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how long do you need to air dry lumber?

Started by jldoss1, February 19, 2012, 08:26:26 PM

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jldoss1

Like ive said previously im planning on buying a bandmill to saw my own timber to build my house. I was wondering if anyone could give me information on airdrying how to's and amount of time to dry.

pnyberg

Back when I was doing my research before jumping into the portable sawmilling business, I did a lot of reading up on this topic.  Then when I was writing up my business website, I started writing a page to educate my customers.  I soon realized that the page would just go on and on and mostly do a bad job of repeating what others had already said.  So instead, that web page is mostly a set of links to some documents and a video that I found most useful. 

So, you can go to this page, and follow the embedded links:

http://www.ctlogs2lumber.com/AirDryingLumber.html

--Peter
No longer milling

Tree Feller

In order to air dry your lumber, it will need to be placed in stickered stacks. The following link shows how to construct a stack.  http://www.lcida.org/airdry.html

You will want to  keep it 48" wide or less and orient it so that a long side is toward the prevailing wind. Build the stack on high, dry, ground and keep grass/weeds down around it.

Drying time is dependent on the number of good drying days, the species and the thickness of the wood. Don't be misled by the "one year per inch of thickness" mantra that gets repeated on forums. It's not even close to being right.

Construction Pine can be suitably air-dried in six weeks or less. Red Oak could and should take much longer since it has a safe drying rate of 3%/day or less. The thing to remember with air drying is that you don't have much control over the time involved nor the quality of the final product. It's all pretty much up to nature.

There are lots of U.S. Forest Laboratory publications as well as reliable private sites like Woodweb that contain reams of information on air drying. Books could and have been written on the subject and your questions are really too broad to effectively answer here. If you can narrow down the focus, folks here will be able to provide better, more timely answers.
Cody

Logmaster LM-1 Sawmill
Kioti CK 30 w/ FEL
Stihl MS-290 Chainsaw
48" Logrite Cant Hook
Well equipped, serious, woodworking shop

WDH

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

ladylake

 With red pine I'd maybe dry it a month or so then put it up, a lot less twisted lumber that way.     Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

cutterboy

Air drying is really very easy. Don't worry about wind direction or number of rainy days or temperature. Build your stack up off the ground with stickers every 2-2.5 feet apart. Inside an airy or open shed is best but outside is ok if you build some kind of roof over it. It's best if the lumber doesn't get rained on. Wait a year for hardwood and your lumber will be dry. Pine will take less time but I leave it in the stack the full year unless I need it sooner.

You can study the art of drying lumber for years and learn the differences in time of the different species and many other technicalities if the subject facinates you...... or just wait a year and your lumber will be dry.

Happy drying, Ralph
To underestimate old men and old machines is the folly of youth. Frank C.

WDH

Quote from: cutterboy on February 20, 2012, 07:54:48 PM
You can study the art of drying lumber for years and learn the differences in time of the different species and many other technicalities if the subject facinates you......

Very good suggestion.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

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