Finally the question I have is I-used your Wood H2O app and the humidity here (outside) is 55% and the temperature is near 70 (inside)am I correct that 10% is what Is the acceptable moisture of the wood should be for furniture building? 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 . I have a couple questions. You can Google moisture content of wood necessary to support fungal growth and see for yourself. Many timber-framed floor problems can be traced to moisture levels, excessive loads or borer. The electrical current will then move from pin to pin and measure the resistance encountered. Your cost could be more or less, depending on the size of the floor area. %PDF-1.5
%
Should I wait for the slabs to be within that 6-9% to cut and glue? I hope this helps. we are presently constructing a new timber frame residence on ocean front in BC, Canada. Hi, in MN where extreme temperatures are very hard on homes. The floor immediately felt stronger. Please commenr? Indoor humidity is around 50%, indoor temps around 70 degrees. 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. Also, if the leak was bad enough, it will be necessary to have a contractor make sure the strength of the subfloor isnt compromised. As far as the oil finish, the manufacturer of the oil will specify the correct moisture content for an application. The floor installer put the floors down without allowing the boards to acclimate. We have a free App called WoodH2O that will tell you the moisture content given certain temperature and humidity conditions. Being that we live in Central Florida, 40 miles North of Tampa and using this chart page 5 ( https://research.cnr.ncsu.edu/blogs/wpe/files/2016/08/Equilibrium-Moisture-Content-of-Exterior-Wood-in-the-US.pdf) were it states EMC for wood exposed outside for our area of 12.5 to 14.0 when I put the moisture meter to the wood it should be in those ranges if going to be used outside? Any input would be most appreciated. if not, can you tell me why? Wood Moisture Content (WMC) is often used as an indicator of decay problems in houses. This must be done before attempting to dry out the wood. When wood is subjected to an environment that is higher in humidity, it will swell or expand. However, the company who maintains the dehumidifier said he tested some of the joist which he said only registered 10 on his device. The maximum subfloor moisture level for solid strip flooring or wide-width solid flooring is either 12% or 13%, depending on the manufacturer. Hardwood flooring needs to acclimate at least 2 weeks, in service conditions, before it is installed. The inspector said his meter reading taken from my basement on subflooring/joists/framing was too high. The subfloor registered from 12% to 17% . 1. in Indonesia there are a lot of raw materials consisting of natural fibers, such as: pandanus, water hyacinth, rattan etc. 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. Thank you for your very informative knowledge about all of the items on this page. The angle iron will prevent much warping, and I do plan on finishing all sides (and ends). Lets go over the basics of each, Oven dry testing is the oldest method for measuring the moisture content of wood. Houses with timber-framed floors can be at risk of having poor underfloor ventilation. The pins are pressed into the wood to obtain a reading. 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: You should be able to tell where the water reached the subfloor because it will be discolored and may also be swelled up. I am based in The Netherlands. Water Level Survey: Are You Smarter Than an Egyptian? Colorado is cold and dry. Do NOT install the flooring planks until these moisture content levels are achieved. 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. This only occurs when wood changes moisture content below the fibre saturation point. Wood moisture content is always varying. Required fields are marked *. I know the rule of thumb is 1 year of dry time per inch of thickness of wood. Does Brick Veneer Cracking Mean Foundation Problems? Be sure to acclimate the wood to desired EMC of the interior environment before you use 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. Once the wood samples weight stops changing, its weight is compared to what it was before the drying process began. Repair is often required when WMC readings are in this range. Prior to the flooring installation, make sure your subfloor has not experienced leaks or other water damage. Sometimes moving the air around is enough to remove moisture and dry surfaces. Most types of wood species will mold above 25% moisture content, including pine. Below 12% Readings in this range are common to kiln or oven dried woods and furniture grades of wood, and represent dry conditions. This author has found decay fungi in floor joists at moisture levels of 20% to 25%. It is best to replace the particle board subfloor. Im hoping this should work. Each piece of lumber is unique and carries physical characteristics that may include the following: knots, warping, shrinkage, swelling and/or splitting. 