Kiln dried logs are pieces of wood that are cut and dried in a special chamber. There are reasons why wood is kilned. The first reason is to eliminate moisture from wood and the second reason is to prepare the wood for construction jobs. Kiln dried logs are used in buildings and furniture after undergoing a meticulous drying process.
Making furniture with kiln dried logs is simpler than doing it with air-dried wood. This wood is less humid and less prone to suffer damage in fires or cracks when exposed to heat. In this regard, items made with this product are more durable. Besides, kiln dried logs do not lose as much moisture as green wood, although the latter contains 40% more water.
Kiln dried logs are also excellent firewood because of their low content of moisture. Because of this, this wood generates more heat. On top of that, kiln dried birch logs are light and easy to transport and store. This type of wood dries in hours and can be used as firewood much faster.
Continue reading to learn more about kiln dried logs.
Kiln dried logs
Is kiln-drying any good?
Kiln drying has benefits that many people ignore.
Extends the life of use of the wood
First, it is a drying process that enhances the durability of the wood. When the lumber goes through this process, it is less likely to warp or curve when exposed to the kiln. However, when the wood is air-friend, it can lose its shape and shrink.
More practical and faster
Kiln drying is more meticulous and delicate with wood than air drying. Air drying takes longer, causing the process to last days or months. While the firewood will dry much slower, the kiln drying process works differently, drying the wood quickly in a day or hours. Consequently, many wood dealers use this wood-drying method before offering the wood.
Versatility
Kiln dried logs are suited to most types of woodwork. Kiln dried logs can be used for the manufacture of cabinets and fences. Kiln drying is not only limited to a certain type or species of wood; instead, it works perfectly with soft and hardwoods to create kiln dried hardwoods hassle-free.
Disadvantages of kiln dried firewood
Expensive
Buying a kiln dryer is not so simple. While kiln dryers are used in the commercial field, it is a fact that not many homeowners can afford these machines. Added to that, operating a kiln requires experience, expertise, knowledge, and maintenance.
There are actually more alternatives
Now, if you are wondering how to get homefire kiln dried logs, there are alternatives you can entertain. One of them is the solar oven, which resembles a greenhouse in many aspects. Solar kilns are the favorite for kiln drying but they offer great performance. Compared with air-dryers, they are more cost-effective and cheaper, albeit slower in producing kiln dried logs.
Wood air dryers
How to choose the best kiln dried logs?
Kiln-dried logs are used for many purposes, but there are so many types of wood that can be kiln-dried that choosing the most suitable wood can be tricky.
Kiln drying adjusts the moisture content of the wood, which produces tons of kiln dried logs for multiple purposes. Softwood and hardwood can be kiln-dried. Just choose the specific type of wood you require for your project.
One of the benefits of kiln dried logs is that the kiln has settings to control the amount of moisture removed from the lumber. This means the wood can be made very dry or slightly dry, but both serve different purposes. You need to decide whether you want a type of wood that is curved and with a higher content of moisture or dried wood that is stronger but more likely to chip and crack from use. Generally, most people tend toward kiln dried hardwood logs.
Softwood and hardwood come from different species of trees. Although their names are misnomers, because some softwoods are hard and some hardwoods are soft, hardwoods are usually harder and more durable. This does not apply to softer hardwoods like balsa, but it does apply to most other hardwoods. Softwoods are commonly used and cheaper. There are also many softwoods that are hard and durable enough for construction and other projects.
After choosing between hardwood and softwood, you will need to choose specific types of kiln dried logs. Hardness is often important, but there are other aspects to consider as well. For example, you may need a certain color of wood, light or heavy wood, or a wood that has specific properties like rot and weather resistance.
Summary
Another thing to consider when choosing kiln dried logs is the project. Some kiln-dried lumber sell customized kiln dried logs. Kiln operators actually do this. Wood can also be cut into certain shapes to make your project easier. With kiln dried logs, you can make boards, fences, and decks. Most kiln dried logs are in a board form, but not all.