Drying characteristics and equilibrium moisture content of steam-treated Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii L.)

► Drying rate and Equilibrium moisture content of untreated and steam treated Douglas fir were investigated. ► Douglas fir treated with steam at 220 °C for 10 min resulted in the fastest drying rate. ► The EMC of steam treated samples decreased with increasing steam temperature and treatment time. ► Temperature was more influential on establishing the EMC level than the treatment duration was. ► The GAB model gave a good fit to equilibrium data with R2 = 0.99.