We offer fast and reliable Vacuum Kiln Drying Services for most wood slabs and dimensional lumber. Hardwoods or recently milled slabs, we recommend air drying to 20-30% moisture content prior to being loaded into the kiln. In some cases, softwood species don't require any air drying and can go directly from the mill to the kiln. Drying in a vacuum kiln results in wood that is consistently and thoroughly dry, with reduced movement, defects, and more stability.
By drying in a partial vacuum environment, the moisture inside the wood boils and converts to a vapor at a lower boiling point. This process accelerates the dry time without the harsh effects of other higher temperature kiln drying methods.
Our vacuum kiln has the capacity to fit material up to 70" wide and 200" long. On average, it takes one to two weeks in the kiln for every inch of slab thickness. We ensure each slab is dried for maximum stability and optimal moisture content.
We process on average 3,500bdft of wood every week. Whether it's one slab or hundreds, we have the ability to get it dried fast so you can start working on it.
$3/bdft with a $150 Minimum
Contact us for rates over 1,000bdft.
• Lead times will vary.
• Each kiln cycle is 3 weeks long.
• Our queue is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Contact us to coordinate drop-offs and pick-ups.
• Waiver must be signed at time of intake.
• Measurements will be taken at time of intake.
FRESH-MILLED SLABS
Due to the high moisture content still remaining after milling, we recommend allowing wood slab(s) to thoroughly air dry before kiln-drying. This will lead to more stable material.
MOISTURE CONTENT
All materials brought in for kiln-drying will be checked for moisture at time of intake. We recommend materials be at 12%-30% moisture before loading into our vacuum kiln.
FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE
Our kiln is loaded on a first-come first-serve basis. Drop off your material Thursday-Saturday during normal business hours. Contact us for Tuesday-Wednesday dropoffs.
3 WEEK KILN CYCLES
We load and unload our kiln every three weeks. All materials loaded into our kiln will run for a minimum 3-week cycle regardless of wood species. Material may take 1 or 2 cycles.
ADD-ON SERVICES
Consider adding on services such as surfacing, cutting, wide-belt sanding, and/or full-finishing for a seamless process. We will perform additional services once your material is finished drying.
PICKUP
Once kiln-dried, all material(s) will be stored for pickup in our outdoor containers and will be held for a maximum of 2 weeks before storage fees incur.
