Oak wood is particularly hard and has a high level of durability. Easily splittable and very easy to process, but still has a certain elasticity, it can be processed excellently. Like all types of wood, oak requires some time to dry before use. Correct storage is also important so that the beams do not warp or even crack.
How do you dry oak wood correctly?
To dry oak wood, stack it in a place protected from rain with at least 2cm between boards for air circulation. Allow about a year of drying time per centimeter of wood thickness. Covered end grain areas prevent cracks.
Drying oak wood for DIY projects
You should always use oak wood:
- in one piece or as long planks and
- in a place protected from rain
dry.
Drying oak wood is relatively time-consuming. As a rule of thumb, you should expect a drying time of around one year per centimeter of wood thickness.
Procedure
When stacking the wood, you should use two centimeter thick stacking strips. These are inserted between the boards at a distance of 50 centimeters so that the air can circulate freely.
Cracks almost always occur due to improper storage and drying, for example if the oak wood is stored at high temperatures and low humidity. The reason: The volume loss resulting from this process is many times greater in the outer annual rings than in the core.
Always cover the end grain areas, these are the sides cut across the grain, because the water evaporates here significantly faster than on the long cut edges.
Oak wood as fuel
Oak wood burns very slowly due to its density and has a high calorific value. Since it is not resinous, it causes few sparks and forms a nice glow. However, the appearance of the flames is disappointing and you have to do without the cozy crackling and crackling of the fire. That's why oak wood is more suitable for closed tiled stoves.
If you get fresh oak wood as firewood, you have to expect a comparatively long drying time. In contrast to spruce or pine, which you can burn after about two years, you have to be patient with oak firewood for three to four years.
Let the oak firewood dry as follows:
- Store the logs in a sunny and dry place.
- The wood should be well ventilated from all sides.
- Protect the fuel from rain, for example with a sloping roof or a metal cover.
- So that the wood does not draw moisture from the ground, you should store it on a surface made of stones or on Euro pallets or squared timber.
- If there is no protected storage space, you can pile up the firewood in the form of a log pile.
Tip
In the woodworking industry, oak wood is dried in drying chambers. Air conditioning accelerates the drying process to just a few weeks and prevents cracks from forming. Chamber-dry wood has a low residual moisture content and is usually cheaper than air-dried oak wood because it eliminates the need for long and time-consuming drying times.
