Drying schedule by thickness
26 mm: 12-14 days. 32 mm: 14-18 days. 38 mm: 16-20 days. 50 mm: 18-24 days. 65 mm: 24-30 days. 80 mm: 28-36 days. 100 mm: 35-45 days. Dehumidifier kilns add 10-15% to the schedule vs conventional steam-heated kilns. Vacuum kilns can compress the schedule by 30-40%.
Moisture content targets
Joinery and high-spec furniture: 8-10% MC. General furniture and cabinetry: 10-12% MC. Industrial and packaging: 12-15% MC. Final equalisation and conditioning (4-7 days at constant RH after target MC is reached) lock the moisture distribution evenly through the board thickness.
Defects to watch for
Honeycomb: internal checks caused by excessively low EMC early in the schedule, slow the schedule. Surface checking: surface cracks from excessive drying rate, slow the initial DBT/WBT differential. Sticker stain: pale lines where the sticker contacted the board, use kiln-dried, clean stickers. Colour scorch: brown patches from over-temperature, keep DBT under 80°C for steamed beech. End checks: cracks at board ends from rapid drying, wax or paint the ends before kilning.
Steamed vs unsteamed scheduling
Steamed beech enters the kiln pre-conditioned at high MC and even temperature, allowing a slightly more aggressive schedule than unsteamed beech. Unsteamed beech requires conservative initial schedule to protect against checking, particularly in thicknesses over 50 mm.