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Does Speed of Drying Affect Flooring Stability?
Question
Forum Responses
From contributor S: We have been making wide plank floors for years (8"-12"). My feelings on drying hardwoods are simple: the MC needs to be 6-8%. Wood dried in a steam kiln has a greater chance of stress put in during drying than a dehumidification kiln. Does green dried oak move more than air dried before drying? I haven't noticed any difference. White oak has more twisted grain cells than red oak has, so twisting, cupping, moving might be more. Also, the wider the floor, the more surface area is exposed to moisture changes once installed. So to answer the question, if the wood is dried to the kiln schedule and to the right MC, you should be fine. From Professor Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor: All size changes are related to MC changes, so proper drying to the correct final MC will minimize size changes in use. The speed of drying (KD green from the saw or air drying a year and then KD) has nothing significant to do with stability. What you quoted about speed and stability is a statement that pops up every so often but is not true. I am not sure where it came from unless slow, long drying assured that the final MC was correct, compared to fast drying where the final MC could be variable. Would you like to add information to this article? Interested in writing or submitting an article? Have a question about this article? Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below? 
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