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";s:4:"text";s:27328:"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%. 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? When determining the acceptable moisture levels in wood flooring before installation, the NWFA states that the flooring professional should establish a baseline for acclimation. It gains or loses water moisture as the relative humidity (RH) of the surrounding air changes. Timber logs & Lumber into India company remained actively involved in harvesting and sale of Hardwood logs of Indian origin. Use a level to determine if the floor is level within 3/16-inch change per 10 feet. Drying teak hardwood from a humid climate, for use outdoors in a much drier European climate? Utilize the chart on following page to record the environmental readings at the time of installation. 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. I have seen home built in the dead of winter, covered in snow, and still dry out enough for a successful home build. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has specific installation guidelines for wood flooring and how they relate to moisture content. Decay fungi need liquid water to grow. My question: what is the complete saturation reading of wood? Any input would be most appreciated. Thanks for the reply. 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. Am I possibly getting false positives? Any advice would be appreciated. On a hot, humid summer day, the air venting into the crawl space could be as much as 75% relative humidity and 85 degrees. The solution seems to be drying the wood longer & bettter, to a lower measured MC. I did not find any information on Matumi. Kiln-dried wood usually shows a moisture reading of 10% on the outside and then 25% on the inside. The acceptable moisture levels in basement walls and floors will depend on many factors. Is this accurate? to keep the moisture content below 20 percent. There was a board that cracked along a glue line. Your email address will not be published. 800-634-9961, or email sales@wagnermeters.com. Writing all the way from Australia, Steven. Learn how your comment data is processed. It is also a good idea to use a moisture meter after the three weeks just to make sure. Soil is almost always damp. 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. This is based on a chart in Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. hj0Ed=h].J-)_q},jR3$\ eH"wCk)E)J8 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. Oh no! If so, then you'll want to know. Thanks for the question. 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. You should be able to specify a lower moisture content. If the wood is covered by a material like MDF or other, do we take 2x the measurements? 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. Set the meter to the species that makes up the bulk, in this case, the plywood. 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 . 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. The excess moisture source must be immediately corrected, and the situation carefully monitored until the WMC returns to the 12-16 range. Houses with timber-framed floors can be at risk of having poor underfloor ventilation. Moisture levels in your crawl space that go beyond 70% lead to mold growth and health concerns. Meanwhile, the reference scale can be used to provide qualitative moisture assessments in other building materials. I have one question with regards to pinless moisture meters and wallboard/Sheetrock. 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. This method uses the oven-dry method and then compares the results to those obtained using a moisture meter. 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. The other question is what should the moisture content be on treated lumber that will be for the framing of the deck? This would depend on the expectations of the person receiving the product in India, how large of diameter the logs are, and some average estimate of what the conditions would be inside the container during the 55 days. 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. Because wood shrinks and warps as it dries, woodworkers want it to be pre-shrunk before they use it. For joists where the rot infestation has been thoroughly dealt with: it is acceptable to leave the joist as it is. -XF% I have removed the 1 3/4 edge and resawn to take out the splinter (1/4) re bicuited . To avoid this problem, wood flooring should never be stored where environmental conditions are uncontrolled, such as garages and exterior patios. Freshly cut wood has a lot of moisture in it. Prior to the flooring installation, make sure your subfloor has not experienced leaks or other water damage. The home inspectors working for fees today seem to have one primary motive in mind: to cover their liabilities. Below 12% Readings in this range are common to kiln or oven dried woods and furniture grades of wood, and represent dry conditions. Summers are hot and dry while winters can be cool. But the table will be inside? Any opinions. Here's a good rule of thumb: Notches should be no deeper than 1/6 the depth of the joist. Higher values could mean a wet or saturated material. In their warehouse, and perhaps partly also in the container. 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. Its never constant. Good luck. Add 1 to this value and round up the answer to the next whole number: 7.40625 + 1 = 8.40625 9 floor joists. 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. The average annual relative humidity will play the biggest role in determining what the optimal MC should be. board, and a 12-in. Turn on the meter. This weight difference is then used to calculate the woods original moisture content. Lower differential means slower heat loss. Seattles EMC ranges from 12.2% to 16.5%. Keep monitoring it. 