Sentimental Value of Wood

For some clients, there is an added value in a project when it can be completed with wood of their own choosing, possibly from their own or a relative’s property, from their city, or from another location that may be special to them.  The added value brings an added complication for professional woodworkers, though, because most wood of this kind needs to be kiln dried before use in a project.  I once had a client contact me about fixing a countertop they’d had someone else fabricate and install. The wood had not been kiln-dried, and bugs were literally crawling beneath the sealed finish. So, when one of my clients requested using wood from a white oak tree that had fallen on his own property, I explained the necessity of kiln drying and the added expense it would bring. Although the client was willing to cover the cost and extend the deadline for the project, I still found it quite challenging to facilitate.  Most kiln drying takes place through larger lumber companies who use a kiln drying process that involves a boiler and an oven to dry the wood.  This is often powered by the cutoffs from their lumber processing operations.  Of course, these services aren’t made available to individuals seeking to have small batches of wood processed.  

Thankfully there are some other options available for professional or hobbyist woodworkers needing to dry their own wood, but they can be challenging to find.   When I searched the woodworkers database for kiln drying in or near Chattanooga, where we were living at the time, I found about 10 kiln drying services listed within a 100 mile radius.  When I called them, though, only one was still in operation.  All of them had closed down because it was not worth their time to keep open or to maintain this portion of their business.  I eventually found one in North Georgia, but they refused to dry anything less than a full load of approximately 1500 to 2000 board feet.   Since my client had over 2000 board feet he wanted dried, we were able to move forward with the project.  At 3 plus inches, the wood’s thickness was perfect for this kiln, which used a vacuum effect to remove air, thus making it easier for a lower heat to pull moisture from the wood.

This option worked great for my particular client, but not all clients have such a large quantity of wood and the funds to use a high-end kiln.  It can be tempting to just move forward with a project, but properly drying the wood beforehand is essential. Bugs aren’t the only issue that improperly dried wood can have. If you have a smaller quantity of wood to dry, I recommend reaching out to your local sawyer to discover what resources he or she can connect you with. The sawyer I knew in Chattanooga, TN (Rudd Montgomery), had a small dehumidification kiln that he would put a batch of wood in every few months and was happy to add pieces up to a certain quantity for local woodworkers. As I continue broadening my contacts here in the Northwest, I look forward to meeting and connecting with more individuals like Rudd who play essential roles in the woodworking community. If you have a special tree that you would like to see formed into something lasting for your home, get in touch, and let’s begin the initial steps towards properly drying and prepping the wood to make that happen.