The basics of drying wood

WHEN wood is dried it dries from the outside producing an imbalance with the interior of the piece.

But if this imbalance is controlled then any moisture from the interior will be drawn out to the surface and evaporate away, ensuring a balanced drying period.

Should the drying time be rushed then the exterior may dry much quicker than the interior, causing stress and defects within the wood.

Removing the moisture from wood naturally shrinks it so it is important that the moisture is removed allowing any shrinkage before, rather than after, any work is undertaken.

It is important that the drying period is not extended too long as fungi or other damage could occur, so controlling humidity, temperature and air circulation is a key element.

One of the problems faced when drying wood is that the ends dry quicker than the interior and produce small ‘cuts’ in the ends that can ruin the piece.

That is why it is important to control the drying by careful stacking of the timber before being placed in a kiln that is then regularly monitored.