The wood looks awful, and the staining the did is even worse. Moisture levels in your crawl space that go beyond 70% lead to mold growth and health concerns. Stopping the moisture is much cheaper and easier than repairing the structure. provide a good substrate for a wide range of wet area finishes. The ideal moisture content will depend on the humidity indoors. Hi Larry, So a friend of mine has some pine and oak blabs at MC levels of (oak 11.5%) and Pine 13-14%. 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. The front of the . Most floor joists are single or double, and most often made with 2x6s or 2x8s. I dialed the 800 number for Wagner meters and all I got was two sales pitches for a Life alert type device. You must be careful with a thick slab once you cut it. As it dries, you should expect slight changes in width and length. Outdoor temp is 99*F. Is this normal? Different joinery (currently using pocket holes)? Including some high-end species like Rosewood, ebony, Mahogany, White Cedar, Bija Sal, Walnut, Gmelina, etc. Wood is a hygroscopic material, meaning it picks up or loses moisture based on the ambient conditions. For joists where the rot infestation has been thoroughly dealt with: it is acceptable to leave the joist as it is. 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. Have I been wrong? The engineered wood floor appears ok. 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. Do you have a suggestion? The electrical current will then move from pin to pin and measure the resistance encountered. Good luck. The SG setting is on the card that comes with the meter. A dry reading will be 16% MC (Moisture Content) or below. "R. Pinless meters also dont leave damaging pinholes on the woods surface. Im down to ~13-19% MC near floor level, based on a cheapo moisture meters readings. Not using the correct procedure. . 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. Everyone who works with wood needs to understand how wood interacts with moisture in the environment. However, the wood species and the thickness or size of the wood may also factor in. Keep air conditioning drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly. 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. board will move 3 times the amount as a 4-in. Specifically in the first 3-4 on one side of the door is 11%, then drops to ~8%. If so, then you'll want to know. The humidity in the room is currently 40! 1. in Indonesia there are a lot of raw materials consisting of natural fibers, such as: pandanus, water hyacinth, rattan etc. The reading was sky high in the pan and up two tiles high on the wall. Do you think that heated floor actually help to dry or do they make things worse and more humid! I am planning an under-house excursion tomorrow. It is possible, in some species, to have a moisture content higher than 100 percent. We have a free app called WoodH2O for Android or iPhone. Lay the panels perpendicular to floor joists, allowing 1/4 inch of space between panels and the wall. ( 55 days transit by sea) What should be the moisture content while loading in Containers? Moisture content of 11.5% for the oak is a little high for furniture grade hardwoods. Yes, it is possible to have a moisture content reading of 99.9%. Its never constant. Though on occasion, they are made of 2x10s and tripled for additional . If the leaks have damaged the sub floor or joists, call a licensed general contractor for repair. What % does it have to get down to before it would be usable to make a table top ? Elaine. 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. Typical moisture content for furniture in a home is 6-9%. During the summer months in the northeast region, wood subfloors and floor joists often measure 19. (EMC) than other pieces of wood, depending on its location. Under the floor. BD-2100 Pin Meter. 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. Should I remove more foam to be sure. Does it have another common name? I called them back out in August of 2019 because after installing a humidifier and in the prime of humid season, the floors were showing no signs of improvement. Do you have any recommendations on how to prevent mold from getting on the wood? Hope this helps. You mentioned it was installed just 3 days after it was delivered. Varying humidity levels can cause wood to lose or gain water and shrink or expand. A consistent humidity level of 70 percent will require wood to be about 13 percent moisture content. Any input would be most appreciated. As lumber dries, it may split, cup and warp. To the right, 13.2% in the same distance and also drops to ~ 8% after. Like all wood materials, I-joists are susceptible to moisture. In the most serious cases, entire joists may need to be removed, but many times they can be "sistered," or attached to another supporting joist for additional strength. Screwed 2x4s parallel into the joists as added support. Thanks for the email. As stated, fungal spores are beneath the home because they are in the air we breathe-the same air that gets circulated beneath the home. we are getting hardwoods from our Uk Suppliers and accoya coming in at 2% and once we use the timber we are reading 0% we have tested the reader and its accurate even joinery grade sapele wood and Tulip wood coming in at 0% we cover these in 3 coats of sikkens paint and sometimes we get jobs where we are having to go back as our joinery is moving and we are guessing its because of these moisture levels and had never checked previously. Live in Tn. If you know such International or Amercan or any other standard please let me know. 2-1/4", the moisture content between the flooring planks and the subfloor should not exceed 2%. Higher values could mean a wet or saturated material. I have been testing the bottom stud/sill board of an exterior wall on a slab of an old house that exposed in order to put a floor in. 12.5% is gettin there but not quite to the 6-9% mentioned in the article. On a hot, humid summer day, the air venting into the crawl space could be as much as 75% relative humidity and 85 degrees. Instead of addressing the plumbing and damaged wood, they installed a dehumidifier in 2015. The acceptable wood moisture content normally ranges from 6% to 8% for woodworkers who build cabinets, fine furniture, musical instruments, dishes, toys, decorative art, boat restoration, or various other wood products. We have a free App called WoodH2O that will tell you the moisture content given certain temperature and humidity conditions. When the wood neither gains nor loses moisture, we say that the wood has reached its equilibrium moisture content (EMC). The moisture content of freshly cut wood is typically somewhere between 40-200%. These are typical readings for exterior wood. Crawl Space Inspections: Once a Year Keeps the Contractors Away! hL Thanks for the article, really appreciate the info! Use a level to determine if the floor is level within 3/16-inch change per 10 feet. 