Drying Wood with Dehumidifier Wood Kiln - How to Dry Wood

[@hoofgripweightlifting6872]

Sir. Thank you so much for this video. With the price of propane going up, we decided to use wood burning stove for the first time since we bought our house over 20 years ago. I have been using dry wood with less than 20% humidity using a meter. But some are well above that. Now I know how to expedite the drying process.

[@2HME]

His lumber stock is quite impressive. Just from seeing that, I would like to see a tour of his shop. Cool video.

[@emm_arr]

Interesting. I run a dehumidifier in my cellar here in the UK, and the first few weeks of operation noticeably dried out slightly damp joists. Now they are a noticeably less damp. It hadn't crossed my mind to dehumidify a box, but now I'll have to give that idea some thought. Thanks, Colin. I thought I had subscribed months ago, but no. I have now!

[@joelongstaff7601]

Great video thankyou. 30 years ago when I was taught to build dehumidifier kilns for, cut boards, It was explained to build the kiln with 2 chambers. One for the lumber and a smaller one beside it. The smaller chamber was for the dehumidifier and fan. A passage way left at each end of the centre wall would allow air to be blown through the wood and then past the dehumidifier. By turning the fan around you could reverse the air flow, thus slowing the checking.

[@SMee67]

That was a nice change of pace, something different, interesting, and informative 👍 Thanks, to you both👌

[@knecht105]

You're welcome, Bill! Thanks for watching once again.

[@chrisraven6803]

I just built a custom home bar in my basement that seats 6. I love wood!!

[@hardnox6655]

Excellent video. Good information. I have a 20' Conex container (painted black on the roof for heat) that is solar powered using twelve 12v computer muffin fans for circulation and two 12 marine dehumidifiers. It takes about 8 months to cure 4,000 BF of 10/4 rough sawn timber. It works great. The key is to have tight seals.

[@knecht105]

Sounds like an impressive setup! Thanks for watching.

[@drewjohnson4673]

HARDNOX, I am in the planning phase and really like what you posted here. how could I find out more about what you are doing? Thanks, Mike

[@Broken_robot1986]

Dang nice setup. Hopefully we got the shop tour.

[@twodogswoodworkingandwood6742]

These dehumidifier systems work well. I have been using a 4x4x8 kiln for years. I air dry most of my lumber until it is 12 to 16%, usually a month or two with good air flow. Then load the kiln and run the dehumidifier at 85% humidity until the run off water slows. Then turn the humidifier down to 75% and repeat the process. I dry lumber until it is 6 to 8%. Keep a fan running the whole time. Let the wood rest a day or two between decreases of the dehumidifier, run the kiln temp to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 3 three days after reaching desired dryness. About 3 weeks or so from loading to unloading the kiln ( times can vary... widely, though) My kiln is NOT air tight.

[@knecht105]

Thanks for the tips and thanks for watching!

[@AndTheCorrectAnswerIs]

You air dry your lumber to 12-16% in a "month or two"? You meant YEAR or two, right?

[@Sc-jf3yk]

Thanks you answered most of my questions without even trying

[@johnsvmf]

I love the words that you make up.

[@chesshooligan1282]

2 years and still at 80%... Jesus Christ, this man is a lot more patient than I am.

[@mattcasdorph]

I heard that and was like f@ck!!!! 😅. I just ordered a plank chainsaw mill because of the price of lumber in the box stores. I want to mill my own lumber but idk if I have that kind of patience

[@TheSickNeeds]

Future Mark Hamill? May the force be with you!

[@jamesstewart7389]

Those hinges are cool,

[@Thom4123]

What a nice system and it looks like something you can easily have in your backyard. Looking forward to seeing the shop tour. Take Care.

[@knecht105]

Thanks for watching!

[@mortenlund1418]

Thank you for sharing with us. Best wishes.

[@douglas31415]

Great video!

[@tedspens]

Great video and very informative. Unfortunately, it just further convinced me that I will be paying for dried wood (mostly burls) for quite a while. But I can still get started stocking up for the future. Thanks for the tour!

[@redsquirrelftw]

I'm hoping to have my wood stove setup and ready to go for this winter but most of my wood is not quite seasoned as I'm kind of a year behind, what I cut this year will be for next year. Now I'm almost curious if I could get away with just using a dehumidifier inside the house. I do eventually want to build a kiln but not quite at that point yet. I might even experiment with putting my wood in the server room, if I put it behind the server racks the hot air blowing over the logs constantly might help too, and I can also throw a dehumidifier in there. Just got to watch for electrostatic discharge!

