Drying lumber

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1,939
Location
Oliver Springs, TN
I had some oak and pine cut last December. I checked the moisture today with a meter and the pine was in the 8 to 12% range and the oak was 14 to 18%.

My shop/garage isn't humidity controlled. If I bring some of the wood in how much dryer can I expect the wood to get?
 
If it was me I would stick and cover that oak and forget about it for the next 4 or so years.
The pine should come down to what ever the humidity in your shop is in a month or so.
 
John-
It sounds like the wood has hit EMC (equilibrium moisture content) for your area. It's not going to get much dryer without external forces acting upon it. Bringing it inside will do the trick, but it may take some time.
 
Here's an idea I've been mulling around for awhile. I've got an unfinished basement that is conditioned. My idea is to bring some of the wood in the basement and build a tent from plastic around the wood. I'd make the tent larger than the wood stack for air movement. I would then put a dehumidifier inside. Do you think this would pull the moisture down to a more usable amount?
 
As i understand it, Kiln drying will set the sap and change the cellular structure of the wood making it more stable and less likely to take in moisture. The drying temperature varies by species and thickness.

Bringing air dried lumber into your shop where it is warmer and generally dryer during the winter months should drop the moisture content.

I have toyed with the idea of building a small kiln next to my barn and heating it with my outdoor wood boiler which is set @ 180 Degrees F. A small fan to circulate the air should get the moisture content down to 6%. I think 180 degrees is high enough to set the sap. :dunno: It will kill any bugs at any rate.
 
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