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. )IS0i 1P *V? U? 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. I really need to know as I am getting so many different opinions Thanks. Cut out a portion (approx 1/2" I think) from the top of the floor joists. 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. Oh no! If low WMC readings were obtained during the winter, and other signs of high moisture levels are present, obtain additional readings during the summer. I get some water seepage through an exterior wall at basement floor level as a result of heavy rain. Thats why I think the wood is either not dried to 14%, or it has picked up too much humidity after drying. Im planning on using some of it to build a new front door for the house and was wondering what MC I should be shooting for. 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%. Since the cold weather has come on, the organic growth has gone dormant, but a contractor noticed joists with distinctive moisture content where there are definitive separations between dry and wet looking wood. The substructure may show decayed areas, ranging from small to very large, of rotten floor joist, sills, and . As long as the moisture content does not exceed those readings you should be ok. I not sure if this is normal, related to the re-shim or need to install a crawl space dehumidifier to slow the progression? 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. This type of floor-leveling is DIY-friendly and costs approximately $1.50 per square foot when applied 1/8-inch thick. My main concern here is that the flooring didnt have enough time to acclimate to the surrounding conditions. 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 . I do not have a hygrometer or a moisture meter as I am a hobbyist. As the airs RH increases, so does the moisture content of any wood exposed to the air. That is still quite a wide range. I gladly obliged. I would love to be able to give you the perfect answer but unfortunately, there isnt one. They need to carry a moisture meter with them under houses and probe the floor joists to measure wood moisture content. As the humidity decreases, the MC decreases, causing the wood to shrink. The fir windows and exterior doors will be affected by the the exterior and interior RH. In an air conditioned house the wood floor. i cored out a small section of the bottom beam (3 inches wide) all the way down to the foundation. We found out that RH at the final location was under 20%. The NWFA recommends testing wood subfloor moisture in at least 20 locations per 1,000 sq. Also, there is a risk of mold. What is the optimal MC of the fir stock for construction of the windows? all concrete) is framed and sheetrocked (though not mudded or sealed in any way) is then the studs are tested for humidity, what would be a reasonable level here in Seattle, living approximately 100 yards Puget Sound? Its always a good idea to check with the manufacturer of the finish also. How Timber Reacts To Moisture. 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. 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. On truss/joist spacing of 16" (406mm) o/c or less, the industry standard for single- panel subflooring is nominal 5/8" (19/32", 15.1 mm) CD Exposure 1 Plywood subfloor panels ( CD Exposure 1) or 23/32" OSB Exposure 1 subfloor panels, 4' x 8' sheets. Colorado is cold and dry. In other words, the water weighs more than the wood fibers. Notches at the end of the joist should be no deeper than 1/4 the depth. 3. You can Google moisture content of wood necessary to support fungal growth and see for yourself. A wood moisture content of 47% is too high. Simple and regular maintenance can prevent serious problems developing. Hi Davetta, Youll need to contact a local mold inspection company that is certified. Ideally, it should be between 7% and 9%. To do so: Make two vertical cuts through the joist a safe distance away from each end of the rotten section. What do you recommend the reader to be at before insulation and drywall on new construction? Thanks. This is more likely to occur to occur in lower-grade boards, where knots and uneven grains are already present. I was able to get the MC down to 15%. I am having a section of our 3.25 Maple hardwood floor replaced. Can I a cut them first, then glue them once they are dryer? I cant speak for other pinless meters but our Wagner meters are not sensitive to the temperatures you indicated. The interior wood moisture level should be 12% or lower before painting. 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: The table had a 1 3/4 X 3 1/2 thick boarder with mitred corners and biscuited. 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. Wood moisture content between 0% and about 28% is dependent upon the relative humidity (RH) of the air. Do you think its to early to start working with it.If so how many yrs will it take to get to proper mc so i can work with it. summary Acceptable wood moisture readings on a meter normally range from 6% to 8% for woodworking. If this is confusing, dont worry. Engineering & Inspection Services, Licensed PE - Alabama & Tennessee, JADE Engineering & Inspection | 5405 Whitesburg Dr. The thinner veneers wont have much bearing on the reading. Limit the length of notches to 1/3 of the joist's depth. To make sure the wood is properly dried, he always uses a moisture meter before working with it. Wood used indoors will eventually stabilize at 8-14% moisture content; outdoors at 12-18%. Using South Carolina Residential Construction Standards to Solve Problems, Website by Integritive Web Design :: Asheville, NC. The wood and varnish appear otherwise pristine, uncracked and not bubbled or clouded in any way. 