Seasoning of Lumber

Seasoning lumber is removing moisture from the small and large cells of wood, or drying. The advantages of seasoning lumber are reducing its weight, increasing its strength and resistance to decay, and decreasing shrinkage, which helps to avoid checking and warping after placing the lumber. A seldom used and rather slow method of seasoning lumber is air drying in a shed or stacking in the open until dry. A faster method, known as kiln drying, has lumber placed in a large oven or kiln and dried with heat supplied by gas or oil fired burners. Lumber is dry enough for most uses when its moisture content has been reduced to about 12 to 15 percent. As a Builder, you will learn to judge the dryness of lumber by its color, weight, smell, and feel. After the lumber is cut, you will be able to judge the moisture content by looking at the shavings and chips.