Air dried oak, sometimes referred to as semi-seasoned oak, is green oak that’s been cut to size and left out in the air to dry naturally.

When oak is green – that is, freshly cut – it has a very large moisture content. Oak shrinks as it dries. So when green oak is used in construction, the joints in the frame have to be specially designed so that the weight of the build settles as the oak dries, shrinks, and moves.

However, when you’re fitting new beams into your home for aesthetic reasons, movement during the drying process can cause problems. This is where air dried oak beams come in. Air dried oak beams have already done the majority of their shrinkage in the air, under no pressure. So when they’re fitted to an existing frame, the amount of movement will be minimal. As oak is a natural wood, air drying doesn’t eradicate movement entirely. But it does significantly reduce it, allowing you to fit air dried oak beams to your home with total peace of mind.