According to Dr. Gene Wengert, Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, 75% of all wood manufacturing and quality issues are related to moisture content. When the wood neither gains nor loses moisture, we say that the wood has reached its equilibrium moisture content (EMC). The ennoLogic Moisture Meter eH710T allows you to measure many different types of materials for moisture content, including wood, drywall, carpet, concrete, and many more. Part of the reason is that there arent set moisture reading scales for some materials. Therefore, they need to be set to the proper wood density before taking a moisture reading. Additionally, when using a reference scale meter, its important to remember that the number provided isnt an exact measurement of the moisture content of the material being tested. Thanks in advance for your input! Pin-type meters use penetrating electrodes and measure the woods moisture content using electrical resistance. I dont know what to believe except the company who installed the vapor and dehumidifier said the vapor barrier needs to be changed out because of all the sewage and drainage stains after the plumbing is fixed. Thank you. There are different types of moisture meters and each type is for a specific purpose. Ideally Ill wait until reaching final drying but sometimes I need to use wood before that point. All other readings 10% or less. I am shipping teakwood furniture from Indonesia to California. Any moisture content measured higher than that might result in movement, such as warping and twisting, once it dries. Thank you. Home Moisture Meters Wood Division Knowledge Base Moisture Content What Do These Moisture Meter Readings Mean? What is the optimal MC of the fir stock for construction of the windows? If you see condensation or moisture collecting on windows, walls or pipes act quickly to dry the wet surface and reduce the moisture/water source. Why would someone want to use a reference moisture reading scale instead of a more specific (and accurate) one? I am presently drying it to around 8%-10% and then rotary polishing it, but I am facing the issue of burrs on the edges. Have I been wrong? These moisture meters have what is called a reference moisture reading scale. in other hardwood areas that wasnt close to the water, was measuring about 16-19%. Instead of addressing the plumbing and damaged wood, they installed a dehumidifier in 2015. Failure to allow the wood to acclimate or come into balance with the RH at its end-use location could result in any number of moisture-related problems after the wood product is constructed. I recommend one of our Orion models: https://www.wagnermeters.com/moisture-meters/. The humidity percentage changes depending on the surrounding relative humidity. Because wood shrinks and warps as it dries, woodworkers want it to be pre-shrunk before they use it. Normal moisture content of wood ranges from 7% to 19%. I don't accept paid sponsorships, my opinion is my own, but if you find my recommendations helpful and you end up buying something you like through one of my links, I could earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Moisture content (MC) in raw slabs can take additional time to reach its Equilibrium Moisture Content. The wood looks awful, and the staining the did is even worse. Thanks. A quality pin-type meter should always come with temperature correction charts. Question for the expert: i recently replaced a toilet that had a leaky wax ring. At higher temperatures, the electrical resistance of a material decreases. This weight difference is then used to calculate the woods original moisture content. (Itd effectively seal the cavity under the vanity, so once the trim is back on, i dont think itll dry out much more.) Hi Moisture Experts, My house is 25 years old located in Oregon City OR (near Portland). Slightly higher readings may be normal for your house, but excessively high readings require immediate attention. Another issue with a moisture meters condition that can impact accuracy is a moisture meter having low batteries. Great article! Our expert restoration team are carefully selected and screened and then fully trained to give them a deep understanding of products and procedures and help them provide top-quality services at all times. I installed a sump pump and 6 mil vapor barrier, but the barrier is not sealed around piers and the ground is moist under the barrier all year. Third, because there are many types of wood with different structures and textures and therefore different moisture-holding capacities. You are correct, furniture grade hardwood is typically dried between 6 to 9%. i cored out a small section of the bottom beam (3 inches wide) all the way down to the foundation. The solution seems to be drying the wood longer & bettter, to a lower measured MC. Do you think its to early to start working with it.If so how many yrs will it take to get to proper mc so i can work with it. Most are reading are between 13-15%. These include warping, cracking, buckling, diminished wood strength, corrosion of fasteners, and even fungal growth. Your reading of 12.5% tells me it is workable. Any opinions. Additionally, for wood moisture meters, its important to check if there is a species correction feature for the meter. When I purchase it its soaking wet and Ive always given it a few weeks, stickered and covered for at least 2 weeks, sometimes up to a month, to get it down to around 17-19%. A good moisture content is between 6 9% for Colorado. 