Kiln-Drying of Presurfaced 4/4 Appalachian Oak

The new Forest Products Laboratory method of accelerated kiln-drying was evaluated for drying green 4/4 Appalachian oak lumber used for flooring manufacture. The lumber consisted of No. 2 and 3A Common grades of mixed red and white oaks, and contained substantial amounts of quarter-sawn heartwood. Four charges of green lumber were dried in a 6,000 board foot capacity dry kiln as follows: Two charges were presurfaced to 1-1/32 inch thickness and dried on an accelerated kiln schedule, one rough charge was kiln-dried on the conventional schedule, and one rough charge was dried on combination low temperature and conventional schedules. The presurfaced lumber dried on the accelerated schedule in about one-half the time required to dry the rough lumber on conventional schedules. Degrade losses from accelerated drying were less than losses from conventional drying. The dry thickness of the presurfaced lumber permitted the finishing of all cuttings at least 26/32-inch standard finished thickness. All of the lumber was useable for production of either trailer-bed or strip flooring products. Drying costs (including degrade) were one-third less for accelerated drying than for the conventional kiln-drying method. Use of the accelerated drying method will permit a significant reduction in the cost of lumber inventory required to support a flooring plant.

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