Drying red and white oak -- together?

Can red and white oak be kiln-dried together? March 20, 2001

Q.
Can I dry red and white oak together? Will one stain the other?

Forum Responses
I run a Nyle DH kiln and have done both at once, with no staining. Regulate your kiln based on the drying speed of white oak, since it is the slower drying of the two species.

In a perfect world you would only dry one species, thickness, and initial moisture content in your kiln at one time. I dry woods with similar drying rates and moisture contents together.

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You should put the faster drying species (red oak) on the bottom, to minimize cup.

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You can mix red and white, but the white will take longer. Get samples from both species.

Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor