The shipping time is approximately 45 day in a 40 container to the west coast . The solution seems to be drying the wood longer & bettter, to a lower measured MC. Would the screws skew the measurements? Hi Larry, We are a joinery company and we have a project here in UAE which is located in another part of the emirates and the humidity in that area is very high especially during summer because it is near the coastal area. Position plywood panels at a 2-inch offset from the structural subfloor seams. 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? With the WoodH2O-app I could deduct the EMC for The Netherlands would be between 15 and 16. Im trying to find specs on treated lumber for NC. It is a 2-3 feet wide wet area that drains to a line connected to the city system. The other question is what should the moisture content be on treated lumber that will be for the framing of the deck? Because wood shrinks and warps as it dries, woodworkers want it to be pre-shrunk before they use it. I am not aware of a standard moisture content for packaging food or any other product. guide-standards-tolerances.pdf. Here is the one I would recommend: https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/mmc220-extended-range-moisture-meter/, My potential house in North Carolina Fayetteville area was just checked for moisture content in the crawl space. %PDF-1.5 % I have about 3,000 sqft on my first floor and this was relatively consistent throughout. Hello, I am renovating my kitchen and installing hardwood floors. ( 55 days transit by sea) What should be the moisture content while loading in Containers? If so, then you'll want to know. This week, I notice the next pier on the same beam is starting to push up, warping the floor. The wood will still react in humid or dry conditions. I had a redwood deck, and they replaced it with Douglas fir (without my approval, but thats another issue). However, the ideal humidity range in some climates may be higher or lower. If youre wondering how wood can have a 200% moisture content, heres how that works. 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. Chris. Using a moisture meter before painting can help you determine the moisture content of the wood. To the right, 13.2% in the same distance and also drops to ~ 8% after. I will get further testing from those not involved. 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? within two percentage points of the EMC where the wood is going to be used. Typical moisture content for furniture in a home is 6-9%. Do these levels seen appropriate considering the recent rainfall. 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. 0 WM=8DBaHh10tIKR/OH}X5Kpt'_]4Mfg9@w8~ n$R Does that seem normal. They are putting desiccants in the container to absorb the moisture but we feel its going to be a long time enclosed in the container without any air circulation. The acceptable moisture levels in basement walls and floors will depend on many factors. (EMC) than other pieces of wood, depending on its location. 3. Call 256-318-0982 or, Engineering Inspection Mortgage Companies, Unnecessary Panic! Do you have a suggestion? Should I wait? Engineering & Inspection Services, Licensed PE - Alabama & Tennessee, JADE Engineering & Inspection | 5405 Whitesburg Dr. Did the Contractor mention anything about the structural strength of the joists? Longer pins with insulated shafts are designed for the purpose. One of his own service guys said foundation caps needed to be replaced. It does the same for wood, and is especially hard on softwoods, such as pine or fir. 24 and 26 framing studs should measure 19% moisture content or less. The National Association of Home Builders Green Home Building Guidelines for solid strip flooring and wide-width flooring are as follows: summary Wood flooring installers typically want the moisture content of their wood to be between 6% to 9%. Your email address will not be published. The air vents stay closed year round. Simple and regular maintenance can prevent serious problems developing. Should you check moisture levels on a trailor floor on a massive rainy day? Stopping the moisture is much cheaper and easier than repairing the structure. 