Timber Drying Advice

[jonw1664]

Hi all,
I could do with tapping in to your collective wisdom. I am about to get several large Poplar trees felled. I need to build some new kitchen cabinets. I think there may be an opportunity! The tree surgeon who is felling the trees is happy to slab them for me. My current plan is to get him to produce 8' x2" slabs. The questions I have are
1) Is this a sensible size
2) Should I create a stack with slabs separted by sticks and let it air dry, presumably for 12 months or so or should I do a deal with my local timber yard to add it to their kiln process?

The cabinets I want to build will be shaker style with a frames of approximately 20mm x 80mm

I have a planer and a thicknesser and a table saw for timber dimensioning and prep

I have never started with fresh timber before but I love the idea of using my own wood for my own cabinets, but I am also conscious that it could all go horribly wrong! All advice, suggestions, do's and don'ts would be much appreciated

 

[MARK.B.]

People will have different views on what is the best way to dry timber,some prefer Air dried and some kiln dried or even a mixture of both . Air drying a 2" thick board would take around 2 years ,could be more or could be less, but a rough guide is 1" drying time per year .If you have the space to store the timber in stick outside/inside in a covered but well ventilated area(unrestricted airflow around the timber is needed) and can wait 2 years then go for it,its free and all you need is time,don't forget to seal the fresh cut ends of the boards . If you can do a deal with your local timber yard to get it kiln died at a good price then you get to start making your kitchen in a matter of weeks rather than years but it will come at a cost. The size of boards and how many you can get from each tree will depend on the tree and the skill of the person cutting them, my preference would be 2" thick by as long as possible as it is easier to cut down to length than join to make longer.
To be able to use wood from your own land to make a bespoke kitchen or other large project is a great idea which very few of us will have the opportunity or pleasure of being able to do. Best of luck with your new kitchen .

 

[Fitzroy]

I tried to dry some timber from a cherry tree and it warped and twisted hideously. I think much of this was stress in the tree from growing in an urban environment. Many trees are twisted in the trunk from having had no protection from the prevailing winds. Drying the timber oversized will take longer but give you more leeway to mill out any twists/defects once dried. 2" sounds very sensible to this regards, it was the 1" boards I cut that moved so much they are unusable.

I am using some air dried oak that I have had outdoors for many years, Whilst i I think it is as dry as it'll go for my area i am finding it has some way to go before it's dry enough to make items for internal use. If you air dry it I think you'll find the need to bring it indoors for a period before final working to size.

 

[recipio]

Why limit the dimension to 2" ? Will you not be milling the wood down to 3/4" / 19 mm anyway so kiln dried boards at 1" would be more suitable.
My experience of home milling is limited to garden trees and you get lots of surprises ! You may be forced into a painted finish if there is a lot of variation in the colour but varnished poplar can look quite nice.

 

[Adam W.]

Poplar will dry out faster than the 1" per year rule of thumb. If your trees are leaning, the wood will be of poor quality. Likewise if they are spiral grown or have lots of branches, as a clear stem gives the best timber..

It takes some degree of knowledge and experience to get right, but it's worth the effort even if it goes wrong, as long as you take the time to investigate why it has gone wrong and learn from it.

 

[Billy_wizz]

Won't it still need to be kiln dried after air drying to get the moisture levels low enough for internal use?

 

[Adam W.]

Not really, as it's best to keep it in your workshop for a couple of weeks before beginning work. If you live in a house with the central heating on all the time, then stick it under the sofa or in the loft for a month or two to get the moisture content down.