Cracks in Concrete Slabs: Should I Be Concerned? In all cases, determining the acceptable moisture level of wood requires the use of an extremely accurate moisture meter. I checked it with my new moisture meter and had a reading of between 8-13.5%. 28% and above Readings in this range are often accompanied by decay damage. Every home's foundation repair needs are different based on soil type, type of foundation problem, and climate. -XF% Thanks!!! The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has a chart that indicates the moisture content of wood at any given combination of temperature and humidity. ft., based on a standard AStM F-1869 (Calcium Chloride) test, or 80% rh, based on AStM F-2170. They are currently nearing equilibrium (around 12 MC) and are stored within the house. My last Wagner was appropriated by the individual who appropriated other tools out of my old sho. Brick Veneer Homes: Are They Really Worth the Headache? I have seen home built in the dead of winter, covered in snow, and still dry out enough for a successful home build. 16% - 20%- Readings in this range indicate a possible elevated level of wood moisture. For boundary materials, the values vary depending on the physical properties of what you are . Free Webinar The What, Why, and How of Wood Moisture Testing. Second, would the same pine slab, would it be okay to use for a side table or Kitchen island. If you need further clarification http://www.nwfa.org is an excellent source. It is also possible high moisture has entered the container during the trip to Europe. 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. What are acceptable ranges of moisture for composite materials like MDF and Plywood, for indoor furniture use? Three years ago, the floor sank in a heavy traffic area and an engineer told me Masonite was used to shim and had compressed. The subfloor registered from 12% to 17% . I have seen that 13.5% is high for furniture and you should aim below 12%. Here is a link to our website for more information: https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-950-smart/. You can use our free APP called WoodH2O to help you decide on the best moisture content. Floor joists transfer loads to the vertical beams of the house. ft., and averaging the results. To make sure the wood is properly dried, he always uses a moisture meter before working with it. So chart would indicate around 9%. 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: (EMC) than other pieces of wood, depending on its location. The air vents stay closed year round. Accuaracy is of course more important.. 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. The amount of swelling or shrinkage depends on how much the . Also, there is a risk of mold. Yes, hardwoods such as cherry and walnut should be between 6 and 8% moisture content. While the surface of the floor might feel dry, there could be higher moisture inside. 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. Well, tile, bricks, and stones are known to have a low water-holding capacity and therefore should be dry. This must be done before attempting to dry out the wood. I live in Atascadero CA and had a coastal red oak tree cut down this past summer. I would like to load eucalyptus and pine wood logs to India . Wide-spread and often extensive moisture damage occurs in residences across the state of South Carolina and elsewhere in the Southeast due to the regions warm, humid climate. We found the problem and the leak was resolve quickly! i also drilled into the wood every few inches, several inches deep with a typical drill bit. If after the inspection we find that your sagging floor joists need support or your home's foundation needs repair we may recommend using IntelliJack, JES Helical Piers, or JES Push Piers. What would be the recommended MC for doors of my new building(under construction)? The excess moisture source should be corrected immediately, and monitored until the WMC returns to the 12-16 range. I want to use it to build a table and will be moving it to the location where I will work on it shortly. If you know such International or Amercan or any other standard please let me know. Because ventilated crawl spaces throughout the Southeast United States allow high humidity and fungus spores to enter the enclosed space beneath the home. Great article, thanks for the info. What % does it have to get down to before it would be usable to make a table top ? Live in Tn. We have had on/off rain and humidity 80-90% range. The difference is the moisture meters measurement error. 2. Percent moisture content in wood is the ratio of the weight of water compared to the overall weight of a piece of wood. I not sure if this is normal, related to the re-shim or need to install a crawl space dehumidifier to slow the progression? Are the measurements of all wood the same? Signs Of Moisture In Basement. From a strictly static MC%, 16-20% MC for long duration is going to promote mold growth. What would one expect to read in plywood subfloor and old growth pine floor joist? 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. Thanks Phil. The boards have dried nicely so far with minimal warpage or checking. /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 Was told thats not done. Should I wait? When you do this, you not only ensure that the entire batch is okay on average, but youre also far likelier to catch boards that are statistical outliers and could cause problems. So, is it really this wet or is our meter over-reading? 