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Wood Products Extension

Wood Moisture

Collage of wood products - 2022 Urban Wood Drying Workshop - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Feb 26, 2022

2022 Urban Wood Drying Workshop

Deadwood revival design, North Carolina state University Wood Products Extension, & the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo have partnered under a Calfire Community and Urban Forestry grant to conduct a series of urban wood drying workshops over the next three years. Proper drying is key to processing freshly milled boards & slabs into valuable,…

Jan 19, 2018

Predicting the Air-Drying Time for Lumber Using the Air-Drying Estimator Spreadsheet

Lumber is often air-dried for months prior to being kiln dried. The air-drying yard manager must decide when to stop air-drying and move the lumber to the dry kiln. The Air-Drying Estimator Excel spreadsheet is based on previous air-drying of lumber research. The intent of the Air-Drying Estimator is to help the air-drying yard manager…

Nov 17, 2017

Calculating the Equilibrium Moisture Content

The moisture content of wood in an environment held at the constant conditions of temperature and relative humidity will come to an equilibrium with its surroundings.  The air temperature and relative humidity will determine the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) conditions, and the moisture content of wood in that environment will approach the EMC of the…

Dec 23, 2016

The Equilibrium Moisture Content of Wood in Exterior Locations in the United States: An Update

Wood responds to atmospheric moisture in a predictable manner.  If the relative humidity and temperature of the air are known, we can determine the equilibrium moisture content of that air, or EMC.  Knowledge of the EMC is useful in estimating how fast lumber on an air drying yard will dry; how long it will take…

Sep 12, 2016

Differential Shrinkage and the Cupping of Lumber

Wood shrinkage is often calculated with the assumption that the radial and tangential shrinkage occurs parallel to the surfaces of either flatsawn or quartersawn lumber.  As a result, the calculated shrinkage has a built-in error in calculating the change in dimension since it ignores the curvilinear nature of the growth rings.  An Excel spreadsheet model…