Drying of two-edged cant
The main disadvantage of wood is its ability to absorb and release moisture, and as a result changes its linear size.
Building wooden houses from dry two-edged cant makes its possible to reduce the effects of house settlement, especially during the first years, and the appearance of mould on the logs. To avoid all these deficiencies, we dry two-edged cant.
On the Norwegian market, houses are built only from dry two-edged cant and only under the roof. This is the most correct and technologically advanced method of construction of wooden houses from two-edged cant.
Drying can be artificial and natural
When two-edged cant is dried naturally, the logs are debarked, treated with an antiseptic and stacked under a canopy. The logging and processing take place in winter, when there is not movement of sap inside the wood; additionally, its moisture is partially frozen out. This method of drying reduces moisture content to 20-28% after 6-7 months.
Air-dried logs are thought to have fewer cracks, because moisture leaves wood slowly, and consequently, it is not too “traumatic” for logs. However, such drying is used quitely rarely due to the duration of this process.
Artificial drying, that is, drying in a kiln, is a common method of speeding up the process of using wood for construction. The drying of two-edged cant takes from two to four weeks, and is determined by the drying technology, the initial moisture content of the log, the size of its cross section, the degree of porosity, etc.) Upon leaving the kiln, two-edged cant has (depending on the same factors) a moisture content of 17-23% (according to the standards, it should not exceed 25%). After drying, the pores do not open up any more, which means that the shrinkage of a constructed house will be minimal. An essential detail: drying reveals hidden defects of timber. For example, if so-called ‘internal stress” inside the wood was strong, then after drying such wood becomes deformed. In other words, thanks to drying, a client receives timber that will not bring unpleasant surprises.
