Is kiln dried lumber too expensive?

[Dave Lehnert]

Have been pricing kiln dried lumber as of late and can’t believe the prices it commands. I guess energy cost to run a kiln is the issue. I know KD is better than air dried but that should not keep us woodworkers from looking at air dried as a source of material. Would be nice to see hardwood dealers offer air dried next to kiln dried. With KD Cherry running $8+ ft. A large project like a bedroom set would be difficult for a hobbyist woodworking to afford.
So what do you think? Is it time for woodworkers to give a hard look at air dried lumber?

[Peter Quinn]

Well, its sort of like wine. A case of wine at release is often much cheaper than one which has been aged and is ready to drink. I suppose you might save money buying air dried if you have access to it, but is it 'dry' or do you need to dry it further? Beyond the cost of operating a kiln there is a cost to cutting logs, storing the material and seasoning until ready to use. I have seen Air Dried fully seasoned lumber that cost more than KD from some vendors because they have to store it so long to get it dry.

If you have access to air dried lumber ready to use cheaper than KD, then by all means buy it. Some of the best wood I have ever used has been air dried. Its often more stable, less tense and more vibrant in color. But if the air dried wood is still somewhat green, then you need to decide if you want to work this wood now or are willing and able to store it and wait.

[Dave Avery]

Have been pricing kiln dried lumber as of late and can’t believe the prices it commands. I guess energy cost to run a kiln is the issue. I know KD is better than air dried but that should not keep us woodworkers from looking at air dried as a source of material. Would be nice to see hardwood dealers offer air dried next to kiln dried. With KD Cherry running $8+ ft. A large project like a bedroom set would be difficult for a hobbyist woodworking to afford.
So what do you think? Is it time for woodworkers to give a hard look at air dried lumber?

Dave,

Mike Morgan (see Mfg's Forums) can ship you KD cherry for much less than $8.00/bf. I've been happy with the wood that I've purchased from Mike. Best. Dave.

[Steve Schoene]

Air dried wood is nice in some circumstances, but there are good reasons for using kiln dried wood. Kiln drying has killed the insect population if there is any. It is also likely to "set" sap pockets making them less likely to bleed under finishes. (Still use shellac on pine or cherry if their is any question.) Some of the worst criticisms of kiln dried lumber are really criticisms of certain drying practices like steaming walnut (ans cherry) to lessen the color contrast between sap and heart woods. The steaming turns in into boring greyed brown. Walnut can be kiln dried without the excess steam used for color change. (There is quite often steam used in any kiln drying process to help control "case hardening". that's not what does in the coloration to any great degree.)

[Wade Lippman]

I think you are shopping in the wrong place. In town it is $6; an hours drive gets it down to $4.75. Cincinnati; shouldn't be that much higher than Rochester.

[Jamie Buxton]

Kiln-drying is used in commercial lumber production because it is less expensive than air-drying.

A business has a choice. It can invest in a kiln and pay for energy, or it can air-dry. Air-drying takes time and space. Time and space are not free. Businesses do the math, and decide that kilns are a less expensive way to make dry lumber.

[Dave Lehnert]

Kiln-drying is used in commercial lumber production because it is less expensive than air-drying.

A business has a choice. It can invest in a kiln and pay for energy, or it can air-dry. Air-drying takes time and space. Time and space are not free. Businesses do the math, and decide that kilns are a less expensive way to make dry lumber.

Guess it depends in the area but around here air dry is WAY cheaper than KD.

You can drive a couple of hours from Cincinnati and get a better price but around the loop the price is higher. When gas was cheap the drive to get a few boards was not a factor. But now it is.

[Rick Fisher]

Kiln drying lumber causes living organisms to be killed. Things like mold and fungus that deteriorate the lumber.
In Air dried wood, these critters go dormant and will not come back without moisture.
With Kiln dried wood, new critters need to be introduced, with moisture.

[John Keeton]

Dave, I know it is quite a drive (probably 275 mi round trip) but Morehead KY, White Lbr, will sell you #1 cherry considerably cheaper than $8 - probably less than half. Depending on your needs, the #1 should suffice. Just a thought.

[Frank Drew]

I know KD is better than air dried...

More like the other way around, in my experience, although I wouldn't want to make a blanket statement one way or the other.

I agree with Peter Quinn's comment: "Some of the best wood I have ever used has been air dried. Its often more stable, less tense and more vibrant in color." Also his analogy to properly cellared and aged wine -- of course it involves a commitment in time and space, but the results are worth it.

[Bob Ross]

Look up Wilhelm Lumber. They are on St. Peter Rd in SE Indiana..about an hours drive from downtown Cincy. Great folks, or they were 20 yrs. ago :D

[Jeff Duncan]

Guess it depends in the area but around here air dry is WAY cheaper than KD.