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. The builder's warranty representative came out and measured the moisture levels with a moisture meter. Effects of Moisture on I-Joists and LVL April 2007 P.O. meter readings of up to 2.0% and in-slab relative humidity (RH) below 75%. All houses now use perimeter foundation so outside contact temperature stays at about 55 F all year. If a wooden sample has moisture content range of 2-6% only and if it has moisture content of 9 or 10% then what does this mean?? Typical moisture content for furniture in a home is 6-9%. Production, storage, delivery and construction and in-use conditions that will prevent exposure to external or internal moisture or conditions that would allow the moisture content to exceed 18% at any time: Untreated Douglas fir: Framing in a low-risk building and meeting the requirements of B2/AS1 paragraph 3.2.2.2: Where there is a risk of . 9Chrv;plt[nh%:fOl8e^5e cM(?=6?y8{6uZkpz[TgLXD9feUm.L;l7:5C:hf=tE&U[&8 ^ wu*Vz*##;PKk? Condensation on the inside of a windowpane. The amount of swelling or shrinkage depends on how much the . Because of the different materials involved, they will react differently to high heat, thus giving you an un-even plywood surface. Because ventilated crawl spaces throughout the Southeast United States allow high humidity and fungus spores to enter the enclosed space beneath the home. Standard construction studs such as 24 and 26s are typically dried to 19% moisture content before they are installed. It will continue to absorb and release moisture until it comes into balance with the surrounding air. Hi Larry, So a friend of mine has some pine and oak blabs at MC levels of (oak 11.5%) and Pine 13-14%. Home Moisture Meters Acceptable Moisture Levels in Wood Knowing the Moisture Content. To establish a baseline for wood flooring acclimation, the installer will need to calculate the optimal moisture level of the wood by dividing the regions high season and low season EMC. However, the ideal humidity range in some climates may be higher or lower. "R. They are returning to remove one plank and take it back to see what they can do to meet my satisfaction. If the conditions are too wet, dehumidify, and if they are too dry, humidify. As a result, the normal moisture meter reading for these materials in between 0.5% and 1%. Just press the scanning plate against the woods surface, turn on the meter, and receive the reading. Once the wood samples weight stops changing, its weight is compared to what it was before the drying process began. Generally the entire floor is dry. The joists can be longer or shorter as required by space and size, and are typically spaced at either 450mm or 600mm apart. Having performed multiple (>500) soil moisture and density Sieve and Proctor, so I am well versed in moisture calculations (both add and subtract). Your subfloor moisture level should be no greater than seven to nine percent when you are installing flooring. Waterproof membrane . So if I understood the article right and not sure that I did. Do you think that heated floor actually help to dry or do they make things worse and more humid! Different wood? The maximum subfloor moisture level for solid strip flooring or wide-width solid flooring is either 12% or 13%, depending on the manufacturer. Just across the threshold to a white oak floor installed in ~1914 and the MC is 15%->16%. The excess moisture source should be corrected immediately, and monitored until the WMC returns to the 12-16 range. Im not sure which part of Europe you are from, but typically the Indonesian climate is very humid compared to other parts of the world. (He didnt cite a figure.) Add an answer. . I never obtained a moisture reading above 16%. It is a 2-3 feet wide wet area that drains to a line connected to the city system. Thats why I think the wood is either not dried to 14%, or it has picked up too much humidity after drying. 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: Were looking to replace the floor in an old (unheated) hay barn with treated tongue & Groove 26 flooring and need to know if the advertised 19% MC will be ok and not shrink too much. Hi Larry, thanks for the great knowledge sharing. Please give us a call at (800) 634-9961 or email info@wagnermeters.com, if youd prefer. (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%. I am planning an under-house excursion tomorrow. Replaced the subfloor, which is . Standard moisture contents for hardwoods are 6% 9% MC. In your area, wood that has been in an environment to a duration of time would be between 6-11%. Perhaps try to seal the vapor barrier better around the piers. I was thinking 10% MC would be ok but after reading your article Im not sure. Post and beam constructions don't have to be kiln-dried but should be air-dried. I just bought a live edge slab of Cherry from a local sawmill that was kiln dried. Your help for resolving this issue would be highly appreciated . As far as the oil finish, the manufacturer of the oil will specify the correct moisture content for an application. Wood is hygroscopic. Ideally, you want to check the EMC in the area you will be working on your slab, along with the area it will live in. 3. The angle iron will prevent much warping, and I do plan on finishing all sides (and ends). 17 and the flooring is at 6 to 7. However, this range will vary slightly according to the geographic region because of varying RH levels. /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 Question: Just to make sure that you get accurate moisture measurements, has your moisture meter been checked for calibration? These home inspectors are insecure and inexperienced. Did the Contractor mention anything about the structural strength of the joists? There are two main types of wood moisture meters, pin-type and pinless. A subfloor needs to be clean, dry, level and structurally sound. There are joists that display splitting. Using South Carolina Residential Construction Standards to Solve Problems, Website by Integritive Web Design :: Asheville, NC. As lumber dries, it may split, cup and warp. Under the floor. 