A solar timber kiln with the capacity to season 3.24 m(3) of lumber was designed, constructed and used for seasoning commercial sawnwood The kiln was constructed of a timber frame covered with transparent polythene sheet on the top and black leatherette on the sides. Corrugated galvanized-iron sheet painted black and tilted at 30 degrees to the horizontal sewed as a heat collector Two fans were fitted for air circulation. The kiln attained a maximum temperature of 24 degrees above the ambient temperature. The average efficiency of the heat collector was 38.5%. The solar kiln reduced timber drying time by 33.3-57.1% when compared with an air-drying technique. Sawnwoods (25 mm by 300 mm by 360 mm) of Mansonia altissima and Terminalia superba were dried from 46.16 to 15.02% and from 52 to 15.4% moisture content respectively in 12 days.