3. Second, because it also has many applications and can be used for different purposes with different humidity tolerances. In other words, dense mixes of concrete allow less moisture to penetrate the slab than lighter ones. My last Wagner was appropriated by the individual who appropriated other tools out of my old sho. These scale readings can range from 0.2 to 50% moisture content. You should be aware that a moisture reading of 0-15% is quite normal and gives no cause for concern. Percent moisture content in wood is the ratio of the weight of water compared to the overall weight of a piece of wood. As lumber dries, it may split, cup and warp. They are currently nearing equilibrium (around 12 MC) and are stored within the house. I have a couple questions. We ripped out the wet drywall and insulation and have a fan to dry out the wood. all concrete) is framed and sheetrocked (though not mudded or sealed in any way) is then the studs are tested for humidity, what would be a reasonable level here in Seattle, living approximately 100 yards Puget Sound? I read your article and really like it. In general, a reading of 5 to 12 percent is optimal, but a normal reading on a moisture meter depends on the material. Jerry, From a moisture standpoint, water in the basement can over time absorb into your subfloor. Indoor humidity is around 50%, indoor temps around 70 degrees. The 50% RH level would be at the higher end of normal interior EMC values. There are two primary methods to determine moisture levels in drywall: using a moisture meter or calculating humidity levels. There are water stains on the particle board floor, but the flooring felt completely dry a few minutes after the reading was taken (I didnt see the reading being taken), the floor looks dry in the plumbers photo, the particle board flooring is not noticeably swollen, and it certainly has no flaking or other signs of disintegration or lessening to its structural integrity. Larry: I recently had my annual termite inspection. You can check for moisture by using a moisture meter. A consistent humidity level of 40 percent will require wood to be about 8 percent moisture content. Pinless meters are more sensitive to differences in wood density (or specific gravity). Subsequently the woodgrain has reflected in the previously mirror-finish, only on the new panels and we suspect moisture content issues in the wood before it was varnished. Not using the correct procedure. With that in mind, and similarly to what we said about drywall, concrete must remain dry and damp free. These are slabs roughly 2 thick. For example, from 25% to 45% or from 45% to 65%. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". isnt it? Generally speaking, moisture meters that are calibrated for wood offer a reading scale ranging from 6% to 40%. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The meter works out the moisture content percentage by measuring the electrical resistance between two probes. Who knew that so much detail goes into the wood, right? Hello Folks, I am new to wood turning and do not have a ready supply of dry/seasoned (my wood is green) wood. I think that I know my own answer, but thought I might reach out for some possible better insight. Best of luck with your project. Did the Contractor mention anything about the structural strength of the joists? The failure in your case sounds as though the piece was exposed to a rapid loss of already low ambient moisture, causing the cracking in the piece. Thanks!!! Anyone who works with wood must know its moisture content. While relative humidity can have some effect on moisture levels, drywall is considered to have an appropriate level of moisture if it has a moisture content of between 5% and 12%. In these high moisture and more humid locations, wood indoors can reach a 12% EMC, while wood outdoors can attain a 16% EMC. Spruce isnt a hardwood so Im assuming I could get away with a shorter dry time. In your blog I read that furniture for outdoor is dried to a MC between 9 and 14%. For example, a small 1/32 change per 2 multiplied across an 8-foot room equals 1 . What Do Moisture Meter Readings Mean Moisture meters are used to measure the percentage of water in a given piece of wood and are most useful when the moisture percentage ranges from 5% to no more than 30%. The floors would not read (the are thick laminate). Larry Loffer is a senior technician at Wagner Meters, where he has over 30 years of experience in wood moisture measurement. Using wood with a moisture content above 14% isnt recommended because it may have detrimental long-term effects on the construction. The relative humidity of the concrete is then tested over the course of 72 hours. So all we can say here in that a normal moisture meter reading for concrete needs to remain low. He wants to install his companys system, seal all external openings around connections, etc. The acceptable wood moisture content normally ranges from 6% to 8% for woodworkers who build cabinets, fine furniture, musical instruments, dishes, toys, decorative art, boat restoration, or various other wood products. It is also possible high moisture has entered the container during the trip to Europe. Speak to a moisture meter specialist from