If I dry too much, theres discoloration and breakage of product during polishing. provide a good substrate for a wide range of wet area finishes. Typical moisture content for furniture in a home is 6-9%. Different wood? With regard to mold growing on your furniture, I would have to defer you back to the shipping company as they have more experience dealing with these types of issues. within two percentage points of the EMC where the wood is going to be used. Wall Construction Flat-or no more than 3/8" in 8' (bulge) But none of the contractors abide by the framing codes, nor do the city officials. Water was coming out of this outlet and onto the floor? 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. Elaine. Thanks for the question. Question for the expert: i recently replaced a toilet that had a leaky wax ring. But this wetness is only surficial. Should I wait for the slabs to be within that 6-9% to cut and glue? 0 WM=8DBaHh10tIKR/OH}X5Kpt'_]4Mfg9@w8~ n$R If so, then you'll want to know. 3.Vacuum and/or Wipe Excess Moisture. Alternatively, you could set up a crawl space dehumidifier and draw the . Ive been following your in depth blog on moisture meters for around 1 year now. We have had very bad cracking in sheetrock and floors. 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. The wood scale provides accurate, quantitative readings of moisture over the range of 5% to 30% MC in wood. A contractor is measuring sill plates by driving 2 SS Screws into the wood about 1-1/2 or so inches. (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%. If humidity levels in the crawlspace with all these measures taken place is above 60% the joist and the subfloor will have a high MC reading. Now would the pine be okay to use as a top cover piece to an radiator cover? The floors have started cupping across the entire area with more in some parts. A moisture meter will help verify. 2nd question, will lacquer on surface of flooring affect the reading. It is not uncommon for wood to expand or contract as much as a 1/8 per foot of width, so maintaining a stable environment is important. 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. The lumber was recently milled, although the tree had been cut months, years ago. Hello Enjoyed the article. Softwoods typically have higher moisture content than hardwoods. Where are you located? Like all wood materials, I-joists are susceptible to moisture. Simple and regular maintenance can prevent serious problems developing. Top 5 Causes of Cracks in Brick Veneer Homes. I appreciate you sharing this important information with us at this time. -25% moisture content in a VENTED crawl space. The plumber said that the floor has an elevated moisture reading and took a photo showing the 99.9% (maximum reading) on the meter while the meter was on the floor. The flooring pieces should be removed from the packaging to allow the ambient conditions to equalize the wood. Moisture content (MC) in raw slabs can take additional time to reach its Equilibrium Moisture Content. A company sealed off the foundation vents and removed all the insulation from the crawlspace with the humidifier mitigating the moisture from the leaks. Again, the correct moisture content will depend on the surrounding conditions. As this moisture condenses on the floor system, it wets the wood. Its more important to understand that the wood is kiln-dried down to a certain bell-shaped range of MCs. The home inspectors working for fees today seem to have one primary motive in mind: to cover their liabilities. Ideally Ill wait until reaching final drying but sometimes I need to use wood before that point. You wrote that 15% humidity may induce mold? In the most serious cases, entire joists may need to be removed, but many times they can be "sistered," or attached to another supporting joist for additional strength. z .XWb*QGF^v4MQ`_dRw{\;\'03Uhx-SeJlc!m\8X^,Z/hU5Ewdzz:`nZ!(7reWD4X. It causes decay of the wood structure. Here current humidity is 76%. Moisture was around 25% when milled, and the ends were sealed. Standard construction studs such as 24 and 26s are typically dried to 19% moisture content before they are installed. %PDF-1.2 % I would like to rip two slabs and glue them together to make a nice large dining room table. Concrete floors. You can hardly see the humps except the first pier that popped up . moisture meter testing a floor joist In this image we measure a reading of 37% in this floor joist. As the humidity increases, the MC increases, causing the wood to expand. My question is regarding finishing. Wood in buildings usually has a wood moisture content of 5% to 15%. Perhaps better drainage around your house will do the trick or treat. Building Performance Series No. They are returning to remove one plank and take it back to see what they can do to meet my satisfaction. 1. Should I wait? Wood is hygroscopic. Because ventilated crawl spaces throughout the Southeast United States allow high humidity and fungus spores to enter the enclosed space beneath the home. Dryer wood produces more resistance than wetter wood. Substrates must be protected by: Stopping the moisture is much cheaper and easier than repairing the structure. The acceptable moisture levels of wood and lumber are in the range of 6% to 8% for interior and 9% to 14% for exterior wood or for building envelope components within constructed assemblies. 