11 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 15 /H [ 1017 209 ] /L 26721 /E 14333 /N 2 /T 26383 >> endobj xref 11 18 0000000016 00000 n 0000000724 00000 n 0000000820 00000 n 0000000963 00000 n 0000001226 00000 n 0000001393 00000 n 0000001566 00000 n 0000001771 00000 n 0000002827 00000 n 0000002934 00000 n 0000004271 00000 n 0000005322 00000 n 0000005517 00000 n 0000007871 00000 n 0000007949 00000 n 0000009756 00000 n 0000001017 00000 n 0000001206 00000 n trailer << /Size 29 /Info 10 0 R /Encrypt 13 0 R /Root 12 0 R /Prev 26373 /ID[<2277e06d91c56aa37caf41071ab29f47><2277e06d91c56aa37caf41071ab29f47>] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 12 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 9 0 R /PageMode /UseThumbs /OpenAction 14 0 R >> endobj 13 0 obj << /Filter /Standard /V 1 /R 2 /O (D+K\r,s\n?$+%{Nhjp-!) -ThA?> =v\0r5#v ,J\Byt)%*?I!PT`FdCE N a^1IMm[?x>7RFH +=\ Any suggestions .thanks. Down pour of rain onto underlayment of attached garage. The floor installer put the floors down without allowing the boards to acclimate. Such readings should alert the homeowner to look for a source of excess moisture. Sorry that this is so long-winded and I thank you in advance if you are willing to address this question for me. Will the reading be accurate? 800-347-7260 Fax. The interior wood moisture level should be 12% or lower before painting. It will be there for a few months before I begin working on it. The inspector said his meter reading taken from my basement on subflooring/joists/framing was too high. A floor joist is a horizontal beam, usually made of wood, that is used to support and enclose the flooring above a foundation. As this moisture condenses on the floor system, it wets the wood. hL 1. in Indonesia there are a lot of raw materials consisting of natural fibers, such as: pandanus, water hyacinth, rattan etc. Your reading of 12.5% tells me it is workable. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The optimal humidity in a home is generally 35%-55% and anything under 20% is actually considered unhealthy, as it dries out the skin. Not only did the aggressive notching doom this joist, it affected the structural integrity of the floor system above. Too dry and you get chipping out of the wood. "Mold requires moisture to survive, so protecting lumber and wood structures from moisture will prevent mold growth. The conversion puts the adjusted MC between 9.5 -> 12%. The purpose of the vapor barrier is to keep moisture away from materials that expand and contract. Its still there and causing stains and scaring inexperienced home inspectors who frighten buyers, but its dormant. Softwoods typically have higher moisture content than hardwoods. I took readings of the moisture of the sub floor at the edges of the wall and it ranged from 5 to 16, problem is i cant take it in the middle of the floor unless i rip the floor out. my question is, is there a possibility that the wood will shrink because of the weather condition?the wood that we used for the door frames and bidding is beechwood. A high reading in one area indicates a problem that must be corrected. Before installing plywood underlayment, ensure that the existing flooring is thoroughly vacuumed, free from debris, and stripped of wax. WagnerMeters 1.93K subscribers 3.2K views 1 year ago Hardwood Flooring - Tips & Problems Do you work with wood? After you remove the old flooring, you'll need to ensure the subfloor is properly prepared before laying the new vinyl, hardwood or laminate flooring. A moisture content reading of 25% is borderline to support mold. Different joinery (currently using pocket holes)? What should be the approximate Highest MC to prevent wood problems to include finishes? Screwed 2x4s parallel into the joists as added support. 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. I recently received a call from a Realtor who is selling a home. WMC of framing members in a crawl space will usually be lowest in late winter and highest in late summer. Great article! 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. These home inspectors are insecure and inexperienced. The thinner veneers wont have much bearing on the reading. Many timber-framed floor problems can be traced to moisture levels, excessive loads or borer. 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! ft., based on a standard AStM F-1869 (Calcium Chloride) test, or 80% rh, based on AStM F-2170. Hello Brian, I am a moisture meter expert, not a woodworking expert but from your description, the problem points to the conditions, not the wood or joinery. If the subfloor is not acceptable, it can often be overlaid with 1/2 -inch plywood. If an interior location has an average RH of 40-52%, wood placed there will have an average EMC of 8-9%. I was able to get the MC down to 15%. The levels were between 20 and 23%. Installers should also measure the moisture in wood subfloors and concrete slabs as they can also affect wood flooring. Subfloor material such as plywood or OSB should measure between 10 and 14% moisture content. Varying humidity levels can cause wood to lose or gain water and shrink or expand. (Itd effectively seal the cavity under the vanity, so once the trim is back on, i dont think itll dry out much more.) The manufacturer of the oil-based poly should have a specification on the maximum allowable moisture content of the wood. A general rule of thumb for the coastal regions of FL would be 11-13%MC. Thank you so much for your time and expertise. The Building Code states that houses must be built so that a 50-year flood will not enter the building. The general process for using pin-type moisture meters is as follows. ft., and averaging the results. Is your electrical outlet that is 3 inches above the floor inside the house? Whats the Difference Between a Home Inspection and an Engineering Inspection? Cheers, Howard Pruden in Edmonton, Alberta where its cold and dry. I am based in The Netherlands. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has a chart that indicates the moisture content of wood at any given combination of temperature and humidity. From a strictly static MC%, 16-20% MC for long duration is going to promote mold growth. 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. It is also possible high moisture has entered the container during the trip to Europe. 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. 16% 20% Readings in this range indicate a possible elevated level of wood moisture. A mold or mildew odor or appearance on surfaces. Using a moisture meter before painting can help you determine the moisture content of the wood. Percent moisture content in wood is the ratio of the weight of water compared to the overall weight of a piece of wood. I hope this helps. The SG setting is on the card that comes with the meter. Actually floors account for 15% of building heat loss depending on construction. Above 90% RH or 20% WMC, mold can grow on the wood. The interior home conditions are, AC running at 68-70*F. Exterior wall condition 104*F as checked with an IR thermometer of East wall not in the sun. 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. Hug the ones you love when you see them! Stopping the moisture is much cheaper and easier than repairing the structure. This means a very absorbent wood can retain more water, weight wise, the weight of the wood itself. It is best to replace the particle board subfloor. 2. Condensation present on the . 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? Will your meters work to find MC levels for composites? In this case, what Built in # that I can use to measure flooring. I also applied Boracare (boron) that has stopped minor beetle damage. Cut in the spring and stacked and dried them over the summer. Brick Veneer Homes: Are They Really Worth the Headache? Wagner has a free app called WoodH2O to help you determine the proper moisture levels based on consistent humidity and temperature. Although, in this example, the moisture content of the timber rarely goes above 17%, it is not uncommon for winter moisture contents, in pitched roofs, to peak above 25%. i used my dremel with a shaping bit about 1/8 in to cut vertical slits or vents about an inch deep and a couple of inches tall into the bottom 24 and have kept a commercial floor blower on the wood several hours a day for more than a week yet, the number is not going down. Also, the glue manufacturer should ideally give you some specifications for max and min moisture content. We have had on/off rain and humidity 80-90% range. Alternatively, you could set up a crawl space dehumidifier and draw the . Ideally Ill wait until reaching final drying but sometimes I need to use wood before that point. 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. Congratulations on your new furniture. These are typical readings for exterior wood. 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. Toilet overflowed and moisture meter is reading 30% in worst area. Other than causing structural damage, too much water can result in mold growth. Acclimation is the process for conditioning the moisture content of wood flooring to the environment where it will be installed. Now the fungus goes dormant. These are typical readings for exterior wood. The three main sources of moisture: Condensation, Foundation wall transfer, and leaks. wood using pins while the MDF uses pinless? The excess moisture source should be corrected if found. 1 4 If you want, just give me a call at 800-634-9961, ext 225. When wood is subjected to an environment that is higher in humidity, it will swell or expand. In all cases, determining the acceptable moisture level of wood requires the use of an extremely accurate moisture meter. could you please guide or on how much should be the Expected Humidity % in high Humid areas like UAE considering these are mostly for Indoor purpose where ACs are on 247 at say 24 Degrees. Thanks!!! I get some water seepage through an exterior wall at basement floor level as a result of heavy rain. I had several of the varnished decorative hardwood laminated ply panels replaced in the lounge on an air conditioned luxury yacht. The cedar I have is now at 12-16%. One sheet of plywood is 25% next to a 2X4 truss reading 17-27%. Would you be able to say anything about the optimal MC range for this specific situation? Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material, https://research.cnr.ncsu.edu/blogs/wpe/files/2016/08/Equilibrium-Moisture-Content-of-Exterior-Wood-in-the-US.pdf, https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-950-smart/, http://www.csgnetwork.com/emctablecalc.html, https://www.spikevm.com/calculators/logging/equilibrium.php, https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-910-deep/, https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=j6WRW76_NdmT0PEPkN29kAc&q=wood+moisture+content+and+mold&oq=moisture+content+and+mold&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i22i30l3.8963.15970, Restoration Expert Says Moisture Management Critical to Health of Any House or Building, Correct Moisture Content: Critical to Your Woodworking Projects, Mckinleyville Middle Schoolers Learning about Wood Moisture Content, Ambient Data Loggers: Peace of Mind in a Box for Wood Flooring Installers, 5 Things Not to Do When Measuring Moisture in Wood Flooring, Alabama Wood Crafters Share Wood Woes When Overlooking a Moisture Meter. 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