Delmhorst! I live on the fl coast so what should the moisture level be? He, of course, said that type of product is insufficient. So, a moisture meter is usually calibrated to provide accurate, quantitative results in a specific kind of material. Because of this fact, its important to test the accuracy of a moisture meter before putting it to use. My house was built in 1927. With the WoodH2O-app I could deduct the EMC for The Netherlands would be between 15 and 16. The problem is some of the water made its way under the basmenet bathroom floor which is dricor with electric heating wire on top, then tiles, and unfortunately it looks like some of the dricor wood got wet as well! we had a problem with our shower curb. Its never constant. A moisture content reading of 25% is borderline to support mold. This means the EMC ranges from 6.2% to 7.7%. The meters will tell you if soil is wet, moist, or dry at the root level, which make them especially effective for large potted plants. Can I a cut them first, then glue them once they are dryer? look forward to your comments. The interior was 3/4 BW the tables dimensions were 40x 70 . We are manufacturer of eng wood flooring. I so appreciate your treatise on this issue. -Mandi in Austin, Texas. Is it possible to get a 99.9% moisture reading (using a Cassain GM-200 hydrometer) on a particle board floor which looks and feels completely dry? Hello and thanks for writing in. Very educational! Interior walls non-insulated at around 7-8% mc. The best way to manage wood moisture content is to use a quality wood moisture meter and conduct a moisture test. I have seen that 13.5% is high for furniture and you should aim below 12%. Outside of this range, however, a temperature correction may need to be applied to the moisture testing results. This range allows you to measure the moisture content of nearly every currently known wood species, including softwoods and temperate and tropical hardwoods. Moisture values over 15% suggest that additional investigation is necessary. Ive been following your in depth blog on moisture meters for around 1 year now. Pin-type meters are also sensitive to the woods chemical makeup, which varies according to species. In fact, according to M. Steven Doggett, Ph.D. LEED AP, the founder of Built Environments, Inc., wood moisture content as high as 15% can cause corrosion of metal fasteners and at 16% may lead to fungal growth. A high reading in one area indicates a problem that must be corrected. How long will it take to get to the ideal moisture reading and is it better to be stored in a garage or inside a house? The floors have started cupping across the entire area with more in some parts. The interior home conditions are, AC running at 68-70*F. Exterior wall condition 104*F as checked with an IR thermometer of East wall not in the sun. The optimal humidity in a home is generally 35%-55% and anything under 20% is actually considered unhealthy, as it dries out the skin. As the humidity increases, the MC increases, causing the wood to expand. To determine if your hardwood floors need to be acclimated, you can use a wood floor moisture test. While playing around with my pinless meter and checking the interior East and west walls on hot days, I notice the moisture content being very high 60% mc to off scale. Here is a bit of information to help you better understand moisture meter readings: Understanding how a moisture meter works is crucial for understanding moisture meter readings and what can affect them. Non-invasive meters have more false positives than penetrating meters. The moisture reading scales are designed to determine a specific, quantitative amount of moisture content (%MC) in a particular type of material. Best, Kyle. The sink vanity is made from typical laminated particle board, and Ive been trying to dry it in place using a dehumidifier and sealing the area off. However, kiln drying is used to speed up the process. I have taken a few readings with the walls I'm concerned about and it ranges from 20 - 26% even from top to bottom, I took a reading in a room not so bad at around 10-12% top to bottom. Should this reading of 12.3 require replacing the existing dry wall before installing a new shower stall? There are two main ways of measuring wood moisture content: oven-dry testing and moisture meter testing. Example: 1.2mm Hickory wear layer 9mm thick plywood compose of 7 layers, 2 layers acacia, 4 layers of Eucalyptus\2 layers Acacia and one layer Poplar. Pinless meters arent generally affected by extreme temperatures, unless the material being tested is frozen solid. Because pin meters work on the principle of electrical resistance, the current temperature of the material being tested can have a significant impact on the accuracy of moisture testing. Standard construction studs such as 24 and 26s are typically dried to 19% moisture content before they are installed. Gardeners, farmers, as well as other specialists in the field of conservation frequently use meters of this type to ensure that the surrounding environment is optimal for the cultivation of . Great article, thanks for the info. Why? Stringer readings of 10-15%. When determining the acceptable moisture levels in wood flooring before installation, the NWFA states that the flooring professional should establish a baseline for acclimation. Thank you for the helpful article. For