Timber logs & Lumber into India company remained actively involved in harvesting and sale of Hardwood logs of Indian origin. In contrast, Las Vegas in the drier Southwest has much lower EMC percentages than most other U.S. cities. We had boards that were also cracking/splitting and other places where small pinholes were showing up. Since Im drying them outside, being in AK I would like to work with them if possible before the long moist winter. If youre wondering how wood can have a 200% moisture content, heres how that works. So, is it really this wet or is our meter over-reading? The plywood setting is .57. Do you see any dangers of using poly with a MC of around 12, or am I risking adhesion failure especially if the wood does end up shrinking dimensionally? There are two main types of wood moisture meters, pin-type and pinless. What would one expect to read in plywood subfloor and old growth pine floor joist? I wanted to know if is there any standard which specifies the acceptable range of moisture content for wood used in packaging industry like pine wood. Can carpet be reinstalled? This method uses the oven-dry method and then compares the results to those obtained using a moisture meter. Any opinions. somewhere. The angle iron will prevent much warping, and I do plan on finishing all sides (and ends). 24 and 26 framing studs should measure 19% moisture content or less. This pinless meter is accurate, Ive got 2 other pin moisture meters and all 3 of them read within only 1-3% difference as checked on wood structures. In other words, the water weighs more than the wood fibers. If you know such International or Amercan or any other standard please let me know. Each piece of lumber is unique and carries physical characteristics that may include the following: knots, warping, shrinkage, swelling and/or splitting. Second, would the same pine slab, would it be okay to use for a side table or Kitchen island. I know the rule of thumb is 1 year of dry time per inch of thickness of wood. Ev Many thanks for your advice, really appreciate it! I would think at least fixing your dehumidifier is a must. As lumber dries, it may split, cup and warp. I had a redwood deck, and they replaced it with Douglas fir (without my approval, but thats another issue). /U (li7":-JOBHO,9UY) /P 65492 >> endobj 14 0 obj << /S /GoTo /D [ 15 0 R /Fit ] >> endobj 27 0 obj << /S 45 /T 91 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 28 0 R >> stream I would think it would vary depending on the contents. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The levels were between 20 and 23%. 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. The moisture content overall is almost always below 20%. Live in Tn. A mold or mildew odor or appearance on surfaces. I appreciate you sharing this important information with us at this time. When wood is subjected to an environment that is higher in humidity, it will swell or expand. Mold starts growing if the moisture contents reaches about 25% moisture content. The fir windows and exterior doors will be affected by the the exterior and interior RH. Be on the lookout for flooring failures such as swelling, buckling, cupping, etc. Moisture contents of 12 to 17% is ok. You dont want to see any subfloor reach about 25% which is where mold will start to grow. Thanks Mark, The EMC outside and the wood should be the same. They are now saying that they will replace whatever boards are bad and resand and finish the floors, however Im concerned that there is an underlying issue that will resurface here? The MC varies from 7% 13.5% around the exterior door on dry days and 10%-16% during rains. Great article! Any suggestions .thanks. Wagner has a free app called WoodH2O to help you determine the proper moisture levels based on consistent humidity and temperature. Am I possibly getting false positives? How to test moisture /water content in cassia bark? These include warping, cracking, buckling, diminished wood strength, corrosion of fasteners, and even fungal growth. The ideal moisture content will depend on the humidity indoors. Generally the entire floor is dry. Under the floor. Wood moisture content is always varying. board will move twice as much as a 4-in. Step 1: Check the Floor. As the airs RH increases, so does the moisture content of any wood exposed to the air. Thanks for the email. Since wood is hygroscopic, it loses or gains moisture depending on the relative humidity of the surrounding air. We have had on/off rain and humidity 80-90% range. We are manufacturer of eng wood flooring. Wiki User. Great article, thanks for the info. 