Wood comes from trees and trees, in keeping with most lifeforms, need water to survive. The moisture inside trees is a mix of water, nutrients, and sap to protect/heal itself. Of course, this means when the tree is cut the wood will contain moisture. The exact amount depends on several variables such as the type and age of the tree.
As wood is a hygroscopic material, it will continue to absorb and even release moisture, even after the tree has been cut down. In effect, it reacts to the environment around it.
Understanding Water In The Environment
Water is present in the air, it’s part of the water cycle and a result of water heating up and moving from one place to another, namely the tree into the air. That’s part of the reason why hot climates can be so humid. The moisture escapes from trees and other living objects and enters the atmosphere.
This process is a process of convection, water moves from one place to another to create balance, with the same amount of water in each place. That’s why damp wood will shrink in a dry environment and swell in a wet one. Remove the moisture and it will no longer react to the moisture in the air, there is no need to find balance.
Unfortunately, moisture in wood means it is harder to work with, more likely to warp, and more likely to attract pests and mould.
Wood Drying Process
In the past air drying was the most common approach. Air was allowed to flow around the wood and naturally remove moisture. At the same time, the wood was kept in a sheltered spot. However, this approach doesn’t give any control or guarantee over the amount of moisture removed or left in the wood.
From the beginning of the 20th century, people have been trying to use vacuums to dry wood. A vacuum removes the air, including moisture in the air, from around the wood. This creates an imbalance in pressure. The pressure inside the wood is much greater than the air around it. In effect, the evaporation point of water is lowered and it is encouraged to move out of the wood.
The process is aided by the introduction of steam or other types of heating to help allow the moisture to move out of the wood. It’s much faster than air drying, more accurate, and gives high-quality dry wood.
Where Vacuum Drying Originated
Vincenzo Pagnozzi started researching vacuum wood drying in the early 1960s and made several breakthroughs. In short, he made the entire process possible. This led to the creation of a company, its first contract was to produce vacuum drying machines for Fiat. The company still exists today. In fact, it’s run by the third generation of the same family and continues to trade as wde-maspell.com.
Creating a way to dry wood in a vacuum isn’t enough for this business. They have continued to innovate and improve the process. Today, they have nearly 100 patents, each one a testimony to their dedication to improving the available processes.
They won’t dry the wood for you. But, if you want a high-quality wood vacuum drying machine, then this is the place to look. You’re guaranteed great service thanks to their global network and each machine produced is made to the highest possible standards.
In short, if you’re looking to dry wood you need to contact them today.
