Quick Links: Drying Time | Our Kiln | FAQ
Price: $1.00 per week/board foot
At Southern Appalachian Wood we offer top of the line hardwood kiln drying services. If you have newly cut "green" lumber for wood furniture, cabinets, or other wood projects, it will need to be dried first. Freshly cut wood takes months and even years to dry on its own. Our vacuum kiln drying service can cut the drying time down to 2-3 weeks compared to several months for traditional kiln drying.
Drying Time Calculation
Expect approximately 1 week of drying time per inch of plank thickness. Whether you are drying or de-bugging your wood, we use the fastest and most efficient drying method in Western North Carolina.
In a healthy living tree, wood typically has a moisture content of 75% or higher. Our kiln utilizes vacuum power to lower the temperature at which water evaporates. At this lower temperature, we can accelerate the drying time without harming the wood. Vacuum pressure also sucks the water from the core to the shell, which is ideal for thicker pieces. Fast drying produces wood with excellent color and very little degrade.
Our Kiln
Our vacuum kiln utilizes a continuous vacuum to dry, while heating with aluminum hot water heating plates or circulated hot air. This process dries wood up to 10 times faster than conventional method. Our kiln uses a vacuum to create a pressure gradient between the outer layer and the core of the wood. Conventional drying methods rely on moisture differential or gradient to pull the water from the wetter core out. This results in slower drying times and may
degrade the wood. Our kiln achieves its fast drying rates by maintaining a small difference between the outer layer and the core moisture contents throughout the drying period. The core of the wood is essentially at atmospheric pressure, while the outside of the wood is at a reduced pressure, causing the water to flow toward the shell more rapidly.
The Vacuum Dryer utilizes a vacuum to lower the temperature at which water evaporates. Wood is stronger at a lower temperature. By drying at a low temperature, we can speed up the drying time without harming wood. Vacuum pressure also pulls the water from the core to the shell, which is great for thicker wood.
Our vacuum kiln system is very effective at heating the wood without damaging or darkening it due to the low pressure(vacuum) environment, in fact the low oxygen environment actually contributes to the bright colors that result from the vacuum drying process.
FAQ
Capacity: up to 4000 board feet
Drying Time: Approximately 1 week per inch of thickness
Cost: .50 to 1.50 per board food depending on species, thickness and other variables
Yes