Pinless moisture meters are even easier to use. You mentioned the humidity outside is 55%. Use a wet/dry shop vacuum, sump pump, or rags to clean up standing water or excess moisture from the floor and from the surface of the wood. hellow! Thanks for the question. For solid strip flooring (less than 3 wide) there should be no more than a 4% difference in moisture content between properly acclimated wood flooring and subflooring materials. Unless something is so out of whack shimming in back of the sheetrock won't suffice it's OK here. Your table may have been a little too high in moisture, hence the crack as it dried slightly in the drier environment. ft., and averaging the results. Before installing carpet, you will need to dry the subfloor first. Good luck. I am having a section of our 3.25 Maple hardwood floor replaced. Hi Moisture Experts, My house is 25 years old located in Oregon City OR (near Portland). It is a 2-3 feet wide wet area that drains to a line connected to the city system. Just across the threshold to a white oak floor installed in ~1914 and the MC is 15%->16%. 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. It will continue to absorb and release moisture until it comes into balance with the surrounding air. Call 256-318-0982 or contact us today. Did the Contractor mention anything about the structural strength of the joists? In general, 12% moisture or above is too wet to install flooring. This is the standard in the construction industry. So we are seeking redress, but there are jacks present underneath the home which the home inspector didnt report either and didnt know if this was extra support for the water heater or what. I am based in The Netherlands. The acceptable moisture levels in basement walls and floors will depend on many factors. This level of moisture is unlikely in a joist which is independent of a wall or under a water leak. 28% and above Readings in this range are often accompanied by decay damage. I have seen home built in the dead of winter, covered in snow, and still dry out enough for a successful home build. (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%. In your blog I read that furniture for outdoor is dried to a MC between 9 and 14%. Oiling the surface does not control the moisture in the wood. It is best to obtain a wood moisture content that will match the environment. Thank You. Im in Milwaukee, wi if that matters. During the summer, moisture content readings above . Do you have any recommendations on how to prevent mold from getting on the wood? Your cost could be more or less, depending on the size of the floor area. 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. 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. Its always a good idea to check with the manufacturer of the finish also. I hope that helps. What do you recommend? The excess moisture source should be corrected immediately, and monitored until the WMC returns to the 12-16 range. Since Im drying them outside, being in AK I would like to work with them if possible before the long moist winter. Brilliant article. I was thinking 10% MC would be ok but after reading your article Im not sure. info@rlcengineering.com I used my Wagner meter and it Measured in the 10% area. As with plywood subfloors, if there is movement or squeaks, refasten the subfloor to the joists and set protruding fasteners into the subfloor. Sorry that this is so long-winded and I thank you in advance if you are willing to address this question for me. Im not sure I can really answer this question. I have built two table tops (douglas fir) that have both suffered major cracking in their final location. One note is that we did have some fungus growth in our crawlspace during the construction phase prior to the crawlspace being sealed and had the contractor come and spray and clean the floor joists and subflooring where applicable. My question for you is, now that it is stained, can I still get an accurate MC? 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%. Reaching these moisture content levels does not mean mold growth or corrosion . 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 . RH where they were built is about 29-30%. It seems to me the supplier is drying the Teak to 14% because that is what is needed in Indonesia. We have a free app called WoodH2O for Android or iPhone. Can I a cut them first, then glue them once they are dryer? Typical moisture content for furniture in a home is 6-9%. Wagner Meters has a couple of resources to help you determine the moisture content more suited to your outdoor environment. https://www.wagnermeters.com/wood-moisture-meters/. The door is NE facing and protected from direct Sun light and rain by a porch roof. . 3.Vacuum and/or Wipe Excess Moisture. Under the floor. That doesnt make much sense to me. First, test the moisture level of the subfloor. Even at this, the estimate would be the high end of MC% prior to shipment, but only rough estimate. 1 4 Readings can be elevated if there is a stud directly behind the sheetrock. 78 0 obj <>stream Back to top. So the question is are those burrs or fuzzing on the edges?, Wed love to have you give us a call to discuss which moisture meter is best for you. Softwoods, such as spruce, can have more moisture. 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. The size of the lumber used for floor joists is the single greatest determining factor in terms of how far a joist can span. Is it possible to get a 99.9% moisture reading (using a Cassain GM-200 hydrometer) on a particle board floor which looks and feels completely dry? Screwed 2x4s parallel into the joists as added support. The moisture content overall is almost always below 20%. I would also consider the environment where the table will live. A moisture meter will help verify. can be insulated and heated (insulation is mandatory if heated) require careful planning and . i am baffled. My plan is to make a wall-mounted headboard out of angle iron and these boards (boards will not be joined). Hello, Paul here. However, a general rule of thumb is that the basement's humidity level is not over 30 - 50 percent. Be sure to acclimate the wood to desired EMC of the interior environment before you use it. Meanwhile, the reference scale can be used to provide qualitative moisture assessments in other building materials. Continue reading MC in the home. Most are reading are between 13-15%. I get some water seepage through an exterior wall at basement floor level as a result of heavy rain. The humidity in the room is currently 40! And would it be normal for the MC to vary from board-to-board and one end of a board to the other? Im trying to find specs on treated lumber for NC. Thanks Phil. The house was not in the flood area however they did receive 20 inches of rain. Wiki User. Moisture was around 25% when milled, and the ends were sealed. A moisture content of less than 20% indicates that your joists and beams do not have the necessary moisture content for mold or fungus to survive. 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. 2. Thanks for any help you can provide! If there are quite small amounts of moisture in a wall of dense plaster or brick, then a meter will probably indicate over 20% or so and this will be in the 'red zone' or beeps and squeeks may happen. Hi Davetta, Youll need to contact a local mold inspection company that is certified. To make sure the wood is properly dried, he always uses a moisture meter before working with it. Two weeks is sufficient for softwood. 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! Having performed multiple (>500) soil moisture and density Sieve and Proctor, so I am well versed in moisture calculations (both add and subtract). %PDF-1.5 % This weight difference is then used to calculate the woods original moisture content. Bird, who runs the School of Fine Woodworking outside Knoxville, Tennessee, says he knows wood shrinks seasonally but wants to minimize the shrinkage and expansion by drying the wood to a moisture content of about 8%. As with any wood product, the environment where the finished product will Live will determine the correct moisture content. The MC varies from 7% 13.5% around the exterior door on dry days and 10%-16% during rains. 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. Why Do So Many Homes Have Cracks in Their Brick Veneer? Building Performance Series No. I live in Charlotte, NC. Once wood is dried below about 28% WMC, water is not available to support decay, unless the wood is exposed to liquid water. These are the "safest" conditions for most types of woodbetween 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 30% to 50% RH. These include warping, cracking, buckling, diminished wood strength, corrosion of fasteners, and even fungal growth. What are Acceptable Moisture Levels in Wood? Download a free version of NZS 3602:2003. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. Over a year ago, I re-shim all the piers with metal shims. 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. Thanks for the question. Want this question answered? Most of it will dissipate. h_k0 r ?c|@+wpF=M^r? ( BzPxgA9P{j]s 3r\WQu\@U.Jy'h{>dccy. Do you agree with this? summary Acceptable wood moisture readings on a meter normally range from 6% to 8% for woodworking. Were so sorry for the inconvenience. Call JADE today for a crawlspace inspection and we can give you definitive answers to your crawl space problems!