Wood & Lumber Industry
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Clayton Industries Supports the Wood & Lumber Industry
Steam is widely used in the production of wood products and has been a player in the industry for decades.
Steam is needed from the outset in the production of plywood and particleboard. The logs used for plywood production enter a hot bath or steam vault where the logs steam for 12 to 30 hours. This softens the wood and breaks down the fibers before the log goes to the peeler lathe, where it is turned into veneer sheets, which are later glued and pressed into plywood. Steam can also be used in the hot press where the adhesive is heated, and the veneer sheets are pressed hard to form the plywood sheets. Particleboard has a similar process, but the material is formed from wood chips before entering a steam injection press.
Good quality lumber is kiln dried to remove the moisture before shipping out. By removing the moisture in a kiln, the lumber will not develop mold nor warp before it is used in construction. Steam can be used to provide heat energy, through steam to air heat exchangers to heat the kiln room. Depending on the type of wood, the kiln drying process can take several days, and will require precise temperature and moisture control throughout.
The Clayton Steam Generator is an ideal choice for the production of wood products. With an industry leading efficiency and precise levels of temperature and moisture control, Clayton’s products are here to improve your facility’s bottom line.
Key Benefits
Precision Control
Clayton Steam Generators provide you with precision control over your steam temperature, moisture, and pressure, ensuring ideal product quality.
Steam Quality
Clayton’s mechanical steam separator produces industry leading steam quality, completely free of contaminants, making it an ideal choice for the applications in the lumber industry.
Rapid Response
Clayton’s fully modular design is made to handle the natural peaks and valleys of the production cycle, ramping up when you need more steam and slowing down when you don’t, maintaining steam quality regardless of your demands.
Quick Start
Eliminate the need for a boiler on hot standby with Clayton’s quick starting steam generators, capable of delivering full steam output from a cold start in under ten minutes.
Featured Case Study
Top 10 Reasons To Buy a Clayton Steam Generator
1. FUEL EFFICIENT:
The Clayton design produces higher fuel-to-steam efficiency, even when operated lower than the full firing rate.
2. COMPACT SIZE:
Clayton Steam Generators require only 1/3 the floor space of traditional boilers.
3. FAST START-UP:
The Clayton Steam Generator can go from cold to full steam in less than 10 minutes.
4. QUALITY STEAM:
The fixed-vane steam separator yields the driest saturated steam available in the industry today — typically less then
0.5% at all loads.
Frequently Asked Question's
Steam boilers supply heat for lumber drying kilns, log conditioning before veneer peeling, and certain plywood and particleboard pressing systems. Each application requires different steam conditions, so boiler selection should reflect the facility’s equipment and production schedule.
Steam passes through heat exchangers that warm the kiln air. Fans circulate that air through the lumber, while ventilation and humidity controls manage moisture removal. The kiln follows a drying schedule suited to the wood, rather than applying maximum heat throughout the cycle.
Steaming or hot-water conditioning softens logs before they enter the veneer lathe, making them easier to peel into sheets. Those sheets are subsequently assembled and bonded into plywood. Conditioning time and temperature should match the wood species, log dimensions, and production requirements.
There is no single drying temperature suitable for all lumber. The schedule depends on wood species, thickness, initial moisture content, and required final condition. Temperature and humidity are adjusted as drying progresses to balance drying speed with the risk of defects.
Yes. Appropriate temperature, humidity, and airflow control can reduce the risk of uneven drying, checking, and residual drying stresses. Reliable steam supports the heating system, but lumber preparation, kiln loading, moisture measurements, and the selected drying schedule also influence final quality.
Determine the kiln’s steam demand during warmup and normal drying, then include any simultaneous log-conditioning or pressing loads. Account for distribution losses, operating pressure, minimum demand, and future expansion. Boiler capacity should match the facility’s demand over time, not just the kiln’s physical size.
Yes, if the boiler and distribution system can meet their combined demand. Starting several cold kilns simultaneously may create a peak that exceeds available steam capacity. Reviewing startup schedules alongside ongoing drying loads helps determine whether staggered starts or additional capacity are needed.
Yes, when no connected process requires steam and restart time fits the production schedule. Clayton states that its generators can reach full output from cold in under 10 minutes. A kiln running a multiday drying schedule may still need steam outside normal staffing hours.
Match boiler output to actual demand, recover suitable hot condensate, and evaluate economizers or other heat-recovery equipment. Feedwater treatment and controlled blowdown also affect efficiency. Assess savings across the full operating schedule, including kiln warmup, steady drying, and periods of reduced demand.
A temporary boiler can support production if its capacity, pressure, and utility requirements match the facility’s needs. Clayton offers rental and containerized steam systems for planned or emergency use. Connection arrangements, feedwater treatment, fuel supply, and commissioning should be established before the system is needed.
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