air seasoning

Air seasoning is a method of drying lumber to prepare it for use. Unseasoned wood is susceptible to fungal and insect damage, and it shrinks unevenly, leading to splitting and warping. In air seasoning, boards are stacked with small pieces of wood called stickers between them to allow air circulation. The stacks are often slanted to help with rain drainage. This process aims to reduce the wood's moisture content to the lowest level possible given the weather conditions, without causing defects. The time required for air drying varies significantly based on wood species, location, and time of year, potentially taking from 20 to 300 days for a 1-inch-thick board to reach 20% moisture content.12