example, concrete does not have a true, quantitative moisture reading scale because the mix used to make concrete can vary too much from one batch to the next. Some electronic moisture meters can be calibrated for other materials such as . These are the "safest" conditions for most types of woodbetween 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 30% to 50% RH. All Wagner moisture meters are factory-calibrated and ready to be used. Feel free to contact me here at Wagner. Mobeen, If a wooden sample gains moisture, then the sample will increase in size. What humidity content should cedar be at for proper gluing. Observed water leaking along seams of several sheets of original plywood in attic. The lumber must be cured or replaced. Based on common guidelines or recommendations, the acceptable moisture levels for wood are as follows: Keep in mind that a woods acceptable moisture level will depend primarily on how it will be finally used and the average RH where it will be finally used. They are putting desiccants in the container to absorb the moisture but we feel its going to be a long time enclosed in the container without any air circulation. Drying teak hardwood from a humid climate, for use outdoors in a much drier European climate? As a result, this scale cannot be used for other materials as it simply wont make sense. Im planning on using some of it to build a new front door for the house and was wondering what MC I should be shooting for. This can be a problem once installed in furniture or a floor. Applying a wood species correction to the moisture test results is necessary for ensuring accurate readings. What Do These Moisture Meter Readings Mean? The cedar I have is now at 12-16%. While the surface of the floor might feel dry, there could be higher moisture inside. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Some higher-end moisture meters may have the ability to switch between different moisture reading scales. Readings below 12% indicate superlative quality firewood. Copyright 2023 Delmhorst Instrument Co. How to Understand Moisture Meter Readings for Accurate Results, two primary methods by which moisture testing, current temperature of the material being tested, moisture meter for water damage restoration, moisture meters for water damage restoration. The chart below will clear things up. Thus, only low values are considered normal when using a drywall moisture meter. As a side note: Insulated pins are also excellent for determining the distribution of moisture between the shell and core of a material sample. I found your website at just the right time. I hope this helps. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Readings over 20%-25% indicate firewood that is not safe to burn. When installing hardwood floors, check the moisture content of the finished hardwood and the wood subfloor. Well-constructed drywall should have a moisture content below 1%. Wood musical instruments, microphones, bowling pins, and other specialty items made of wood usually require a wood moisture reading of 6-9%. I buy many Artificial Trees for our Stores, which has Wood Stems/Barks, mainly produced in China & Shipped to UAE. Relative Humidity Test Using Probes (ASTM F 2170) This method involves drilling a hole into a concrete floor and inserting an electronic meter into it, or embedding the meter in the concrete before it has cured. You know that gypsum is one of the most commonly used construction materials and its very sensitive to water. So chart would indicate around 9%. The average RH of the environment where the wood will be used. In contrast, Las Vegas in the drier Southwest has much lower EMC percentages than most other U.S. cities. Then, the moisture content is calculated by dividing the amount of water by the dry weight or total weight, depending on the reporting method. Hello, Paul here. Concrete placed outdoors and exposed to extreme weather conditions or humidity can experience a higher moisture content of up to 18%, which is still considered acceptable. Reference scales can have arbitrary number ranges such as 0-255, 0-300, or 0-100. The more common situation involves any one of the core materials with high moisture readings but no degradation. Check out this video by YouTuber WagnerMeters to see how to use a drywall moisture meter: As the name suggests, the hay scale moisture meter is used for detecting the moisture content of hay. You can hardly see the humps except the first pier that popped up . Thanks for the question. This gives you a comparison point for future referenceallowing you to more reliably identify moisture-compromised materials. This is for furniture-grade hardwoods. The owners had contractors come out to repair it. