Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions after time

Here is a quote from A Timber Framer's workshop, by Steve Chappell:

"Curing and Seasoning
When we consider drying timbers, our real concern should be curing and seasoning. These terms are often used interchangeably, but I view them as two related, but distinct, aspects of the drying process.
Curing occurs in the early stages of seasoning, and relates to the initial reactionary phase of the wood fiber to being felled and milled into timbers. Once the tree dies and is milled, the wood fibers begin to relax and take on their natural shape. There is usually an immediate reaction to being milled in the form of crowning, warping or twisting, resulting from the inherent tension in the wood, but no shrindage will occur until all of the FREE WATER (moisture in the cell cavities) dissipates, and the BOUND WATER (moisture in the cell walls) begins to leave.
Seasoning is the longer term process of allowing the fibers to stabilize naturally as they slowly release the BOUND WATER within the cell walls. When the moisture content reaches equilibrium with the atmospheric moisture content (12% to 16%) a timber is considered to be fully seasoned...." The page goes on to say that "90% of the deformations due to natural stresses will take place within six months, however, the first eight to twelve weeks is the most rapid curing stage. It is during these early stages that the most dramatic changes will take place."

This is from page 139 of the book. I like the distinction between curing and seasoning, Curing being a reaction to felling and milling, And Seasoning being essentially more of the same but much slower, and now including shrinkage.