1. in Indonesia there are a lot of raw materials consisting of natural fibers, such as: pandanus, water hyacinth, rattan etc. 7. This is a perfectly normal moisture content and one that will not support fungal growth. The fastest way to test the moisture content of wood is to use a moisture meter. I was thinking 10% MC would be ok but after reading your article Im not sure. You can check for moisture by using a moisture meter. Cracks in Concrete Slabs: Should I Be Concerned? Thank You. It is best to obtain a wood moisture content that will match the environment. Brick Veneer Homes: Are They Really Worth the Headache? The excess moisture source should be corrected if found. You are correct, furniture grade hardwood is typically dried between 6 to 9%. It is impossible for me to tell you what the percentage of furniture should be, but if you know the EMC in the area it will be kept, you can check the MC continuously until you reach its EMC. Retain this information with your records. I was able to get the MC down to 15%. 20% 28% Readings in this range indicate that conditions are border-line for decay. Moisture contents in wood floor joists in houses with moisture problems are exceeding the 20% maximum level for air dried lumber. I am planning an under-house excursion tomorrow. Utilize the chart on following page to record the environmental readings at the time of installation. We found the problem and the leak was resolve quickly! The excess moisture source should be corrected immediately, and monitored until the WMC returns to the 12-16 range. 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. Which do you recommend? So if I understood the article right and not sure that I did. So what do you think is the ideal moisture% I should dry them to before rotary polishing them? Ev Good luck. 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%. Does Brick Veneer Cracking Mean Foundation Problems? Good moisture content for softwoods is 10% to 14% moisture. Three years ago, the floor sank in a heavy traffic area and an engineer told me Masonite was used to shim and had compressed. During the summer months, when outdoor humidity is high, the hot/humid air enters the crawl space through the foundation vents and condenses on cool objects. Cut in the spring and stacked and dried them over the summer. Joist spans may not be on the minds of most do-it-yourselfers, but joist spans are everywhere: above our heads in the ceiling joists and below our feet as flooring joists. Hello Larry I am from Bangladesh. The best way to do this is to use an accurate moisture meter. And would it be normal for the MC to vary from board-to-board and one end of a board to the other? It constantly absorbs and releases vapour into the . Hi Larry, thanks for the great knowledge sharing. It is important to have the same temperature and humidity during those 2 weeks that will be maintained after installation. I have removed the 1 3/4 edge and resawn to take out the splinter (1/4) re bicuited . Larry Loffer is a senior technician at Wagner Meters, where he has over 30 years of experience in wood moisture measurement. Even with lower temperatures, the ideal range for wood keeps relative humidity between 55% and 75%. The thinner veneers wont have much bearing on the reading. Installers should also measure the moisture in wood subfloors and concrete slabs as they can also affect wood flooring. The reading was sky high in the pan and up two tiles high on the wall. Typically, allow about 3 weeks for hardwood to acclimate in the environment. Keep monitoring it. i also drilled into the wood every few inches, several inches deep with a typical drill bit. It does the same for wood, and is especially hard on softwoods, such as pine or fir. Any advice would be appreciated. This must be done before attempting to dry out the wood. I would think at least fixing your dehumidifier is a must. When it comes to the moisture content of plywood or dimensional lumber, an MC of 17% to 19% reduces the overall strength of plywood, and an MC of 20% or more reduces the strength of dimensional lumber (i.e., lumber cut to certain predefined sizes, such as 2x4s). According to Dr. Eugene Wengert, professor and specialist in wood processing at the University of Wisconsin-Madisons Department of Forestry, wood should be dried to a water MC thats within two percentage points of the EMC where the wood is going to be used. This article is really helpful. It depends on the size of the project, but anytime you put a waterborne urethane on the wood you are adding moisture to your project. The other question is what should the moisture content be on treated lumber that will be for the framing of the deck? One of the beauties of spar is that it allows the wood to move quite a bit, while still retaining good adhesion. Maximum Moisture Content Of Concrete This is a nominal value most product manufacturers specify when concrete is dry enough to allow their product to lay down on it. We have a free App called WoodH2O that will tell you the moisture content given certain temperature and humidity conditions. If the leaks have damaged the sub floor or joists, call a licensed general contractor for repair. 