Kiln drying costs

[Stuarts]

I have some very good oak boards that are worth the expense of getting them kiln dried. Does anyone know what sort of costs are charged? I know someone who runs a private kiln so I’ll most likely go with that.

 

[Squaredy]

9 hours ago, Stuarts said:

 

I have some very good oak boards that are worth the expense of getting them kiln dried. Does anyone know what sort of costs are charged? I know someone who runs a private kiln so I’ll most likely go with that.

 

 

You haven’t said whether the boards are freshly milled or air dried.  Kilning from fresh sawn will take ages.  Also thickness is very important.

[trigger_andy]

1 hour ago, Squaredy said:

 Also thickness is very important.

More so than length?  

[Squaredy]

4 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

More so than length?  

Yes.  Length only matters in that if they are too long they may not fit in the kiln.  How long a board takes to dry is mainly all about thickness.  A really thin piece of any wood (say half an inch) can be totally dry in a couple of months in good weather, or even less for easy drying timbers.  An Oak beam 8 inches thick on the other hand will take 7 or 8 years or more.

[Stuarts]

Hi
The boards are only a few months air drying and 2 inches thick. I just wondered if it was charged per day or per cube etc. Was just curious I guess there’s lots more variables to the price.

[Big Beech]

Normally sited that an 1"per year air dry prior to kilning.

That is what a local kilns religiously sticks to and has a very high success rate.

Rush at your peril!