Kiln-drying of 9- by 9-inch cants for log home manufacturers

Air-drying raw material for log homes requires at least 1 year to reach an acceptable moisture content (MC) of 15 percent. As a result, large inventories are necessary to provide a steady flow of material. The objective of this pilot study was to determine the time required to dry large Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) cants, measuring 9- by 9-inches, at various kiln temperatures to an average MC of 15 percent, and to determine whether stress reduction via steaming could minimize final check width. Kiln temperatures of 120?, 160?, and 200?F, and a constant rising temperature (CRT) schedule using up to 240?F were used to dry samples in 40, 25, 14, and 17 days, respectively. Steaming the kiln charges for 48 hours after drying significantly reduced the width of face checks for cants dried at 200?F and above (CRT) so that face checks turned out to be narrower than with air-drying.

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