Are you trying to know how to dry wood slices in the Oven? Putting lumber in a dry place so that it can dry naturally is easier. However, it is also a pretty slow process. Depending on several factors, wood may take weeks or even months to dry up naturally.
That is why this process may not work very well for someone who is in a hurry and would like the wood to dry faster. This is where the home kitchen oven can be of great help. It can play an important role in drying wood slices faster and very effectively.
Some of the tools and equipment needed to complete the job included:
- An electronic moisture meter
- A kitchen oven
- Wire cooling racks
- A large pair of tongs
- A sealant
- Wood stabilizing solution
Preparation of how to dry wood slices in the Oven
Begin by repositioning your racks. One rack should be fixed in the bottom spot of the oven while the other at the center. If you want your wood to dry evenly, you will have to use the center rack. The pieces of wood should fit on the rack of the oven. You should make sure there are plenty of spaces to enable air to move freely.
Remember to place an oven thermometer at the far right corner of the center rack. A large sheet pan should be placed on the bottom oven rack as a safety precaution to catch any smaller pieces that may slip through the wire.
Preheating Process
Heat the oven’s interior by setting an internal temperature to between 200 to 225 degrees Fahrenheit which is equivalent to 95 to110 degrees Celsius. If your oven has a convection fan, turn it on. Check the temperatures after about 15 minutes to check if the oven is ready for drying the pieces of wood.
For an analog oven, 200 to 225 degrees Fahrenheit or 93 to 107 degrees Celsius will do. Avoid using higher temperatures because that would ignite the wood.
Measure the Moisture Level of the Wood
Before you add it to the oven, measure the wood’s level of moisture using an electronic moisture meter. You can note down the initial humidity in the piece of wood to determine the period it takes to completely dry. Alternatively, if you do not have the electronic moisture meter, you can weigh the piece of wood before you begin drying it and note how the weight changes as it dries.
Setting Up On the Oven Rack
Place the pieces of wood on the rack such that no piece is touching the other. This is going to help achieve maximum air circulation within the oven. The large pieces of wood should be split into smaller ones to fit on the oven rack.
Place the smallest pieces of wood perpendicularly to avoid falling through the rack spaces and burning up. A tray with a layer of water should be placed at the bottom to equalize the water content in the wood.
The Drying Process
Leave the wood in the oven to dry for an hour. Remember, the wood may not dry appropriately if the pieces are touching each other. Also, make sure you are checking the progress of the woods at intervals of 10 minutes.
The smaller pieces of wood will probably take a shorter time to dry while the larger ones may take a long time. The temperatures are usually high so in case of fire starts, keep the oven door closed and leave the fire to burn out on its own. Open all the doors and windows for ventilation.
The Testing Process
Use oven mitts, a large pair of tongs or other hands protective equipment such as leather work gloves to remove some pieces of wood from the oven to check whether they have dried. If you have the special moisture meter, use it to measure the humidity in the wood.
The measuring tool will help you ensure accuracy in testing the moisture content in the woods. You will have to return the woods to the oven if it has not yet dried. Continue drying them for 15 minutes longer. Retest to ensure the woods have dried.
Cooling and Drying
Once you have removed each piece of wood from the oven, place the pieces of wood in a dry place to cool. The place should be protected to avoid accidents such as being burnt as a result of stepping on the hot wood. You should then inspect the pieces of wood to ensure they have cooled completely. Hot wood can easily get ignited or continue burning.
Retesting and Storage of the Woods
After cooling, you have to recheck if moisture is still present in the pieces of wood. If present you will be required to preheat the oven again, load the woods and let them dry over again. Store your dried and cooled pieces of wood in a safe and dry place, ready for use.
Apply Wood Stabilizing Solution
Once the wood has been dried using this method, it might get dumpy again if left unprotected. Therefore, once you are done with the drying, you can complete the process by applying a wood stabilizing solution or simply a sealant to make sure that it remains dry.
It is important to let the wood cool first before applying the solution. Wait for the pieces of wood to reach room temperature first before you apply the sealant or the solution.
Generally, we also discuss how to cut wood slices for Centerpieces which is a very effective process.
Final Verdict
how to dry wood slices in the Oven has several improved qualities that wet wood may not rival. Drying it improves its strength, durability, flammability, and resistance to mold. Though drying wood the old fashion way is still the most cost-effective option, if waiting is not an option then you just have to use an oven to do it quicker.
This guide can help you follow the right procedure so that you can achieve the most with less. Regardless of what you want to use the wood for, if you follow these steps to the latter, you will get the best results from the wood drying process.