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%. Phil, what are you making with the cedar, and in what type of environment will it be? This is more likely to occur to occur in lower-grade boards, where knots and uneven grains are already present. I have come across this and havent made the purchase from my friend because I am not sure about the warp or breaking it will come. A floor joist is a horizontal beam, usually made of wood, that is used to support and enclose the flooring above a foundation. All houses now use perimeter foundation so outside contact temperature stays at about 55 F all year. 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. I hope this helps. An MC in this range, therefore, is considered sufficiently dry for exterior in-service wood. We just bought a home where we discovered the plumbing was leaking over a number years with a kitchen flood occurring in the last 3-5 years due to a busted water line. Pinless meters are non-penetrating and read the moisture content via a non-damaging electromagnetic sensor that scans the wood. Great article! The water eventually came out a electric outlet located three inches off the floor. BD-2100 Pin Meter. Take the readings in at least 20 spots per 1,000 square feet of flooring and average the results. i dont understand how the bottom beam looks like swiss cheese from all the holes ive drilled and has had a commercial blower on it for days yet the number is still high despite there being no visible water to keep the wood wet. Accuaracy is of course more important.. Will the reading be accurate? What is the optimal MC of the fir stock for construction of the windows? Thanks for the article, really appreciate the info! Truss Uplift: Who Would Have Ever Thunk It? Jerry, From a moisture standpoint, water in the basement can over time absorb into your subfloor. Where floor s have been covered by previous floor coverings acceptable values are up to 3.5% and 80% in-slab RH. If youre wondering how wood can have a 200% moisture content, heres how that works. What is a Proper Structural Engineering Inspection? This weight difference is then used to calculate the woods original moisture content. "Mold requires moisture to survive, so protecting lumber and wood structures from moisture will prevent mold growth. In the Midwest, the EMC of wood or lumber in Des Moines, Iowa, ranges from 12.4% to 14.9%. Even at this, the estimate would be the high end of MC% prior to shipment, but only rough estimate. Either one should be acceptable for finishes. I did not find any information on Matumi. Call 256-318-0982 or contact us today. If he is using a high-quality product from companies such as Delmhorst, they provide a slide hammer pin attachment, and they need to use insulated-shaft pins. Why You Should Use Relative Humidity (RH) Testing, Flooring, Millwork, Furniture & Cabinet Manufacturers, How to Choose a Moisture Measurement System for Your Sawmill Buying Guide, Acceptable Moisture Levels in Wood Knowing the Moisture Content, Free Download 5 Ways Pinless Moisture Meters Save You Time and Money. I dialed the 800 number for Wagner meters and all I got was two sales pitches for a Life alert type device. There is no balancing layer on the reverse of the panels which might obstrust breathing of the panel. The same study showed a 40% loss in joint strength and concluded that a 20% MC may significantly compromise shear resistance of exterior walls. (He didnt cite a figure.) In other words, the water weighs more than the wood fibers. The excess moisture source should be corrected if found. Subfloor material such as plywood or OSB should measure between 10 and 14% moisture content. These include warping, cracking, buckling, diminished wood strength, corrosion of fasteners, and even fungal growth. One type of wood moisture meter. The acceptable moisture levels in basement walls and floors will depend on many factors. Timber framing needs to be dried to acceptable moisture content levels as stipulated in NZS 3602:2003 Timber and wood-based products for use in building. Would the screws skew the measurements? we had a problem with our shower curb. The optimal humidity in a home is generally 35%-55% and anything under 20% is actually considered unhealthy, as it dries out the skin. Make sure theyre aligned with the grain and not across it. For instance, the subfloor may appear to be dry on the surface, but still have elevated moisture within the panels. 541-679-2612 www.Roseburg.com. board will move 3 times the amount as a 4-in. (EMC) than other pieces of wood, depending on its location. We are shipping some acacia chopping board to colorado ( US) with moisture ranges from 10-14% while shipping from India but once product received all get cracked . One sheet of plywood is 25% next to a 2X4 truss reading 17-27%. 