Wood Kilns Views

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For many potters, wood is more than just a source of heat for a kiln, it is a process. And if you are one of those potters, you probably can’t get enough of the wood kiln firing process. So in this section, we’ll try to help satisfy your insatiable appetite for wood kiln firing by providing technical articles to get you inspired for your next wood firing. You’ll find glaze recipes, wood kiln firing schedules, information on using and building wood kilns and more. Plus, if you haven't already, be sure to download your free copy of the Ceramic Arts Buyers Guide, a directory of ceramics suppliers, plus reference material for the studio artist - professional or amateur, student or teacher.

Conventional wood dry kilns (Rasmussen, 1988) are either package-type (sideloader) or track-type (tram) construction. Most hardwood lumber kilns are sideloader kilns in which fork trucks are used to load lumber packages into the kiln. Most softwood lumber kilns are track types in which lumber packages are loaded on kiln/track cars for loading the kiln.

Heat is typically introduced via steam running through fin/tube heat exchangers controlled by on/off pneumatic valves. Less common are proportional pneumatic valves or even various electrical actuators. Humidity is removed via a system of vents, the specific layout of which are usually particular to a given manufacturer. In general, cool dry air is introduced at one end of the kiln while warm moist air is expelled at the other. Hardwood conventional kilns also require the introduction of humidity via either steam spray or cold water misting systems to keep the relative humidity inside the kiln from dropping too low during the drying cycle. Fan directions are typically reversed periodically to ensure even drying of larger kiln charges.

The total (harmful) air emissions produced by wood kilns, including their heat source, can be significant. Typically, the higher the temperature the kiln operates at, the larger amount of emissions are produced (per pound of water removed). This is especially true in the drying of thin veneers and high-temperature drying of softwoods.

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