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Introduction In recent years, we have received hundreds of requests for small scale lumber dry kiln plans from woodworking hobbyists. People were looking for an inexpensive and simple kiln design that could cost effectively dry as little as a few hundred board feet of lumber or as much as several thousand board feet of lumber each year. There are many different kiln designs including solar, dehumidification, direct or indirect fired, and vacuum kilns. For small operations, there is a large amount of information available on solar kiln design and operation. However, solar lumber kilns are not effective for large portions of the calendar year in northern climates (due to cold winter temperatures). Our goal was to develop a small scale kiln that produced quality kiln dried lumber, was functional throughout the year, was reasonably inexpensive to build, and was constructed with common building materials from the local lumber yard and hardware store. With these constraints in mind, we chose simple 2” x 6” construction to build the drying chamber and powered it with a common basement dehumidifier, electric heater, and four attic fans. hygrometer/thermometer which was purchased at a local electronics store. Total costs for the materials were $2,704 based on 2006 prices. Appendix B illustrates the kiln construction layout including a plan view, section view, front elevation, back elevation, and detailed illustrations of the door sections. These drawings are not to scale (see Appendix B1-B6). The floor system was framed using 2” x 8” construction 16 inches on center (see plan Appendix B1). Three- quarter inch CDX plywood was used for the inside floor. One-half inch pressure treated plywood was used to close the underside of the floor system. Pressure treated plywood is recommended since the bottom of the kiln may be in moist conditions if stored outside. If stored outside, place on skids to raise the kiln off of the ground. The floor system was insulated with rigid foam insulation cut to fit between the 2” x 8” joists. A plastic vapor barrier could be used under the three-quarter plywood floor; however, rigid foam acts as it own vapor barrier. The side and rear wall systems were framed using 2” x 6” construction 16 inches on center (see section and back elevation Appendix A). One-half inch CDX plywood was used for the inside wall sheathing and three-quarter inch T-111 plywood siding was used on the exterior walls. The walls were insulated with R-19 fiberglass batts. A plastic vapor barrier was used between the inside wall sheathing and wall studs (see Figure 1). Figure 1: A plastic vapor barrier was used between the inside wall sheathing and wall studs. This publication outlines the basic construction of a small scale dehumidification dry kiln. When properly loaded, this kiln can dry approximately 600 board feet of 4/4” lumber. This plan allows for flexibility in the design of the kiln. The kiln volume can be modified to custom fit the individual’s needs. As with any value adding opportunity (including wood drying), outcomes can never be guaranteed. It is highly recommended that users of this publication seek basic training in lumber dry kiln operation. Mistakes can be both costly and frustrating. Sources of additional information are listed at the end of this publication. 1 The following section includes a materials list, the basic kiln plans, and the basic electrical considerations for building the dehumidification dry kiln. Please refer to Appendix A which shows the Lumber Dry Kiln Bill of Materials. All of these products were purchased at a local home center, except the remote Materials List and Building PlansPDF Image | DH Drying for Small Woodworking Firms and Hobbyists
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