[@seadoogti9288]

As for drying the log for carving, I find its a better approach to carve the log first (At least to the rough stages) and THEN dry it. This way there is a lot less wood to dry and depending on what you carve it may alleviate a lot of pressure that would otherwise be in a full, round log. Why dry would that you plan to cut off anyway?

[@alanmullock381]

I use a much smaller version to dry turning blanks,works very well! Cheers guys👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@knecht105]

Thanks for watching!

[@flako3902]

I know this is old, but do you have build plans? This is exactly what I'm looking for something just to dry axe handle a bit quicker

[@ciaranmac646]

Would an old big refrigerator and stick a dehumidifier into it do the same job?

[@jewermank8536]

Thats really cool. Ive been storing my lumber in my uninsulated shed and have noticed that some wood has twisted because of the high heat during summer. I need to make a covered outdoor rack

[@knecht105]

You can also try venting your shed in the summer. Thanks for watching!

[@bnelson313braveheart]

Very interesting!

[@XXc-kt3ky]

So, been watching your videos for awhile, I decided to go down the rabbit hole of milling my own lumber. I have some 8/4 white oak and 8/4 read oak that has air dried 1 year and is down to about 14%. I made a makeshift styrofoam box put a dehumidifier, fan and heater in it. Been running at 100 degrees and kiln humidity is at 25%. Can I safely dry this wood at this temp or should I be at higher temps. Not really sure if I’m doing it right or not? Any insight would be a great help. Thanks in advance.

[@dalemarsh942]

hey thanks im getting ready to make a kiln already have a large freezer lone works great but as I just bought A 36' SAWMILL NEED a bigger kiln was going 4x4x10 feet figured I had to make back party taller but just a box will work great video

[@woodsignsbydesign5598]

How did the freezer kiln work out?

[@BriantWoodworks]

Great video as always Collin.

[@andrewsmith4070]

I looked at this with interest from the point of view of drying wood for a log burning stove. Cracks in the wood would not matter and it would already be split down to speed up drying. Any idea how long it would take to dry green wood??

[@MattA42]

This is what I want to do when I grow up.

[@peterfenwick2540]

I enjoyed that, thank you Colin.

[@knecht105]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@jerryjohnsonii4181]

Very interesting. Thanks for showing this cool process.

[@knecht105]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@maxwellspeedwell2585]

Colin Knecht? Call & connect? Well, people have asked if Max Speedwell is my real name. Just glad I wasn't named Ben Dover.

[@seibert1234]

I'm setting up a small kiln like this, and i'm having issues with my dehumidifier - it won't run if the humidity is too low, and lately it isn't collecting any water at all. I bought another one, and its having similar issues. Do you have any recommendations for getting this to work, or humidifiers that just run without all the circuitry getting in the way?

[@rickhalverson2252]

Do you have an electric baseboard heater in the kiln? Also add a couple house fans to recirculate within the box. If it needs heat and circulation. I used to run one in my shop, built out of 2-inch styrofoam 16 ft long. It must be insulated well to be efficient.

[@Frosty_tha_Snowman]

Man #2 is Backwoods Billy Bob Thornton

[@adamthewoodworker2571]

Hi, I know this is an older video, so not sure if you'd even remember, but I'm curious if your friend used 1 inch or 2 inch thick insulation

[@gulfcoasthunter1022]

So just curious if I milled an 8x8x20 post how long would that take to dry out? Years?

[@andrewyork3869]

I don't know but even bare bone setting it out side it's one year per inch they say. I imagine a kiln like this would speed that up a good bit....

[@guitarpunk200]

he seems like a very smart and helpful guy! thank you!

[@knecht105]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@aljundating1574]

Thank you Sir.

[@robertosanchez3588]

Exelente documentales ticher. Te saludo desde cdmx

[@martincontreras2614]

hola Roberto, un saludo desde Vallejo CA. E.E.U.U.

[@dennisrayl3485]

I'm wondering if you have suggestions for drying olive wood.

[@BenLawrence-l1z]

How much drying time just curious

[@fiberinspector1304]

What part of the world are you in, must have a really nice selection of local woods to chose from?

[@hansdegroot8549]

Canada

[@knecht105]

Yes, I live on the west coast of Canada. Lots of forests here.

[@robertbrunston5406]

Very good! Thank you.

[@TheVictoire22]

Arnhem / Knecht ... That must be Dutch ancestors ;-) What is the power usage on average in Watts?

