Drying Raw Maple Wood

Place the maple boards into the kiln. Load the boards no more than two rows high during the initial 36 hours of heating. The boards should be a maximum of 16 feet in width. Measure the width of the kiln’s interior ahead of time to ensure the board will fit properly. Choose a sample of two or three boards and place them in an easily accessible area in the kiln. Place the boards on a scale to check their weight. You later use these sample boards to determine when the load has dried.

Position the boards in the kiln so that they do not come into contact with the fans inside the kiln. If the boards block the fans, it will interrupt air flow. Keep the two piles of boards separated by 4 inches to further encourage the flow of warm air between the rows.

Adjust the temperature setting on your kiln to a range of between 110 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the Kiln temperature does not exceed a heat of over 160 degrees Fahrenheit, which can burn the wood.

Maintain an air velocity in the kiln of over 500 feet per minute. Reverse the kiln’s fan air flow at two-hour intervals. Check your kiln’s manufacturer’s directions for specific guidelines as to how to operate your kiln.

Make sure your kiln’s humidity levels remain steady for a minimum of 12 hours. Remove your sample boards from the kiln with metal tongues after the initial 12 hours to check the moisture content. You can determine the moisture content of the boards my dividing the maple’s original weight by it’s dried weight. Then, subtract that figure by 1 and then multiply it by 100. The moisture content should be less than 22 percent. Check the boards daily until you reach the required moisture level.