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. Add 1 to this value and round up the answer to the next whole number: 7.40625 + 1 = 8.40625 9 floor joists. guide-standards-tolerances.pdf. Thank you. For example, a 26 Southern Pine joist can span 12'. After reading your article and following comments, my question is : How much does the finish of a wood project for indoor use affect the 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. Waterproof membrane . -25% moisture content in a VENTED crawl space. Simply put, the post offers some useful information. It is also possible high moisture has entered the container during the trip to Europe. of water/day/1000 sq. Do you agree with this? The boards have dried nicely so far with minimal warpage or checking. . 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. For joists where the rot infestation has been thoroughly dealt with: it is acceptable to leave the joist as it is. Thanks Phil. With a degree in Computer Systems, Larry is involved in both hardware and software development of wood moisture measurement solutions. i did not waterproof the outside of the curb (kerdi), so the wood got wet. Want this question answered? Thank you. This method uses the oven-dry method and then compares the results to those obtained using a moisture meter. Very educational! The difference is the moisture meters measurement error. Chris. Just press the scanning plate against the woods surface, turn on the meter, and receive the reading. The cedar I have is now at 12-16%. However, a general rule of thumb is that the basement's humidity level is not over 30 - 50 percent. The next sheet is 21.5% adjacent to 2X4. That is still quite a wide range. You can hardly see the humps except the first pier that popped up . Oh no! There are areas where organic growth was very active to cause deep, black discolorization. For wide-width solid flooring (3 or wider), there should be no more than a 2% difference in moisture content between properly acclimated wood flooring and subflooring materials. Here is a link to a calculator and table: http://www.csgnetwork.com/emctablecalc.html. I had a pin meter but found I had to put the pins in the ends or try to find an area that wouldnt be seen, so Im thinking a pinless might be better. A consistent humidity level of 40 percent will require wood to be about 8 percent moisture content. I am not aware of a standard moisture content for packaging food or any other product. Pin-type meters use penetrating electrodes and measure the woods moisture content using electrical resistance. Thanks. The excess moisture source should be corrected immediately, and monitored until the WMC returns to the 12-16 range. Some wood you buy from a lumber store can be higher than 14% but typically range between 12-14%. Wood is a hygroscopic material that contains water, even after it is cut from a tree. The new wood was brought in in bundles ~2 x 2 x 6 and left that way to acclimate for ~2 weeks. Whether youre a woodworker making cabinets, a wood flooring professional installing hardwood floors, or if you use wood in construction, wood moisture content (MC) should be always on your mind. Remove Moisture From The Air - If your crawl space has a lot of ventilation, you should be able to set up a large fan in the opening of the crawl space and leave it to run for 10 to 12 hours. So chart would indicate around 9%. The water wasnt properly dried and organic growth was discovered by previous owner. "Mold requires moisture to survive, so protecting lumber and wood structures from moisture will prevent mold growth. Great info! Normal moisture content of wood ranges from 7% to 19%. Also, there is a risk of mold. Because pinless meters scan the woods surface and cover a larger area than pin-type meters, they provide a more thorough picture of the woods moisture content. I was thinking 10% MC would be ok but after reading your article Im not sure. Good moisture content for softwoods is 10% to 14% moisture. The wood joists are not soaked wet, its just a light film of moisture on the wood members. Would you be able to say anything about the optimal MC range for this specific situation? Great article, thanks for the info. To the right, 13.2% in the same distance and also drops to ~ 8% after. The water was there for at most 6 hours, then we vacuumed it all and started the process of drying. 800-634-9961, or email sales@wagnermeters.com. I cant speak for the home inspector who has raised concerns, or what his experience level is, but I can assure you that the floor joists beneath this home are no different than 90% of the floor joists I have inspected over the past three decades. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Make sure theyre aligned with the grain and not across it. When it hits the cooler air of the crawl space, it increases the relative humidity by about 2% per degree! Limit the length of notches to 1/3 of the joist's depth. Im on a grade-level concrete slab, and the water made its way over (under the tiles) to my sink vanity. Wonder if they are trying to cover themselves. The ASTM D4442 standard determines the accuracy of wood moisture meters. Reaching these moisture content levels does not mean mold growth or corrosion . Subtract the width of your floor joist from your floor's length: 120" 1.5" = 118.5". If the moisture content of the product is well outside the range of optimal MC, the wood flooring should not be accepted because it will lead to shrinkage, bowing, cupping, and other physical problems. However, the wood species and the thickness or size of the wood may also factor in. 