Experimental external collector type solar lumber dryer with $1.6m^2$ of collector area and $1.0m^3$ of maximum dryer capacity was designed and constructed to investigate the conditions inside and outside the dryer and collector. The efficiency of collector was calculated and numbers of drying-days and collector areas required to dry $0.2m^3$ and $1.0m^3$ of pine and oak at various an flow rate inside collector were estimated for eight cities in Korea. Average temperatures of collector-inlet and -outlet air and heat absorber were $52.5^{circ}C$ $57.9^{circ}C$, and $71.1^{circ}C$. respectively at 4m/sec of an flow rate inside collector on sunny day in summer. Overall heat transfer coefficient of collector was 4.875W/$m^2^{circ}C $ and collector efficiency was 52%. Estimated numbers of drying-days required to dry $0.2m^3$ of pine and oak from 80% to 15% moisture content at various air flow rate inside collector were 38 and 66 days. respectively. Areas of collector required to dry $1.0m^3$ of lumber at desired safe drying rate were estimated as $13.7m^2$ for pine and $16.0m^2$ for oak.