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. You should be ok as long as the moisture content does not get worse (higher). It is also a good idea to use a moisture meter after the three weeks just to make sure. My house was built in 1927. The wood and varnish appear otherwise pristine, uncracked and not bubbled or clouded in any way. One sheet of plywood is 25% next to a 2X4 truss reading 17-27%. But the table will be inside? The door is NE facing and protected from direct Sun light and rain by a porch roof. The wood has been kiln dried and packed in corrugate. Obviously, the ambient conditions within which the wood or paper is present can alter the MC% of the wood or paper. 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. I understand that a home inspector expressed concern about fungal growth on the floor framing, so the buyer is concerned that the fungus needs to be removed/cleaned/mitigated from the joists. We found out that RH at the final location was under 20%. Remember that the meter assumes it is reading timber. Hi and good day , I would like to find out what r the right temperature readings for workable wood slabs in South Africa specially Matumi wood slabs. Understanding the effects moisture has on timber, as well as acceptable moisture levels in wood flooring, will keep your timber floor looking pristine throughout its lifetime. 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. Thank you. All Rights Reserved. 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%. There is only so much moisture a piece of wood can give up, over time, before a failure occurs. I suggested replacing my dehumidifier (Sears brand, bucket collection) which has been inoperable this past year. The house was not in the flood area however they did receive 20 inches of rain. He, of course, said that type of product is insufficient. Subtract the width of your floor joist from your floor's length: 120" 1.5" = 118.5". Also, the glue manufacturer should ideally give you some specifications for max and min moisture content. This week, I notice the next pier on the same beam is starting to push up, warping the floor. Good luck. What is the acceptable moisture level for plywood? However, it Im looking for the % number that will be my upper boundary for oil application Would 12% be ok? In their warehouse, and perhaps partly also in the container. Required fields are marked *. Condensation on the inside of a windowpane. If so, then you'll want to know. Keep monitoring it. We have had very bad cracking in sheetrock and floors. They delivered the wood one day, and began to stain and install it over the next two days, finishing on the 6th day. Drying teak hardwood from a humid climate, for use outdoors in a much drier European climate? Truss Uplift: Who Would Have Ever Thunk It? Freshly cut wood has a lot of moisture in it. Sorry, that time of year. I found your moisture levels column through a search for good wood for low humidity. Should it be less? (He didnt cite a figure.) The three main sources of moisture: Condensation, Foundation wall transfer, and leaks. I checked it with my new moisture meter and had a reading of between 8-13.5%. My meter tells me anything above 12% is wet but I cannot find any source of leaking or signs of water. We appreciate you writing in, best of luck! ft., and averaging the results. Prior to the flooring installation, make sure your subfloor has not experienced leaks or other water damage. Good moisture content for softwoods is 10% to 14% moisture. Yes, hardwoods such as cherry and walnut should be between 6 and 8% moisture content. 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. Good moisture content for hardwoods is 6% to 9% moisture. Here is the one I would recommend: https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/mmc220-extended-range-moisture-meter/, My potential house in North Carolina Fayetteville area was just checked for moisture content in the crawl space. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. This is based on a chart in Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. Different joinery (currently using pocket holes)? I had a water leak under my crawl space which has 3 inches of foam insulation applied to the underside of the sub floor. Where are you located? Your subfloor moisture level should be no greater than seven to nine percent when you are installing flooring. I dont know what type of floor you have, but if it gets wet enough, about 25% moisture content or higher, mold can grow. Effects of Moisture on I-Joists and LVL April 2007 P.O. 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. If the MC of plywood is above 20%, can it be redried in a kiln or would that harm the glue? 25-30 - Actual, and often extensive, damage is evident when readings reach this level. The water wasnt properly dried and organic growth was discovered by previous owner. As with any wood product, the environment where the finished product will Live will determine the correct moisture content. It was such a good read. Thanks for the question. The wood scale provides accurate, quantitative readings of moisture over the range of 5% to 30% MC in wood.
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