You can drive a couple of hours from Cincinnati and get a better price but around the loop the price is higher. When gas was cheap the drive to get a few boards was not a factor. But now it is.


I think you may have misunderstood what Jamie was trying to say.
I certainly don't want to speak for him, but I believe his point was if you were comparing apples to apples, meaning bulk lumber dried to a useable percentage, kiln dried would be cheaper. Kiln drying can turn wet wood into useable lumber in a very short time (ie fast turnaround). Whereas air drying requires years of storing and attention before it can be used for cabinetry. If your having to keep millions of bd. ft. of lumber stored, stickered and covered for several years or more, that's going to get expensive.
So most often when you see air dried lumber it's someone who chopped down several trees, milled them up and stickered them in the back yard for several years. The wood likely still needs further drying or acclimating in the shop. But if your buying small quantities anyway and can store them inside your shop for several more years you could build up a very respectable collection of well dried hardwoods.
JeffD

[Craig Kershaw]

$8 per board foot is awfully high, I just bought some at Hardwoods, Inc in Frederick, MD last weekend for $4.70 a foot. It had good figure and they had a good selection. There was also a guy on the Baltimore Craigslist selling highly figured cherry for $6.50.

[Jim Becker]

I know KD is better than air dried

Not so in such a general sense. I use a lot of air dried material for my work including 100% of the wood off our property. Woodworkers have used air dried material for "a very long time". How you dry is less important than doing it correctly. Properly air dried material is just as stable and sometimes even more beautiful (subjective, of course) for some species, such as black walnut.

Don't be afraid to work with good air dried lumber when it is available to you.

And yes, contact Mike Morgan (in the Manufacturer's Forums here at SMC). His cherry is excellent and the price is also eye-opening. Nowhere CLOSE to $8 a bd ft and it's even kiln dried... ;)

[Jeffrey M Jones]

Dave which stores are you going to here? I have a place in milford (east side of the belt), not sure where youre at, that has an excellent selection of KD wood. There arent many places here I know of that you dont need a commercial license and have to spend 150 or more to buy from except this place in milford. The owners are great too! PM me if you want their info

[Dave Lehnert]

Dave which stores are you going to here? I have a place in milford (east side of the belt), not sure where youre at, that has an excellent selection of KD wood. There arent many places here I know of that you dont need a commercial license and have to spend 150 or more to buy from except this place in milford. The owners are great too! PM me if you want their info


Thanks! I live just about walking distance from that place. Very good quality lumber. The best I have seen in a long time. Just a little pricey (for my budget) for a large project. For smaller projects it's a great resource. We are lucky to have them in Cincinnati. Not that their prices are higher than others. Just the price of kiln dried across the board is up.

[Dave Lehnert]

Dave, I know it is quite a drive (probably 275 mi round trip) but Morehead KY, White Lbr, will sell you #1 cherry considerably cheaper than $8 - probably less than half. Depending on your needs, the #1 should suffice. Just a thought.

I purchased some lumber from them for my bed I made out of cherry. Got it there because they stocked 2". But at the time they only had a very small amount. I have used Globe Hardwood just down the road from Morehead and they offer very good lumber at a good price. Just a ways to go for a few boards. Been about 10 years now since my last load. Stock is getting kinda thin in the shop. Even at their price it's now an investment in $$ for a full load.

[Jeffrey M Jones]

Hardwood lumber and more? if thats the place you live next to, youre a lucky guy. I live about 10 mins away off 131. I love that place. I love their gummy cherry.

[Dave Lehnert]

Hardwood lumber and more? if thats the place you live next to, youre a lucky guy. I live about 10 mins away off 131. I love that place. I love their gummy cherry.

Yes! I have a stock of the gummy in my shop from them. Great for boxes. Walking distance for me is a stretch. I'm just down the hill from you.

[Rob Diz]

Wilhelms is another great source for cherry.

There is a fellow over on Woodnet (I think he's going by Donnie Fandango now) who lives in your neck of the world (Milford area - outside of 275 loop) that can get you rough lumber at very reasonable prices.

Wilhelms has regular hours, and has a decent selection. If you are looking for thicker stock - say 8/4 or for curly, call ahead so they can pull it out of the stacks. Otherwise, you may be frustrated.

There has also been a small mill in NKY that has been posting some kiln dried lumber on the materials section of craigslist. I think it was vinyard lumber.

Of course, most of the less expensive wood won't be graded, and it won't be skip planed. But in the end, I think you can find decent lumber around here at a reasonable price.

[Mike Parzych]

Around here I can get lumber kiln dried, even in smallamounts for $.40bf so I can't think that affects the price above air dried. Most of the sawmills who sell to retailers are fairly large operations so there's overhead, plus the retailer's mark-up.

Pesonally I think the "bug scare" is exagerrated.