Q. Can I carry out kiln drying on my own?
1 Answer
Well, technically anyone can carry out kiln drying of wood on their own. But it is a technical job that requires a lot of skill and know-how. If you don’t have these skills, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it.
Not only do you have to know how to use a kiln itself, you also have to be conversant with the process of controlling the temperature and humidity at each stage of the operation to ensure that you achieve only desirable results.
Going lower than the appropriate temperature and moisture level may cause the pieces of wood to have residual strains as they wrap or check. Also, if you carry out the process too rapidly, visible cracks will form and compression/increased hardness will follow. All of these are things professionals know how to look out for and control.
And these are just the tips of the iceberg.
So if you don’t have prior experience with kiln drying, I’ll advise that you leave it to the professionals. A service like Kiln Dried Logs UK, for example, exists to ensure that you don’t have to carry out this arduous task on your own.
answered by william_barton