Drying lumber before mechanical treatment

Drying lumber before mechanical treatment

As already mentioned, the processed material should have a moisture content of 8— 9%, which corresponds to the average annual humidity in our conditions. Can this humidity be achieved by long air drying?? A negative answer will surprise many, but unfortunately it is. No, any long period of external climatic conditions is not enough to dry wood intended for apartments or other rooms with central heating. Claim, that the wood lying through 5 years in the open air is perfectly dry, we must verify. Even in the summer season without rainfall, the wood moisture content will not fall below 11%; as a rule exceeds 12%. The required 8-9% humidity can only be achieved in dryers.

So how to proceed, to obtain a well-dried material in the absence of industrial drying facilities? We propose the following cycle of proceedings. Stacked up, with spacers thick sawn timber 25 mm we dry in natural conditions for two years; balls around 3 lat. The material, cut into rough dimensions and re-stacked with spacers, is then dried to the ideal humidity, and in winter, placed in a room with a constant temperature of approx 25 °C. The ideal room for this purpose is heated, unfinished construction. Under these conditions, the material should be stored for at least 2–4 weeks.