northern_Lad wrote:

tahir wrote:

1" lengths, the blocks are 4" square

6" logs won't be an issue, I'd hope to get larger ones than that so the heartwood sits in different places, and like I say within reason shakes aren't a problem

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 9:51 am Post subject:
I'd be inclined to wax the ends of full length timber and air dry for 2-3 years. You could try solar kiln drying to accelerate the process.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 10:02 am Post subject:
Haven't got 2-3 years, we're hopefully looking at moving in by next Christmas (well, maybe...)

Blacksmith

Joined: 25 Jan 2005
Posts: 5025
Location: Berkshire

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 12:02 pm Post subject:
Microwave them.

Gill

Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 244

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 12:50 pm Post subject:
Have them professionally kiln dried. It isn't worth risking the wood by letting them air dry, especially if you've never done it before and don't know how suitable your storage is. Gill

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 12:57 pm Post subject:

Gill wrote:

Have them professionally kiln dried. It isn't worth risking the wood by letting them air dry, especially if you've never done it before and don't know how suitable your storage is.

Gill

That's what I'm thinking, but where? I've been given the number of a mill in Lincs that might do it but no response yet, any leads appreciated.

Gill

Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 244

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 08 5:03 pm Post subject:
If you ask over on the UK Workshop Forum, Tahir, I'm sure someone will know of a convenient place where your timber can be kiln dried. Gill

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