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. Since water conducts electricity and wood doesnt, the dryness of the wood can be determined by the amount of resistance to an electrical current. I have a question, I have moisture in the crawl space, we insulated the crawl with closed cell, cannot get the osb subfloor below. If decay or WMC readings over 28% are present, find and fix the sources of liquid water quickly. How long will it take to get to the ideal moisture reading and is it better to be stored in a garage or inside a house? It will continue to absorb and release moisture until it comes into balance with the surrounding air. According to Dr. Eugene Wengert, professor and specialist in wood processing at the University of Wisconsin-Madisons Department of Forestry, wood should be dried to a water MC thats within two percentage points of the EMC where the wood is going to be used. 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. Many timber-framed floor problems can be traced to moisture levels, excessive loads or borer. Many thanks for your advice, really appreciate it! 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. 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%. I had a redwood deck, and they replaced it with Douglas fir (without my approval, but thats another issue). 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. 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. That is way beyond fibre-saturation. Is this dry enough that Id be able to reinstall the trim over the particleboard? Actually floors account for 15% of building heat loss depending on construction. We just bought a home where we discovered the plumbing was leaking over a number years with a kitchen flood occurring in the last 3-5 years due to a busted water line. I have a couple questions. Both times, the tables were flawless, but after 2-3 weeks in their new home both table tops had major crack issues. Water was coming out of this outlet and onto the floor? There are two main ways of measuring wood moisture content: oven-dry testing and moisture meter testing. Great info! 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? Logs, siding, shiplap, and T&G must be kiln-dried to stop the wood from shrinking or pulling apart. Thanks for the reply. Based on common guidelines or recommendations, the acceptable moisture levels for wood are as follows: Keep in mind that a woods acceptable moisture level will depend primarily on how it will be finally used and the average RH where it will be finally used. The sink vanity is made from typical laminated particle board, and Ive been trying to dry it in place using a dehumidifier and sealing the area off. You wrote that 15% humidity may induce mold? Did the Contractor mention anything about the structural strength of the joists? For a wooden subfloor you will need to use a 2-pronged moisture meter. 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. Brick Veneer Homes: Are They Really Worth the Headache? It causes decay of the wood structure. 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. ie SW=Starting weight, TW=Target weight, using T%=Target percentage My calculation ( T% X SW = TW). It is also a good idea to use a moisture meter after the three weeks just to make sure. I had a quick looked around the crawl space and didnt notice any structure damage. Repair is often required when WMC readings are in this range. I was thinking 10% MC would be ok but after reading your article Im not sure. Room size, L-shaped, is 21.5 x 12.5 and leg of L is 8.5 x 11. It seems to me the supplier is drying the Teak to 14% because that is what is needed in Indonesia. If the wood is covered by a material like MDF or other, do we take 2x the measurements? Yes, hardwoods such as cherry and walnut should be between 6 and 8% moisture content. Both slab-on-ground and suspended concrete floors for wet areas: are deemed impervious when steel trowel finished or polished. You can use our free APP called WoodH2O to help you decide on the best moisture content. Wagner has a free app called WoodH2O to help you determine the proper moisture levels based on consistent humidity and temperature. 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. The lumber was recently milled, although the tree had been cut months, years ago. 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. My first question is how to determine the MC of eng wood flooring which composite of different species layer, face and different species to form plywood core. 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 are two main types of wood moisture meters, pin-type and pinless. If the middle is wet, you may experience cracking/splitting if dried too fast. A floor joist is a horizontal beam, usually made of wood, that is used to support and enclose the flooring above a foundation. What would one expect to read in plywood subfloor and old growth pine floor joist? He wants to install his companys system, seal all external openings around connections, etc. Typically, allow about 3 weeks for hardwood to acclimate in the environment. -XF% The company they hired measured 47% in the wood and declares that this must be ripped out and replaced. If the MC of plywood is above 20%, can it be redried in a kiln or would that harm the glue? The typical moisture content for hardwoods that will be indoors is 6-9 percent. Thanks for any help you can provide! Above 90% RH or 20% WMC, mold can grow on the wood. Your table may have been a little too high in moisture, hence the crack as it dried slightly in the drier environment. WME? P.O. Waterproof membrane . However, kiln drying is used to speed up the process. Hug the ones you love when you see them! The Las Vegas EMC of wood or lumber ranges from 4.0% to 8.5%. 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. If the humidity is a constant 76% then the wood will equilibrate between 14 and 15% moisture content. Hi Larry, thanks for the great knowledge sharing. The normal moisture content of wood (or EMC) varies from 7%-19% depending on the RH in the air. So, when looking at the relative humidity of the space, spaces left above 70% RH for extended periods will also promote mold growth. However, the company who maintains the dehumidifier said he tested some of the joist which he said only registered 10 on his device. i am baffled. Chris. Its hard to gauge anything off of a cheapo meter, but if and I mean if, we were to assume it was reading effectively, the numbers are too high. 20% 28% Readings in this range indicate that conditions are border-line for decay. Insert the pins into the surface of the wood you want to test.
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