Basics of Wood Drying/Seasoning

Abstract

Wood seasoning is one of the most important fundamental or primary processing stages for ensuring efficient utilization of wood resources as timber. The process involves reducing the moisture content of wood to a level which is in equilibrium with the atmosphere. It is also one of the most energy-intensive processing operations and has economic implications in timber products as the process has to be carried out in a controlled manner. However, the multiple benefits of seasoning in terms of quality and service life of timber products outweigh the cost and time involved in the process. The chapter deals with the fundamentals of wood seasoning, its importance in timber utilization, wood drying elements, various pre-seasoning steps and seasoning methods. The importance of seasoning schedules in controlling drying degrades has also been elaborated.