541-679-2612 www.Roseburg.com. Using South Carolina Residential Construction Standards to Solve Problems, Website by Integritive Web Design :: Asheville, NC. Moisture contents in wood floor joists in houses with moisture problems are exceeding the 20% maximum level for air dried lumber. Also, there is a risk of mold. This means the weight of the water exceeds the weight of the wood by itself. to keep the moisture content below 20 percent. Does coating wood with oil stabilize the moisture content in wood? Some of the unfinished wood you see on the market has been kiln-dried to reduce its water moisture content to around 8% so that it wont suffer from moisture-related defects like warping and buckling. Any time water can be absorbed into a material such as wood, drywall etc, its always a good idea to check for excessive moisture, especially if you suspect a leak. Heres how it works. Any input would be most appreciated. Freshly cut wood has a lot of moisture in it. 16% - 20%- Readings in this range indicate a possible elevated level of wood moisture. I manufacture ice cream sticks and disposable wooden cutlery from European Baltic birch wood in India. Im looking for the % number that will be my upper boundary for oil application Would 12% be ok? I have Suar wood from Indonesia and want use to indoor furniture, how range the Moisture Content allowance for this wood. Yes, our moisture meters read MDF. Working with some slabs of spruce. The definitions section of the IICRC S500 current edition describes dry-standard: "a reasonable approximation of the moisture content or level of a material prior to a water intrusion," drying goal: the target moisture content or moisture level in a material to be achieved at the end of the drying process established by the restorer. It causes decay of the wood structure. Treated wood is typically still wet when its delivered to the job site. What are Acceptable Moisture Levels in Wood? If the middle is wet, you may experience cracking/splitting if dried too fast. In an air conditioned house the wood floor. I so appreciate your treatise on this issue. Ideally Ill wait until reaching final drying but sometimes I need to use wood before that point. i am baffled. Grain orientation matters Yes, the wood can still be read for MC with a stain on it. Thanks for the question. 1. A consistent humidity level of 40 percent will require wood to be about 8 percent moisture content. i cored out a small section of the bottom beam (3 inches wide) all the way down to the foundation. You mentioned the humidity outside is 55%. I had a quick looked around the crawl space and didnt notice any structure damage. Waterproof membrane . I strongly recommend using a moisture meter, along with a thermo-hygrometer, or even a smart logger before you start building, to ensure the wood is at an optimal moisture content in an environment that has an acceptable relative humidity and temperature range. There are joists that display splitting. The difference is the moisture meters measurement error. Here is a link to a moisture meter I recommend: https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-910-deep/. Congratulations on your new furniture. look forward to your comments. Should I remove more foam to be sure. summary Wood must always be allowed to acclimate or come into balance with the RH of the end-use location. i did not waterproof the outside of the curb (kerdi), so the wood got wet. Wood Moisture Content (WMC) is often used as an indicator of decay problems in houses. /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 board will move 3 times the amount as a 4-in. They many times cite the need for further evaluations by what they call other so called experts. I have seen home built in the dead of winter, covered in snow, and still dry out enough for a successful home build. My meter tells me anything above 12% is wet but I cannot find any source of leaking or signs of water. -25% moisture content in a VENTED crawl space. For a wooden subfloor you will need to use a 2-pronged moisture meter. Joists that sit below end matched joints must be at least 35mm thick. Remember that the meter assumes it is reading timber. Now the fungus goes dormant. Based on common guidelines or recommendations, the acceptable moisture levels for wood are as follows: Wood objects used indoors: 6-8% Wood flooring: 6-9% Construction: 9-14% Keep in mind that a wood's acceptable moisture level will depend primarily on how it will be finally used and the average RH where it will be finally used. This app will tell you the percent moisture content that a given temperature and humidity will equilibrate to. A dehumidifier in the crawlspace will help but can be expensive. I have 1 1/2 thick cherry boards that I had milled from a tree in my yard last fall. This water may come from condensation, roof leaks, plumbing leaks, or contact with the soil. A 212 joist of the same species and quality can span nearly 25'. There will most likely be some shrinkage, so if possible, choose the clearest boards possible to lessen the possibility of any major cracking. Higher values could mean a wet or saturated material. 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. 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. 2-1/4", the moisture content between the flooring planks and the subfloor should not exceed 2%. Yes, hardwoods such as cherry and walnut should be between 6 and 8% moisture content. If you need further clarification http://www.nwfa.org is an excellent source. Good moisture content for softwoods is 10% to 14% moisture. 