Drying Lumber with a Solar Kiln
This short course will be held during Expo Richmond on April 16th, 2026.
Registration Fee: $30.00
Location: Expo Richmond, Richmond VA
When: April 16th, 9:00am - 12:00pm
This course is designed for the small-scale woodworking facility or hobby woodworker and will provide information about how to design, build and operate a solar kiln based on the Virginia Tech design. Our kiln is designed to be low in cost to build, easy to construct and easy to operate. Solar lumber drying provides a safe and economical way to dry lumber given limited knowledge and experience. The course is sponsored by Virginia Cooperative Extension.
The instructor, Brian H. Bond, Ph.D., is a professor and extension specialist at Virginia Tech, he has 25 years of experience in the design and operation of a solar kiln. Come learn and ask questions in person!
This course is sponsored by Virgina Cooperative Extension, the Virginia Forest Products Association, Expo Richmond and the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials at Virginia Tech.
Course Agenda
9:00am -12:00pm, April 16th, 2026
Solar kiln design and construction
- Introduction
- Basic Designs
- Plans and design criteria
- Kiln limitations
- Basics of construction
- Adoptions to design
- Modifications to meet your needs
Operation of the solar kiln
- Stacking Lumber for Drying
- Air drying or green?
- Measuring moisture content
- Running the kiln
- Auxiliary heat
- Stress in drying
- Insects and setting the pitch
Drying Defects and Maintaining Moisture Content of Dry Lumber
- Common defects in drying lumber
- How to avoid common defects
- Keeping lumber dry when storing
For more information contact the instructor:
Brian Bond
bbond@vt.edu
540-231-8752
Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.