Some of the unfinished wood you see on the market has been kiln-dried to reduce its water moisture content to around 8% so that it wont suffer from moisture-related defects like warping and buckling. I have built two table tops (douglas fir) that have both suffered major cracking in their final location. We dont know if we still should be having a commercial drying process? It is also a good idea to use a moisture meter after the three weeks just to make sure. WMC of framing members in a crawl space will usually be lowest in late winter and highest in late summer. I-joists are strong, lightweight, "I" shaped engineered wood structural members that meet demanding performance standards. Since water conducts electricity and wood doesnt, the dryness of the wood can be determined by the amount of resistance to an electrical current. And it's important to keep in mind that a glued-up panel behaves basically as one wide piece of lumber. ft., and averaging the results. The conversion puts the adjusted MC between 9.5 -> 12%. Great info! The general process for using pin-type moisture meters is as follows. Timber logs & Lumber into India company remained actively involved in harvesting and sale of Hardwood logs of Indian origin. As lumber dries, it may split, cup and warp. However, and unless otherwise permitted by a flooring product manufacturer, the following maximum moisture emission levels over a 24 hour period are permissible for the following floor coverings types: Thanks! board, and a 12-in. (As a percentage) Basically the chimney breast (in bedroom and downstairs room) has been measured with a digital moisture meter and states 'OL' on the display, the surrounding walls measure between 0.4% and 1.2%. Condensation on the inside of a windowpane. The process is time-consuming but produces accurate results if followed correctly. The water wasnt properly dried and organic growth was discovered by previous owner. Poor Drainage: A Foundation Problem Waiting to Happen, A Trade Secret: Bucks Vinyl Siding Test, Foundation Repair Salesman: Licensed to Kill, Dear God, Martha, Our House is Breaking in Two!. In contrast, Las Vegas in the drier Southwest has much lower EMC percentages than most other U.S. cities. Moisture levels in your crawl space that go beyond 70% lead to mold growth and health concerns. Just press the scanning plate against the woods surface, turn on the meter, and receive the reading. Thank you for the well described article. What should be the approximate Highest MC to prevent wood problems to include finishes? Each piece of lumber is unique and carries physical characteristics that may include the following: knots, warping, shrinkage, swelling and/or splitting. If possible, keep indoor humidity below 60 percent (ideally between 30 and 50 percent) relative humidity. 800-634-9961, or email sales@wagnermeters.com. It is a 2-3 feet wide wet area that drains to a line connected to the city system. board will move twice as much as a 4-in. 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. 12% is good for softwoods, but again, it depends on the relative humidity and temperature where the finished product will be kept. Down pour of rain onto underlayment of attached garage. So, when looking at the relative humidity of the space, spaces left above 70% RH for extended periods will also promote mold growth. Ideally, it should be between 7% and 9%. For example, if the expected EMC ranges from a low of 6% to a high of 9%, the baseline moisture content of the wood would be 7.5%. These are slabs roughly 2 thick. 25-30 - Actual, and often extensive, damage is evident when readings reach this level. Its always a good idea to check with the manufacturer of the finish also. The SG setting is on the card that comes with the meter. Should I wait? You may be picking up something behind the sheetrock. These tools will give you the confidence that you have done everything on your part to ensure the highest quality in the piece you have built. A subfloor needs to be clean, dry, level and structurally sound. Why and how can I say this? We also have an Orion 950 moisture meter that will automatically give you EMC (Equilibrium Moisture Content) and other useful statistics. So the question is are those burrs or fuzzing on the edges?, Wed love to have you give us a call to discuss which moisture meter is best for you. Lets go over the basics of each, Oven dry testing is the oldest method for measuring the moisture content of wood. 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. There will be statistical outliers on both the low and the high end and youll want to catch these by using a quality moisture meter. Will the reading be accurate? I live in Atascadero CA and had a coastal red oak tree cut down this past summer. For instance, the subfloor may appear to be dry on the surface, but still have elevated moisture within the panels. Turn on the meter. This water may come from condensation, roof leaks, plumbing leaks, or contact with the soil. After my inspection I wrote the following report: As per your request, I visited the subject residence today to evaluate mold or fungus growth on the floor joists. Hi Larry, So a friend of mine has some pine and oak blabs at MC levels of (oak 11.5%) and Pine 13-14%. This means that wood intended for interior use in this location should not only be dried to around 6% but should be kept at this moisture