1. These home inspectors are insecure and inexperienced. Thanks for the the information, very detailed and useful. This author has found decay fungi in floor joists at moisture levels of 20% to 25%. At this home, cool objects include the air conditioning ductwork, the ground and the overlying wood floor system, which is exposed to very cool temperatures due to air conditioning duct leakage. I want to use it to build a table and will be moving it to the location where I will work on it shortly. Your email address will not be published. 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. I would think it would vary depending on the contents. I built the tables in west Texas, but their final home is in Colorado. Varying humidity levels can cause wood to lose or gain water and shrink or expand. of the average flooring moisture content that is being laid). To avoid this problem, wood flooring should never be stored where environmental conditions are uncontrolled, such as garages and exterior patios. Lower differential means slower heat loss. If the wood would really arrive with a MC of 14%, we would not have any problems. Lacquer will not make a reading difference as long as there are no metallic components in the lacquer itself. Many of our customers are successfully using our hand held moisture meters on engineered flooring. Two weeks is sufficient for softwood. Can I a cut them first, then glue them once they are dryer? These are typical readings for exterior wood. Is this dry enough that Id be able to reinstall the trim over the particleboard? This will stop the wet/dry cycle that exists every year, in every ventilated crawl space containing A/C ductwork in the SE United States, over their lifetime. They need to carry a moisture meter with them under houses and probe the floor joists to measure wood moisture content. This is for furniture-grade hardwoods. The ideal moisture content will depend on the humidity indoors. The chart below will clear things up. The next sheet is 21.5% adjacent to 2X4. I-joists are comprised of top and bottom flanges, which resist bending, united with webs, which provide outstanding shear resistance. 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. 24 and 26 framing studs should measure 19% moisture content or less. If the subfloor is not acceptable, it can often be overlaid with 1/2 -inch plywood. I had a water leak under my crawl space which has 3 inches of foam insulation applied to the underside of the sub floor. Will your meters work to find MC levels for composites? Lets go over the basics of each, Oven dry testing is the oldest method for measuring the moisture content of wood. Specifically in the first 3-4 on one side of the door is 11%, then drops to ~8%. Structural flooring for laying direct to joists or battens is a minimum of 19mm thick. Most are reading are between 13-15%. Generally the entire floor is dry. The acceptable moisture content in wood depends on two factors: These two factors make it difficult to say anything specific about acceptable wood moisture content. A study by Imamura and Kiguchi (1999) showed that wood moisture content in excess of 20% can cause a 5% loss of nail shank diameter in four years and a projected 25% loss in 30 years. We built our home from ground up and have a sealed crawl space dehumidifiers, etc In January of 2019, we had our builder and hardwood floor contractor come out because our hardwoods were starting to separate a lot. Floors-1/2" in 12' or 3/16" in 4'. This is expensive and its ridiculous. My question: what is the complete saturation reading of wood? This water may come from condensation, roof leaks, plumbing leaks, or contact with the soil. 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. Floor joists transfer loads to the vertical beams of the house. Wall Corners-Perpendicular within 1/4" in 10'. They delivered the wood one day, and began to stain and install it over the next two days, finishing on the 6th day. These varying humidity levels of the surrounding air cause wood to not only gain or lose water moisture but to expand or shrink as well. Hi, in MN where extreme temperatures are very hard on homes. Before installing carpet, you will need to dry the subfloor first. The NWFA recommends testing wood subfloor moisture in at least 20 locations per 1,000 sq. A good moisture content is between 6 9% for Colorado. We dont know if we still should be having a commercial drying process? Seattles EMC ranges from 12.2% to 16.5%. I would love to be able to give you the perfect answer but unfortunately, there isnt one. In an air conditioned house the wood floor. Can carpet be reinstalled? Reaching these moisture content levels does not mean mold growth or corrosion . You will also see that the healthy wood moisture levels of 10% - 16% occur when the relative humidity is between 55% and 80% at 70 degrees. The fir windows and exterior doors will be affected by the the exterior and interior RH. As a general rule, with geographic exceptions, wood flooring performs best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within an RH range of 30% to 50% and a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Copyright - RLC Engineering, LLC. If the water leak was bad enough, dry rot can occur causing possible structural integrity issues. Thanks. Many timber-framed floor problems can be traced to moisture levels, excessive loads or borer.
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