Why is green lumber very heavy when first cut from the log?

Why is green lumber very heavy when first cut from the log?

• A. Color
• B. Moisture
• C. Mass
• D. Density

Answer: (B)

Moisture content is what makes green lumber heavy. When wood is freshly cut, it still contains a lot of water—both free water in the hollow spaces of the cells and some water chemically bound in the cell walls. That water adds a lot of weight, so the wood feels much heavier than when it’s dry. As the lumber dries—whether air-dried or kiln-dried—the water evaporates, and the weight drops (and the wood also shrinks in size). The color or the general density of the wood isn’t what makes it heavy at first; it’s the high moisture content.

Moisture content is what makes green lumber heavy. When wood is freshly cut, it still contains a lot of water—both free water in the hollow spaces of the cells and some water chemically bound in the cell walls. That water adds a lot of weight, so the wood feels much heavier than when it’s dry. As the lumber dries—whether air-dried or kiln-dried—the water evaporates, and the weight drops (and the wood also shrinks in size). The color or the general density of the wood isn’t what makes it heavy at first; it’s the high moisture content.