content both before and during the manufacturing process. Many timber-framed floor problems can be traced to moisture levels, excessive loads or borer. I had a redwood deck, and they replaced it with Douglas fir (without my approval, but thats another issue). This makes pinless moisture meters perfect for measuring the moisture content of things like expensive hardwood floors. with the spring thaw, i was one of the lucky ones that got water in my basement. When it hits the cooler air of the crawl space, it increases the relative humidity by about 2% per degree! . Im down to ~13-19% MC near floor level, based on a cheapo moisture meters readings. Subtract the width of your floor joist from your floor's length: 120" 1.5" = 118.5". First of all, it's normal for a below-grade concrete block wall in contact with the soil to have a high moisture content. Seattles EMC ranges from 12.2% to 16.5%. We have had an abnormally wet spring and part of summer. You are correct, furniture grade hardwood is typically dried between 6 to 9%. Mold starts growing if the moisture contents reaches about 25% moisture content. I have an unusual question, if I was to sandwich recycled paper (similar to hardwood floor paper only heavier) between 2 layers of wood as a draft stop what should the moisture content be to avoid the paper absorbing any water and ending up with a mold issue thanks in advance for any info you can provide. New roof first week of November. Notice that the EMC of the in-use location is the same as the MC: So, using this chart, we know that in an area of the country where the RH inside a home or office is anywhere from 26-32%, both the EMC of the in-use location and the wood moisture content kept in that location will be 6%. Before installing plywood underlayment, ensure that the existing flooring is thoroughly vacuumed, free from debris, and stripped of wax. The fir stock was originally KDd to around 8% but has been covered and stored outside for over a year and currently MC is around 12%. Good luck. Brilliant article. 16% - 20%- Readings in this range indicate a possible elevated level of wood moisture. our question is do we need to replace the floor to avoid fungal problems? Do you have a suggestion? Very educational! We appreciate you writing in, best of luck! Were so sorry for the inconvenience. Am i looking at mold if i dont rip the floor out? Mold and fungus in the crawl space can definitely become a problem, but dont be fooled into thinking that a Borate spray HAS to be applied in EVERY situation. 1= z@ Treated wood is typically still wet when its delivered to the job site. To the right, 13.2% in the same distance and also drops to ~ 8% after. If a board reads 100% (Difficult to measure accurately) then the weight of the water equals the weight of that wood. To make sure the wood is properly dried, he always uses a moisture meter before working with it. If the moisture is less than 20% and the floor joists are structurally sound, like the joists at this home, there is no need to worry about any fungal staining that might exist. The new wood was brought in in bundles ~2 x 2 x 6 and left that way to acclimate for ~2 weeks. Most types of wood species will mold above 25% moisture content, including pine. We have had very bad cracking in sheetrock and floors. The builder's warranty representative came out and measured the moisture levels with a moisture meter. (He didnt cite a figure.) I am shipping teakwood furniture from Indonesia to California. I also applied Boracare (boron) that has stopped minor beetle damage. One of the beauties of spar is that it allows the wood to move quite a bit, while still retaining good adhesion. 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 would love to be able to give you the perfect answer but unfortunately, there isnt one. Wiki User. That doesnt make much sense to me. We just had a hydrometer installed in the crawlspace and it is reading 38% as of today. Any suggestions .thanks. 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. -XF% Currently the RH is 76%, the residence RH will be set at around 35%. He asked if I could double-check the findings of another home inspection company that requested expert advice on some mold/fungus they found in the crawl space of the home. And would it be normal for the MC to vary from board-to-board and one end of a board to the other? Like all wood materials, I-joists are susceptible to moisture. Or perhaps I should advise them to buy Wagner meters, for better accuracy ;-). I would like to rip two slabs and glue them together to make a nice large dining room table. Post and beam constructions don't have to be kiln-dried but should be air-dried. If I dry too much, theres discoloration and breakage of product during polishing. The floor immediately felt stronger. We are very arid where the tops were built so I figured the tables would be just fine knowing that it is arid where they were goingbut that doesnt seem to be the case. In March of this year I had new white oak 2 flooring installed. They said if i wanted to spend the money, a humidifier would help keep the humidity inside the house more consistent throughout the year. 