[@knecht105]

I'm actually not sure, but because of the small space and insulation, it's not that much. Thanks for watching!

[@accessiblecruisetravel-dre3383]

Will using this kiln kill any insects in the wood?

[@drewjohnson4673]

i am finding that many home dehumidifiers only take the humidity down to 30%. can you recommend some models that will take the wood to ranges near the desired 10% rate? thanks Mike

[@Sc-jf3yk]

Moisture in wood is by weight

[@BarryFromEastenders]

I'm currently finishing a live edges kitchen table. There are however some lines /grooves going straight across the table which I've been told are sticker marks from the kiln. How can I fix this ? Do I have to sand whole table down to depth of groove or can I fill will epoxy or filler and then stain . Thank you in advance

[@TreyCollier]

I don't think I could ever stack dried wood Outdoors here in the south. We have humidity levels at 70 to 95% regularly. Even the garage it's not immune. Do you have any recommendations for those of us who lives in the humid South?

[@knecht105]

I'm not sure Trey, but we filmed this on Vancouver Island, on the West Coast of Canada ... which is known to get its fair share of rain and we can still store it covered, outside. Maybe have look at how your local lumber yards store it.

[@robertpoole4487]

I am in tennesee and have a sawmill. 8/4 white oak will dry down to %15 just air drying for a year. Just need a kiln like the one in this video to take it down to where it needs to be.

[@drewt3210]

Similar here in Western NC mountains. Stickered in garage with box fan 24/7 to prevent surface mold, dryer in winter of course. It'll hit 9% after a winter in the conditioned basement w/ box fan. Best, @HoneyOnWales

[@okcantbelieveit294]

Move! 😁

[@CaseyLane925]

Thanks. I'm just south of Charlotte, and was hoping to do the same

[@sapelesteve]

Very interesting video Colin. Would love to see that shop tour & what Aren (sp.?) uses the wood for........................... :)

[@knecht105]

I'll work on doing a shop tour soon. Thanks for watching!

[@nateb4543]

Whoah! 2 years and THEN the "kiln"? How long if only air dried? I'd be worried about bugs or something going wrong

[@catchemalive]

About what temperature are you wanting it to stay inside the kiln?!?

[@samuelroberts334]

Pretty cool

[@knecht105]

Thank You!

[@jgriff19861947]

Nice video and help full

[@knecht105]

Thanks for watching!

[@hansdegroot8549]

Very interesting video. Thanks for sharing. Somehow I do not understand the percentages which are mentioned for the (more or less) fresh wood 80%, 90% (I could not hear it well on the video, the "CC" wrote that) I always thought that fresh wood has a moisture percentage around 30%, max 40%. Or was the "CC" wrong and had been sad 18% and 19%? Is drying a complete log possible till 12% this way? In the past, about 15 years ago, I visited some commercial kilns, and the operators told me, if I remember well, that wood should not be much thicker than 6 inches, otherwise it will not dry evenly.

[@knecht105]

Yes, try to get it down to 12% if you can. Yes, it seems most people try to aim for 6" or smaller. Thanks for watching!

[@lukasmccain3529]

What type of dehumidifier is it

[@theophilussampson618]

I like your videos, they are very informative. How long does it take for the wood to well dried for woodwork?

[@MrThenry1988]

I'm using one now on chain sawed planks.

[@indo3052]

can u dry osb? or do u recommend it get replaced?

[@redsalem7686]

Although it doesn’t really sound like this speeds things up much. If you have to dry it for months before putting it in the kiln. Was hoping for a way to go from a fresh cut log to 12% in a month or two.

[@hughjasole9336]

There is a formula for how much water can come out a day to not ruin it...have to google it.

[@lancebooth132]

What does he do to eliminate the risk of powderpost beetles or termites? Does this kiln reach a high enough temperature to kill them and their eggs off?

[@knecht105]

They aren't a huge issue around these parts. Typically, the dehumidifier does a good job of making it too dry for bugs and their eggs.

[@brianthomsen4925]

WoodWorkWeb post beetles have no limit on how long they can wait to hatch. I heard it was 130 degrees for 48 hours to kill the eggs. I use boracare to sour the wood so even if they hatch they won’t eat. But that won’t work on wood that is over 2” thick.

[@smockytubers1188]

2 years outside and it's at 80%? Do you live in a tropical rainforest or what's the deal here?

[@marshalldavidson2639]

Can someone give me some advice on drying green 2x4?