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Types of Log Moisture Meters. Hello Larry I am from Bangladesh. The more specific way to know would be to measure the relative humidity and temperature in your homes air and then plug the numbers into a calculator like this https://www.spikevm.com/calculators/logging/equilibrium.php This will tell you what the MC% should be based on your specific environment. I suspect the screws may be skewing the measurements. In cold weather climates, when a heater is running, interior conditions may be even drier than 6% EMC unless the air is humidified. My meter tells me anything above 12% is wet but I cannot find any source of leaking or signs of water. According to Dr. Gene Wengert, Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wood should be dried to a moisture content thats within 2 percentage points of the EMC of the location where it will be used. The wood sample being tested is dried in a special oven or kiln and its weight periodically checked. Many of our customers are successfully using our hand held moisture meters on engineered flooring. I had a redwood deck, and they replaced it with Douglas fir (without my approval, but thats another issue). The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has specific installation guidelines for wood flooring and how they relate to moisture content. Measuring ceiling drywall ( 2 layers, upper and lower) into floor assembly above the ceiling. I would like to load eucalyptus and pine wood logs to India . While oven-dry testing, if followed correctly, offers accurate results, there are a few drawbacks: These three drawbacks mean that oven-dry testing usually isnt the option of choice for hobbyists who work with wood. I have been testing the bottom stud/sill board of an exterior wall on a slab of an old house that exposed in order to put a floor in. What is the SG setting? There are several things that can impact moisture meter accuracyand different types of moisture meters may be affected differently. I would love to be able to give you the perfect answer but unfortunately, there isnt one. For example, if the moisture content of the delivered wood is 12% and the optimal MC is 6%, then physical problems will occur during the acclimation process. Appreciate any thoughts you might have. Specifically in the first 3-4 on one side of the door is 11%, then drops to ~8%. Please help with T%, I have seen where 30% moisture loss by weight is a good rule of thumb to shoot for. Things start to get worrying when the meter indicates higher values than 20%. The reference scale helps to provide a qualitative estimation of moisture across different types of materials. Which do you recommend? The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. I get some water seepage through an exterior wall at basement floor level as a result of heavy rain. The floor installer put the floors down without allowing the boards to acclimate. 12% is good for softwoods, but again, it depends on the relative humidity and temperature where the finished product will be kept. When using a reference scale moisture meter, it can be helpful to take a moisture reading from a sample of material that you know is dry before conducting further tests. If a board reads 100% (Difficult to measure accurately) then the weight of the water equals the weight of that wood. As far as the oil finish, the manufacturer of the oil will specify the correct moisture content for an application. Good luck. It works best to measure the moisture of haystacks. Because pinless meters are calibrated using specific gravity as the standard for measurement, random changes in SG for a material can impact the accuracy of their moisture readings. For example, wood has a different level of electrical resistance than drywallthis will affect how a moisture meter gauges the amount of moisture each material possesses. A general rule of thumb for the coastal regions of FL would be 11-13%MC. Moisture meter readings of between 12% and 18% indicate dry, safe to burn firewood. This helps to prevent the electricity from escaping from the base of the electrodes and passing through the water. So what is a normal reading on a moisture meter? First, test the moisture level of the subfloor. I have a question. Why? i want to make a headboard from it. The National Association of Home Builders Green Home Building Guidelines for solid strip flooring and wide-width flooring are as follows: summary Wood flooring installers typically want the moisture content of their wood to be between 6% to 9%. Any suggestions to this being possible to correct? Cleaning up the excess water before testing; and. Moisture meter accuracy is greatly reduced when the wood moisture content is above the fiber saturation point. Moisture meters are crucial tools for many different professionals. Sorry, that time of year. Thank you, In wood products manufacturing, 6-8% is pretty much the norm, at least in North America. My first question is how to determine the MC of eng wood flooring which composite of different species layer, face and different species to form plywood core. If youre willing to accept a moisture reading with +/- 5% accuracy, you can probably get away with buying a cheap meter in the $25-50 range. Should I be concerned or just keep any eye out? We will be having a deck built off my woodshop. In fact, above this point, most readings are no longer even useful. This means that when we were talking about the normal readings for drywall, we assumed that your moisture meter was calibrated for drywall and had a specific reading scale for drywall. Currently reading a 12.5%. We also have an Orion 950 moisture meter that will automatically give you EMC (Equilibrium Moisture Content) and other useful statistics. Pinless meters are non-penetrating and read the moisture content via a non-damaging electromagnetic sensor that scans the wood. You can determine the correct percent moisture content by using our free app called WoodH2O.
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