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? They many times cite the need for further evaluations by what they call other so called experts. I built the tables in west Texas, but their final home is in Colorado. The plumbing was improperly installed with the wrong cement to fit the pipes and could have been leaking from anywhere between 5-29 years while absorbing into the ground. All houses now use perimeter foundation so outside contact temperature stays at about 55 F all year. Its mc is 11- 12% . If the leaks have damaged the sub floor or joists, call a licensed general contractor for repair. I not sure if this is normal, related to the re-shim or need to install a crawl space dehumidifier to slow the progression? 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. I have a black walnut slabbed up that has been air drying outside for 2 yrs. Alternatively, you could set up a crawl space dehumidifier and draw the . Your table may have been a little too high in moisture, hence the crack as it dried slightly in the drier environment. Bird, who runs the School of Fine Woodworking outside Knoxville, Tennessee, says he knows wood shrinks seasonally but wants to minimize the shrinkage and expansion by drying the wood to a moisture content of about 8%. 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%. My question is microwaving twice turned bowls what would be the general rule of thumb for a target by weight. Either one should be acceptable for finishes. What wood do you recommend that does not have a high oil/water content? Yes, it is possible to have a moisture content reading of 99.9%. But this wetness is only surficial. Hi Larry, just finished a black Walnut dining room table back in November. I was able to get the MC down to 15%. %PDF-1.2 % Should I wait for the slabs to be within that 6-9% to cut and glue? RH where they were built is about 29-30%. Check joints and bottom plates as moisture can get trapped here. 20% 28% Readings in this range indicate that conditions are border-line for decay. Question: Just to make sure that you get accurate moisture measurements, has your moisture meter been checked for calibration? Wood used indoors will eventually stabilize at 8-14% moisture content; outdoors at 12-18%. As it dries, you should expect slight changes in width and length. I had it milled into 2.25 slabs and I stacked it on a deck area. Question for the expert: i recently replaced a toilet that had a leaky wax ring. Because ventilated crawl spaces throughout the Southeast United States allow high humidity and fungus spores to enter the enclosed space beneath the home. Characteristic of this wood easy to absorb of water and have large open pore. I live on the fl coast so what should the moisture level be? The other was for a $100 retail gift card. Thank you. The excess moisture source should be corrected if found. 12% 16% Readings in this range are common to lumber during construction, air dried lumber and healthy residential substructures (beneath first floor in crawl spaces). Hello and thanks for writing in. Although some movement can be expected between 6% and 9%, wood flooring can shrink or swell more dramatically outside this range. The electrical current will then move from pin to pin and measure the resistance encountered. For example, from 25% to 45% or from 45% to 65%. Are the measurements of all wood the same? Does coating wood with oil stabilize the moisture content in wood? It does the same for wood, and is especially hard on softwoods, such as pine or fir. in other hardwood areas that wasnt close to the water, was measuring about 16-19%. Mold starts to grow in the mid to high 20 percent moisture contents. If low WMC readings were obtained during the winter, and other signs of high moisture levels are present, obtain additional readings during the summer. Please commenr? Freshly cut wood has a lot of moisture in it. Meanwhile, the reference scale can be used to provide qualitative moisture assessments in other building materials. Based on common guidelines or recommendations, the acceptable moisture levels for wood are as follows: Wood objects used indoors: 6-8% Wood flooring: 6-9% Construction: 9-14% Keep in mind that a wood's acceptable moisture level will depend primarily on how it will be finally used and the average RH where it will be finally used. Hi Davetta, Youll need to contact a local mold inspection company that is certified. Do you think that heated floor actually help to dry or do they make things worse and more humid! If the humidity is a constant 76% then the wood will equilibrate between 14 and 15% moisture content. https://www.wagnermeters.com/wood-moisture-meters/. Floors should be: level within a 3mm deviation per 1m for floors up to 6m across (measured at the furthest points across the full width of the floor) a maximum of 20mm out of level for floors over 6m across flat within a 5mm deviation, measured using a 2m straight edge with equal offsets. Ideally Ill wait until reaching final drying but sometimes I need to use wood before that point. Yes, hardwoods such as cherry and walnut should be between 6 and 8% moisture content. Wonder if they are trying to cover themselves. You should be ok as long as the moisture content does not get worse (higher). Wood freshly cut or kiln-dried is always interacting with environmental moisture. You can hardly see the humps except the first pier that popped up . Download a free version of NZS 3602:2003. The wood scale provides accurate, quantitative readings of moisture over the range of 5% to 30% MC in wood.

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