[@errolfoster1101]

is there different ways to dry Australian hard woods or is it the same

[@mayhem661616]

99% the same. You auszies pay way too much for electricity to run a dehumidifier cheap. So get some computer fans to circulate air, then use a bucket of pool salt to dehydrate the air.

[@sebastiancrowe2586]

It’s 5 a o’clock i need to go to bed

[@TheTrainstation]

Im getting into collecting bog oak and sawing it into planks, it cracks so easily

[@Accho29]

Pretty interesting setup, wonder if this process would get rid of any bugs in the wood.

[@kimsochan9636]

sorry I hit the wrong button plus I would like to let you know I am Kim‘s husband Doug… now after spraying the water outside under cover and drying clear and with just a small coating I use a sprayer with a pretty wide nozzle open so just as a fine mist I do spray the floor of the box and the walls up just a little bit but that if any bug crawls across it is dead very shortly so that being said and it kind of does the getting rid of the bugs and disinfecting again spectracide At any Home Depot and a lot of what I get is like 10 gallons in the spring but they can be bought any time and works very well

[@dougveganparadisebuilder5808]

What can be used as a sealant for the wood?

[@twodogswoodworkingandwood6742]

A product called Anchorseal works well. I prefer the classic version over the Anchorseal 2. If you are processing a large amount of lumber buy the 5 gallons not the one gallon.

[@hughjasole9336]

If you don't have a lot of real expensive wood use a latex paint. I use latex two coats and it does just as good. No sense in spending lots of money on a product that doesn't guarantee checking.

[@ronnakeil3313]

Nice

[@knecht105]

Thank You!

[@kimboykin3453]

Interesting. I don’t think I have the patience for that.

[@knecht105]

It can be time-consuming. Thanks for watching!

[@vileguile4]

Very very interesting!! Did he have an accent?

[@scottk7613]

I want to build a log cabin, and dry my own logs. Maybe i can load the large logs onto a steel cage, thats in the air, by a chain, then put a box around it, with a humidifier. Maybe put 2 inside, one on each end of the box.

[@alexlindekugel8727]

if your gona dry the whole log first you must debark it! and honestly depending the wood your gona have cracking like crazy. most heartwoods have different mc than the sap wood different rate of drying. air dry with end sealer your best bet and its gona take along time.

[@OpekiskaWood]

Great video! Does the Dehumidifier produce enough heat in the box to "sterilize" from bugs, mold, etc.?

[@knecht105]

No, but removing the humidity will stop most of those problems for you. Thanks for watching!

[@adamelekes]

Months??? These dehumidifiers have about 200W of power. Have you done calculations on electricity costs? Does that dehumidifier survive that 24/7 workload?

[@DTSVK]

I think there is very little amount of humidity in the box actually. So machine will wait 90% of time to humidity slowly rise. As opposite, we have damp cellars where I work, pro machine can create up to 10 liters of water every 24 hours, continually.

[@knecht105]

Because of the small space and insulation, they are at idle most of the time. I would assume the current draw would be minimal.

[@ken1Lane]

I Would love to see a shop tour, I bet he has a awesome shop.

[@knecht105]

Yes, we'll do one soon! Thanks for watching.

[@MattJonesYT]

I'm pretty sure this is not going to kill wood boring insects so you'd have to be very careful to inspect every single bit of wood coming out of the dehumidifier to make very sure that you're not going to end up infecting your house with larva. It would be much better to run it through a real kiln that can kill the bugs.

[@RGK147]

No wood has 80% moisture content

[@andrewCNC905]

Not in the litaral sense you boob

[@nateroberts3308]

3 or 4 weeks is too much power. You could create a dryer much faster that just uses green wood as the heat source you would cut down your time by more than 2 weeks

[@rainbowsix4818]

2 years!!!!! 80% wet!!!!!??? Am I the only one who thinks that's sorta ridiculous....

[@conwaytwittyisalive6923]

It takes on average a year per inch thickness. And that's usually best case scenario.

[@scottm2553]

Why is cracking a problem for firewood?

[@thomastobben9420]

Knecht is a german word and means servant, interesting how it is pronounced in english😁

[@juansolo1617]

There's gotta be a quicker method for drying boards, rather than logs

[@صابرالمرادي-ه2ز]

👌👌👌👌

[@knecht105]

Thank You!

[@fightcancer9488]

My dehumidifier shuts off within minutes because it gets hot and humidity goes down is how do you keep your dehumidifier running?