Kiln-dried

Lumber that has been put through a kiln for the purpose of reducing the moisture content and stabilizing the wood.  Wood that is directly from a live tree will be around 35% moisture.  For our purposes of making high quality exterior millwork, the wood must be dried to around 11% moisture before final milling into a usable product.

Drying wood in a kiln results in a more stable, predictable piece of lumber than if it were air-dried only.  And while kiln drying increases the up front cost, the long term costs are reduced because less inventory is needed than if we had acres of wood waiting the long period required if it were air dried only.

We use only kiln dried lumber to take advantage of the benefits, but additionally allow it to air dry, or “season” in our climate controlled wood storage before milling.  The result is a very stable product that will provide decades of trouble free enjoyment.