Timber and lumber seasoning is the process of drying out lumber or timbers and is essential for all types of wood. Seasoning refers to the process of drying the wood slowly to keep it from warping and cracking. The two main methods of seasoning lumber and timbers are to air-dry them or to dry them in a kiln. It is important for wood to be dried as the sap it contains is food for various types of parasites and fungi. Drying is therefore an essential part of making sure that it lasts for a long time.
The air drying method of seasoning involves stacking the wood in a covered area outdoors. The wood that is being seasoned is stacked with the use of spacers that allow air to pass between the timbers, thus speeding the drying process. Lumber that is being kiln dried is stacked within a controlled environment where the air is circulated around and between the timber pieces by artificial means such as fans. The air in the kiln is heated and the temperature is controlled. In some cases, the humidity may also be controlled with the use of steam jets. There are different methods of finishing lumber after seasoning; in some cases it will be sold in its rough form, in others it will be planed smooth before being sold. Finally, it will be bundled with other pieces of the same grade of timber to be taken to a lumberyard and from there it will be sold to consumers.
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