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. Lets go over the basics of each, Oven dry testing is the oldest method for measuring the moisture content of wood. This means that wood intended for interior use in this location should not only be dried to around 6% but should be kept at this moisture content both before and during the manufacturing process. z .XWb*QGF^v4MQ`_dRw{\;\'03Uhx-SeJlc!m\8X^,Z/hU5Ewdzz:`nZ!(7reWD4X. . The typical moisture content for hardwoods that will be indoors is 6-9 percent. Copyright - RLC Engineering, LLC. If the subfloor is not acceptable, it can often be overlaid with 1/2 -inch plywood. I hope this helps. Call JADE today for a crawlspace inspection and we can give you definitive answers to your crawl space problems! That is way beyond fibre-saturation. This document describes the meaning and use of readings from a wood moisture meter. Which do you recommend? Best of luck with your project. The plywood setting is .57. (Itd effectively seal the cavity under the vanity, so once the trim is back on, i dont think itll dry out much more.) The other thing to consider is examining how water is entering your crawl space. What do you recommend? There is over three foot of block above grade around the entire house. Why and how can I say this? This article is really helpful. The next sheet is 21.5% adjacent to 2X4. If this is confusing, dont worry. I am not familiar with the particular moisture meter the plumber was using, but assuming it is correct, that moisture content is way too high to install new flooring. primer, the moisture vapor transmissions rate (MVtr) from the substrate should not be in excess of 5 lbs. You wrote that 15% humidity may induce mold? And would it be normal for the MC to vary from board-to-board and one end of a board to the other? 10? The NWFA recommends testing wood subfloor moisture in at least 20 locations per 1,000 sq. Such readings should alert the homeowner to look for a source of excess moisture. 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. Thanks. For joists where the rot infestation has been thoroughly dealt with: it is acceptable to leave the joist as it is. Indoor humidity is around 50%, indoor temps around 70 degrees. Phil, what are you making with the cedar, and in what type of environment will it be? I suspect the moisture was the culprit? Standard construction studs such as 24 and 26s are typically dried to 19% moisture content before they are installed. Add 1 to this value and round up the answer to the next whole number: 7.40625 + 1 = 8.40625 9 floor joists. Any suggestions to this being possible to correct? provide a good substrate for a wide range of wet area finishes. The wood joists are not soaked wet, its just a light film of moisture on the wood members. They many times cite the need for further evaluations by what they call other so called experts. The maximum subfloor moisture level for solid strip flooring or wide-width solid flooring is either 12% or 13%, depending on the manufacturer. Other than causing structural damage, too much water can result in mold growth. we had a problem with our shower curb. Jerry, From a moisture standpoint, water in the basement can over time absorb into your subfloor. This chart highlights the ideal levels of moisture in wood at various temperatures and relative humidity (RH) levels: In this chart, you can see a small highlighted section. It is possible, in some species, to have a moisture content higher than 100 percent. However, the wood species and the thickness or size of the wood may also factor in. We will be having a deck built off my woodshop. 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. The plumber said that the floor has an elevated moisture reading and took a photo showing the 99.9% (maximum reading) on the meter while the meter was on the floor. As a general guideline, an emission rate of 1.4 kg/100m (3 lbs/1000 ft) or less is considered acceptable for most floor coverings. For more information, see our article comparing Pinless Moisture Meters vs. Pin Meters. I not sure if this is normal, related to the re-shim or need to install a crawl space dehumidifier to slow the progression? We have industrial fans going 24/7 to try and dry out the room and also have a dehumidifier running, Ive had the heated floor running in hopes that it could help dry any of the wet wood directly below. I live in Atascadero CA and had a coastal red oak tree cut down this past summer. The pins are pressed into the wood to obtain a reading. In the Midwest, the EMC of wood or lumber in Des Moines, Iowa, ranges from 12.4% to 14.9%. I recommend one of our Orion models: https://www.wagnermeters.com/moisture-meters/. . Can I a cut them first, then glue them once they are dryer? This is all very helpful information, thanks!