20% 28% Readings in this range indicate that conditions are border-line for decay. In their warehouse, and perhaps partly also in the container. This week, I notice the next pier on the same beam is starting to push up, warping the floor. It is not fair to ask the seller of this home to pay some pest control firm to spray Borate on the floor system. The moisture content of wooden substructure members is routinely being disclosed in the closing process of real estate transactions. Have I been wrong? That is way beyond fibre-saturation. Its not growing or feeding on the wood. Softwoods, such as spruce, can have more moisture. moisture will typically measure 7-10%. The EMC of wood or lumber exposed to an outdoor atmosphere varies across the U.S. For instance, in the coastal city of Seattle, the EMC of wood or lumber is higher than the EMC of cities inland or in the Southwest. Foundation Underpinning Repair: Unnecessary? The next sheet is 21.5% adjacent to 2X4. Utilize the chart on following page to record the environmental readings at the time of installation. Call 256-318-0982 or, Engineering Inspection Mortgage Companies, Unnecessary Panic! Wood is hygroscopic. Yes, the wood can still be read for MC with a stain on it. The Building Code states that houses must be built so that a 50-year flood will not enter the building. Your contractor may use something called a moisture meter to see what the approach should be for joist damage, or it may be more obvious based on the appearance of the wood. So please help us to know what should be required moisture level in Acacia board in final product if we need to restrict wood movement at Colorado . The home inspector failed to report all the sewage stains on the plastic and organic growth on some of the joists have which had been exposed to moisture the whole time even though the dehumidifier has been mitigating the plumbing leaks. There is only so much moisture a piece of wood can give up, over time, before a failure occurs. 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. Wood shrinks or swells as its moisture content changes, but only when water is taken up or given off from the cell walls. Any thoughts as to what the issue was with the first install so we dont have the same issue again next year after we go through a new install? Am I possibly getting false positives? 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. Im not sure I can really answer this question. Concrete floors. Just press the scanning plate against the woods surface, turn on the meter, and receive the reading. I built the tables in west Texas, but their final home is in Colorado. Here current humidity is 76%. 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. 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 . 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. Moisture content (MC) in raw slabs can take additional time to reach its Equilibrium Moisture Content. The crawl space must be a minimum of 18" to the bottom of the floor joists, and the soil in the crawl space covered with a heavy duty plastic moisture barrier, and sealed at the seams. "Mold requires moisture to survive, so protecting lumber and wood structures from moisture will prevent mold growth. Best, Kyle. Wagner Meters has a couple of resources to help you determine the moisture content more suited to your outdoor environment. Your help for resolving this issue would be highly appreciated . Step 1: Check the Floor. 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. Remember that the meter assumes it is reading timber. We have had very bad cracking in sheetrock and floors. You can Google moisture content of wood necessary to support fungal growth and see for yourself. 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? Such readings should alert the homeowner to look for a source of excess moisture. So what do you think is the ideal moisture% I should dry them to before rotary polishing them? Varying humidity levels can cause wood to lose or gain water and shrink or expand. This water may come from condensation, roof leaks, plumbing leaks, or contact with the soil. I have some black walnut and cherry that Ive milled and want to make some charcuterie, cheese, bread boardsetc with, would the 6 8% dryness apply to this or what would you recommend? This is for furniture-grade hardwoods. The ceiling in the bedroom above the chimney breast shows signs of damp however doesn't feel damp/moist. Also, please feel free to provide us with the number that you called so we can make sure that all of our phone numbers are printed/posted accurately! Sorry that this is so long-winded and I thank you in advance if you are willing to address this question for me. As with any wood product, the environment where the finished product will Live will determine the correct moisture content. I just bought a live edge slab of Cherry from a local sawmill that was kiln dried. Copyright - RLC Engineering, LLC. Though on occasion, they are made of 2x10s and tripled for additional . Screwed 2x4s parallel into the joists as added support. Post and beam constructions don't have to be kiln-dried but should be air-dried. board will move 3 times the amount as a 4-in. Some wood you buy from a lumber store can be higher than 14% but typically range between 12-14%. My question: what is the complete saturation reading of wood? 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. Damn those shop classes I didnt take. These are typical readings for exterior wood. Ideally, it should be between 7% and 9%. 