Lumber or timber is a highly important and demanded construction material. It performs all sorts of purposes in construction projects. For this usage, contractors and others can have construction takeoff services. But before actually having it for usage, it goes through some detailed and delicate processes including drying. This is vital for its usage and contributes greatly to the outcome. Drying can be open-air drying and kiln drying.
What Is the Purpose of Drying?
Every step of processing lumber is important for its application and outcome. Among them, drying holds great standing. It includes reducing moisture in the piece of lumber. Once moisture shrank out of the piece, the piece is ready.
As lumber or timber comes from trees and trees are exposed to moisture through rain, flowing water, and groundwater, lumber or timber has moisture. All this moisture is absorbed into tree trunks through roots and directly. Once absorbed, this moisture hinders its usage. This hindrance is sorted with the drying process.
Open-Air Drying & Kiln Drying
Two major forms of drying are open-air and kiln. Both work on their own principal to provide the resulting timber or lumber for usage. They differ in various aspects. Some of them are:
- Open-air kiln work on regular wind while kiln work on heated air
- Open-air drying meant uncontrolled environmental conditions and the kiln has controlled conditions
- Both include stacking pieces over each other in a manner that air passes with ease
- Kiln drying is rather expensive than open-air drying
- The speed of kiln drying can be controlled to achieve results while open-air drying is subject to weather conditions
- Kiln drying can be paced while open-air cannot be managed for the required results
Why Kiln Drying is Used?
Kiln drying is the preferred method for timber drying in the construction industry. This is due to various factors. The prominent factors are:
Its speed can be adjusted as per the need of the project. The drying process can delay the construction process and progression. If contractors and builders can pace this process, they can speed up the construction process and save vital time
Drying under high temperatures can damage the timber stacked. That is why, the optimum temperature is created and maintained. This is possible in kiln drying to manage timber in the right manner. Its outcome is both safe from damage and the finest for usage
The outer environment is safe. While lumber pieces are placed in a heated environment, it keeps the outer environment safe. While heat is for the intended use in the location, it is contained in the location as intact
These are some of the reasons why this method is used. Once dried, it provides for usage in the right manner.
Benefit of Drying
The moisture in timber can hinder its usage. But as it is dried it provides for required usage. Dried timber benefits include:
- Mending dried pieces is very convenient and produces the required pieces. Cutting, smoothing, and shaping can be carried with the right tools to have the needed outcome
- Such timber fits well. Usage requires fitting pieces in the right locations firmly. Moisture hinders this while after drying it becomes easy. Dried pieces are thin and can easily be fitted into required locations
- They can be glued effectively. Moisture also hinders gluing. Dry timber is inclined to gluing and adhesive materials to deliver the right effect. Such pieces provide long-term sticking for the usage
- Finishing is easy for dry lumber as compared to wet lumber. Finishing material attaches to dryness better than moisture and attaches for a long period of time
- They can store for long enduring periods in storage and stacking. The presence of moisture can affect storage for the worse. Air can run through without causing any damage to it
- The chances of rotting are lessened in dried pieces of lumber. In dryness, timber is more resistant to rotting factors such as bacteria and others
These are some of the predominant benefits of drying timber.
Conclusions
Lumber is used for various uses (for this lumber takeoff services can be used) but before usage required certain processing including drying. Drying can be open-air and kiln based. Among the two, kiln drying is used because of different reasons. Once the timber is dried, it is beneficial for usage.