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. The EMC in the recommended temperature/humidity range coincides with the 6% to 9% range used by most flooring manufacturers during the manufacturing and shipping process. Because ventilated crawl spaces throughout the Southeast United States allow high humidity and fungus spores to enter the enclosed space beneath the home. This should be stuck into your wooden subfloor. Any moisture content measured higher than that might result in movement, such as warping and twisting, once it dries. Sorry, that time of year. 2-1/4", the moisture content between the flooring planks and the subfloor should not exceed 2%. Engineering & Inspection Services, Licensed PE - Alabama & Tennessee, JADE Engineering & Inspection | 5405 Whitesburg Dr. Im still not sure that whatever they do will produce a good, long-term result, but I need to know what they should be doing to the wood. A 10% moisture content reading means that 10% of a wood samples weight is due to water in the wood. The thinner veneers wont have much bearing on the reading. The flooring pieces should be removed from the packaging to allow the ambient conditions to equalize the wood. I did not find any information on Matumi. There are two main ways of measuring wood moisture content: oven-dry testing and moisture meter testing. 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? I purchased my newly built home that has to meet all the new energy efficient standards and will be 2 years old this coming month. Walking on Joists Before all accessories and floor decking are installed, I-joists are unstable and can roll over if walked on, leading to injuries. I had several of the varnished decorative hardwood laminated ply panels replaced in the lounge on an air conditioned luxury yacht. I dont know what type of floor you have, but if it gets wet enough, about 25% moisture content or higher, mold can grow. Wood freshly cut or kiln-dried is always interacting with environmental moisture. Whats the Difference Between a Home Inspection and an Engineering Inspection? He, of course, said that type of product is insufficient. Request Answer. The engineered wood floor appears ok. Lower differential means slower heat loss. Call JADE today for a crawlspace inspection and we can give you definitive answers to your crawl space problems! New roof first week of November. What do you recommend the reader to be at before insulation and drywall on new construction? If the MC of plywood is above 20%, can it be redried in a kiln or would that harm the glue? The builder's warranty representative came out and measured the moisture levels with a moisture meter. (Itd effectively seal the cavity under the vanity, so once the trim is back on, i dont think itll dry out much more.) We dont know if we still have leaks? 2. endstream
endobj
81 0 obj
<>stream
I really need to know as I am getting so many different opinions Thanks. WMC of framing members in a crawl space will usually be lowest in late winter and highest in late summer. Wagner has a free app called WoodH2O to help you determine the proper moisture levels based on consistent humidity and temperature. Under the floor. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. moisture will typically measure 7-10%. 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. Thats a big difference. It seems to me the supplier is drying the Teak to 14% because that is what is needed in Indonesia. A dehumidifier in the crawlspace will help but can be expensive. We have started to import teak outdoor furniture from Indonesia into Europe. As a result, the normal moisture meter reading for these materials in between 0.5% and 1%. Utilize the chart on following page to record the environmental readings at the time of installation. Home Moisture Meters Acceptable Moisture Levels in Wood Knowing the Moisture Content. 1= z@
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. Post and beam constructions don't have to be kiln-dried but should be air-dried. Ceilings account for 35%, walls - 25% and windows 25%. We havent gone any further since the condition was found so close to us purchasing the home. wood using pins while the MDF uses pinless? Instead of addressing the plumbing and damaged wood, they installed a dehumidifier in 2015. 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. 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. In general, all wood products will swell with an increase in moisture content and shrink with a decrease in moisture content. 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%. Perhaps there is something different about the East and West walls. -XF% So what do you think is the ideal moisture% I should dry them to before rotary polishing them? In general, 12% moisture or above is too wet to install flooring. These are typical readings for exterior wood. I live in upstate South Carolina. Heres how it works. Hello Enjoyed the article. Jerry, From a moisture standpoint, water in the basement can over time absorb into your subfloor. Mobeen, If a wooden sample gains moisture, then the sample will increase in size. 2nd question, will lacquer on surface of flooring affect the reading. Eventually, this internal moisture will evaporate by itself. It causes decay of the wood structure. 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. It constantly absorbs and releases vapour into the . Two questions I need a reliable, easy to use meter that can cover all species as I now have a portable mill and that can be used for treated. This means a very absorbent wood can retain more water, weight wise, the weight of the wood itself. These home inspectors are insecure and inexperienced. Not using the correct procedure.