24 and 26 framing studs should measure 19% moisture content or less. Using South Carolina Residential Construction Standards to Solve Problems, Website by Integritive Web Design :: Asheville, NC. Thanks for the article, really appreciate the info! Good luck. hj0Ed=h].J-)_q},jR3$\ eH"wCk)E)J8 The floor installer put the floors down without allowing the boards to acclimate. Thank you for the well described article. Should I wait for the slabs to be within that 6-9% to cut and glue? One of the beauties of spar is that it allows the wood to move quite a bit, while still retaining good adhesion. I am planning an under-house excursion tomorrow. 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. For instance, the subfloor may appear to be dry on the surface, but still have elevated moisture within the panels. Effects of Moisture on I-Joists and LVL April 2007 P.O. You are correct, furniture grade hardwood is typically dried between 6 to 9%. The front of the . You should be able to specify a lower moisture content. Mold starts growing if the moisture contents reaches about 25% moisture content. Thank you for the helpful article. Be on the lookout for flooring failures such as swelling, buckling, cupping, etc. Here is a link to a calculator and table: http://www.csgnetwork.com/emctablecalc.html. Whats the Difference Between a Home Inspection and an Engineering Inspection? There are areas where organic growth was very active to cause deep, black discolorization. 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 interior wood moisture level should be 12% or lower before painting. Keep indoor humidity low. 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. A wood moisture content of 47% is too high. Call 256-318-0982 or contact us today. Should it be less? Turn on the meter. Observed water leaking along seams of several sheets of original plywood in attic. We also ship to other European countries, for dryer country like Spain the EMC could be between 12 and 14. Using a moisture meter before painting can help you determine the moisture content of the wood. The conversion puts the adjusted MC between 9.5 -> 12%. Question: Just to make sure that you get accurate moisture measurements, has your moisture meter been checked for calibration? Specifically in the first 3-4 on one side of the door is 11%, then drops to ~8%. Good moisture content for softwoods is 10% to 14% moisture. Since your subfloor may be concrete or wood, you should make sure you choose a meter that is specially designed for the specific element you are testing. New roof first week of November. Sometimes moving the air around is enough to remove moisture and dry surfaces. water leaked over the edge. Outdoor temp is 99*F. Is this normal? 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. I hope this helps. Im looking for the % number that will be my upper boundary for oil application Would 12% be ok? This only occurs when wood changes moisture content below the fibre saturation point. The thinner veneers wont have much bearing on the reading. 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. The NWFA recommends testing wood subfloor moisture in at least 20 locations per 1,000 sq. It will continue to absorb and release moisture until it comes into balance with the surrounding air. Thanks in advance for your input! WME? Where floor s have been covered by previous floor coverings acceptable values are up to 3.5% and 80% in-slab RH. Hi, in MN where extreme temperatures are very hard on homes. A high reading in one area indicates a problem that must be corrected. A contractor is measuring sill plates by driving 2 SS Screws into the wood about 1-1/2 or so inches. But when you touch the pins to the embedded screws, you get between 14 and 24 % in various areas of the board. A consistent humidity level of 40 percent will require wood to be about 8 percent moisture content. Kiln-dried timber should be kept dry. To achieve this, Acceptable Solution E2/AS1 says that, on near-level sites, the floor level must be no less than 150 mm above the crown of the road or the lowest point of the boundary. Thank you. Any moisture content measured higher than that might result in movement, such as warping and twisting, once it dries. Meanwhile, the reference scale can be used to provide qualitative moisture assessments in other building materials. These mold spores land on the wet wood and take root. The home inspectors working for fees today seem to have one primary motive in mind: to cover their liabilities. I suspect the screws may be skewing the measurements. Does that seem normal. Larry: I recently had my annual termite inspection. i did not waterproof the outside of the curb (kerdi), so the wood got wet. Required fields are marked *. Therefore, in order to avoid post-construction problems, a woodworker building a cabinet for this particular interior environment would need to dry his wood to a moisture content of 8- 9% beforehand and then keep it that dry during the construction process. 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. 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. This means a very absorbent wood can retain more water, weight wise, the weight of the wood itself. It is a 2-3 feet wide wet area that drains to a line connected to the city system. Over a year ago, I re-shim all the piers with metal shims. The moisture content overall is almost always below 20%.

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