by Professor Gene Wengert
Q.
We have a small kiln drying operation and have our wood (southern red oak) trucked in for kiln drying. Our problem is that sometimes it takes two to three days to get it and it has developed stain. What can they do at the mill to avoid or reduce the problem?
A.
The stain that develops can be of fungal origin, in which case the mill can use a fungicide--there are at least 5 approved fungicides in the U.S. Or the stain can be non-fungal, in which case it is an enzymatic oxidation stain that cannot be controlled with chemicals. For this stain, there is nothing other than drying immediately after sawing.
Professor Gene Wengert is Extension Specialist in Wood Processing at the Department of Forestry, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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