Drying your wood
Air drying wood is a relatively simple process. The keys are stacking the wood with space between the pieces and keeping it out of the rain. Covering the stacked pile simply with a piece of plywood is usually adequate. Drying time depends upon species, local conditions and dimension of the wood. Soft woods generally dry a bit faster than hard woods. Thick wood takes longer to dry than thin. Painting or covering the ends of the wood with paint or wax will slow the drying process helping to prevent checking (cracks). Some woods also tend to check more than others. Red Cedar, for example is a very stable wood. Ideally, logs should have their ends painted straight away after felling and before milling. This makes the process of painting the end grain much simpler. Full drying is less of a factor when the wood is going to be used outdoors where it will be exposed anyway. For more information on drying please feel free to contact us.
