Kiln-Dried Traditional Timbers
Kiln-dried traditional solid timbers are “pre-shrunk” before milling the final profile. This ensures each timber used in your home is stable and uniform. No severe shrinking or warping occurs.
- All Timberhaven kiln-dried traditional timbers are graded and stamped with the Log & Timber Homes Council Certification for Stress Grades. Defective timbers are graded out by trained inspectors, resulting in only the best kiln-dried timbers for your home. This minimizes in-service checking, warping and twisting which occur in the kilns prior to milling and final construction.
- The high heat used in the kiln-drying process sanitizes the timbers killing mold and fungi (which cause wood decay), as well as insects, their eggs and larvae.
- Pitch in the wood is crystallized during the kiln-drying process, reducing the possibility of the sticky substance seeping to the surface of your kiln-dried timber wall.
- Interior and exterior finishes can be applied immediately to the kiln-dried timbers following construction, speeding up the construction schedule and providing immediate protection from the elements. Also, applications absorb deeper and last longer.
- By removing excessive water, the weight of the timbers is significantly reduced. Even the longest kiln-dried traditional timbers are easily handled by two people.
The Kiln-Drying Process
Kiln drying is a complex science. The process controls the amount of moisture in the wood products used to build your Timber Frame or Hybrid Home. A large stack of timbers/cants is placed in a sealed building and the temperature is slowly raised to 170°F. Large reversible fans circulate the heated air to help maintain a consistent drying rate. The moisture-laden air is removed from the kiln by dehumidifiers. The drying rate is carefully monitored to prevent an imbalance that can cause cracking. When finished the moisture content of Timberhaven kiln-dried timbers is less than 19% average per timber.
Determining the Final Moisture Content
Timberhaven Log & Timber Homes uses the accurate “oven dry” ratio method to determine the final moisture content of our timbers. Samples of the kiln-dried lumber are weighed and then dried completely in an oven and weighed again. The ratio between the two weights represents the average moisture content of the timbers, inside and out. This is a much more accurate method of measuring the moisture content than using a “moisture meter” to measure the outside portion of the wood, which tends to be the driest.
