using live edge walnut, kiln dried or no?

9 years ago

I am hoping to make the bedside tables pictured. I've located some live edge locally milled black walnut.

I've never used live-edge or locally milled lumber before. The lumber is 6/4, air dried with painted ends. Can you tell me if I would need to use kiln dried lumber for my project, or would the air dried lumber work? Why are the ends painted, and do they need to remain painted? And how do I know if it has completely dried? Is there anything else I should know before purchasing this lumber?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

rwiegand
9 years ago
Sealer or paint is applied to the ends of logs to slow the faster evaporation of water from the ends and make the drying more even. (I'm not sure how well this really works, but I do it anyway. I'm pretty sure paint is near useless, but wax sealers might be beneficial.) This helps reduce splitting from uneven drying. Once the drying is complete the paint or sealer has fulfilled its purpose and can be cut off.

Air dried lumber is a pleasure to work with. and there's no reason it won't be fine for your project. The rule of thumb is 1 year of drying time for each inch of thickness under ideal conditions, but your best friend will be a moisture meter to test whether the wood is, in fact, uniformly dried.

Once you've worked with well-seasoned air dried lumber it's hard to go back to kiln dried. It's easier to plane or turn, more predictable in terms of movement when cut and frequently retains better color.
mabeldingeldine thanked rwiegand
klem1
9 years ago
Air dried is actually superior to kiln dried,go for it. I will explain if requested. Ends are painted to prevent faster drying and cracking at ends. No need to leave paint on any longer. There's a process where you measure a block, oven bake and measure again to determine moisture content but a moisture meter is much quicker(see if you can get a cabinet shop to check with theirs).
Related Professionals
Enfield Cabinets & Cabinetry · Chicago Cabinets & Cabinetry · Kalamazoo Cabinets & Cabinetry · Orange County Cabinets & Cabinetry · Pueblo Cabinets & Cabinetry · Lawrence Carpenters · Marinette Carpenters · Greenville Flooring Contractors · Murfreesboro Flooring Contractors · Hartford Flooring Contractors · Duluth Flooring Contractors · Marinette Flooring Contractors · Fresno Flooring Contractors · Oxnard Flooring Contractors · Seattle Flooring Contractors
mabeldingeldine
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
This is great news! My seller has some butternut that has been stored in the barn attic for 20 years, I'll look at that, too, although I was concerned it would be too soft. I might have access to a moisture meter as I work at a small college and the sciences have all kinds of specialty tools and I have a pal who is in charge of them.

Thanks so much for your prompt replies klem1 and rwiegand!
dan1888
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
That's a nice design and I'd use a full width plank to realize the potential....well except for that light.
toxcrusadr
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Whoever is selling the lumber may have a moisture meter, but they are not too expensive if he doesn't. A cabinet or millwork shop, sawmill etc. may have a moisture meter if you can talk them into checking your wood. Some have pins to poke in, some work on radio waves and you just hold it against the wood.

But 20 years, it's gonna be as dry as it can get. I would not hesitate to use butternut, it's similar to pecan which is pretty dense.

When moving any lumber to a very different environment in terms of heat and humidity, let it sit for a couple weeks to equilibrate before doing much with it.