Kiln Drying: Everything you need to know

What is kiln drying? 

Firstly, it’s important to know exactly what kiln drying is. Through this process, wood is dried out by controlling temperature, humidity and air circulation. Then, with the perfect match, we achieve the specific profile required to successfully dry wood. 

The process of kiln drying involves stacking numerous pallets and crates in a kiln oven chamber. Then, temperature, humidity and air are carefully controlled. As Northern Ireland’s experts in heat treatments for wood, at ITS we ensure our kiln dried wood is heat-treated for 30 minutes at 56 degrees.

What are the benefits of kiln drying?

Though artificial, kiln drying is an extremely efficient method of heat treatment. There are many benefits of kiln dying, including: 

1. Lightweight

Kiln-dried wood is lightweight as additional moisture etc. is removed from the product. Therefore, kiln-dried wood is efficient for business use. This makes it easier to move pallets and crates around. Then, they can withstand extra, heavier goods for transport.

2. Kills bugs, mould, larvae, fungi etc.

Extremely high temperatures are used when drying wood in a kiln. Therefore, any insects or larvae are killed alongside any mould or fungi growing on the wood. This also results in higher quality, safer wood products. At ITS, our heat-treated wood products are regulated under the ISPM 15 guidelines. This means our products are not infested by pests and mould, which often result in illness. 

3. Wood is extremely durable

Kiln drying wood increases the durability of the product, giving a longer shelf life. This technique controls the moisture content of the wood. When uncontrolled, materials stretch, shrink and warp. So, with this lower moisture content, our crates and pallets are more durable and less likely to warp over time. 

Why should I choose ITS?

At ITS, we offer the highest quality wooden pallets and export crates. As we are ISPM 15 certified, top quality is guaranteed every time with ITS. From our base in Portadown, we provide custom-sized products tailored to your specific needs. Please contact us for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!