acceptable moisture levels in floor joists

What wood do you recommend that does not have a high oil/water content? Hello, Paul here. The Building Code states that houses must be built so that a 50-year flood will not enter the building. Thank you. 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. Should you check moisture levels on a trailor floor on a massive rainy day? The NWFA recommends testing wood subfloor moisture in at least 20 locations per 1,000 sq. The ideal moisture content for hardwoods is between 6% and about 9%, depending on the ambient conditions around the wood. 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. Great article! Well, tile, bricks, and stones are known to have a low water-holding capacity and therefore should be dry. Everyone who works with wood needs to understand how wood interacts with moisture in the environment. The Las Vegas EMC of wood or lumber ranges from 4.0% to 8.5%. Keep air conditioning drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly. This type of floor-leveling is DIY-friendly and costs approximately $1.50 per square foot when applied 1/8-inch thick. If decay or WMC readings over 28% are present, find and fix the sources of liquid water quickly. This is expensive and its ridiculous. the concrete was completely dry, no standing water. I know the rule of thumb is 1 year of dry time per inch of thickness of wood. Hello, I am renovating my kitchen and installing hardwood floors. Again, the correct moisture content will depend on the surrounding conditions. I have a question. Your reading of 12.5% tells me it is workable. within two percentage points of the EMC where the wood is going to be used. Box 1437 The fastest way to test the moisture content of wood is to use a moisture meter. First, test the moisture level of the subfloor. Decay fungi need liquid water to grow. When the wood neither gains nor loses moisture, we say that the wood has reached its equilibrium moisture content (EMC). The amount of swelling or shrinkage depends on how much the . I am not aware of a standard moisture content for packaging food or any other product. hL It's a direct proportion: an 8-in. 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! Condensation on the inside of a windowpane. It is best to obtain a wood moisture content that will match the environment. The reading was sky high in the pan and up two tiles high on the wall. The substructure may show decayed areas, ranging from small to very large, of rotten floor joist, sills, and . Add 1 to this value and round up the answer to the next whole number: 7.40625 + 1 = 8.40625 9 floor joists. The ideal moisture content will depend on the humidity indoors. 9Chrv;plt[nh%:fOl8e^5e cM(?=6?y8{6uZkpz[TgLXD9feUm.L;l7:5C:hf=tE&U[&8 ^ wu*Vz*##;PKk? Once the wood samples weight stops changing, its weight is compared to what it was before the drying process began. When exposed to a constant RH, the moisture content of wood or lumber will come to equilibrium with its environment, resulting in an EMC for that species of a wood-based composite. 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. summary Acceptable wood moisture readings on a meter normally range from 6% to 8% for woodworking. What would one expect to read in plywood subfloor and old growth pine floor joist? As the airs RH increases, so does the moisture content of any wood exposed to the air. Im hoping this should work. Hug the ones you love when you see them! A high reading in one area indicates a problem that must be corrected. Logs, siding, shiplap, and T&G must be kiln-dried to stop the wood from shrinking or pulling apart. The solution seems to be drying the wood longer & bettter, to a lower measured MC. Damn those shop classes I didnt take. I would love to be able to give you the perfect answer but unfortunately, there isnt one. 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. 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. Will your meters work to find MC levels for composites? As far as the oil finish, the manufacturer of the oil will specify the correct moisture content for an application. He asked if I could double-check the findings of another home inspection company that requested expert advice on some mold/fungus they found in the crawl space of the home. That is still quite a wide range. Hello I moved into my new home in June of 2018. They need to carry a moisture meter with them under houses and probe the floor joists to measure wood moisture content. how do I determine the mc standard for this material, is it the same as wood or has its own specifications, 2. : Mold & Fungus In the Crawlspace. Moisture contents in wood floor joists in houses with moisture problems are exceeding the 20% maximum level for air dried lumber. (EMC) than other pieces of wood, depending on its location. I will get further testing from those not involved. I have removed the 1 3/4 edge and resawn to take out the splinter (1/4) re bicuited . What is the acceptable water/moisture content in cassia bark?- in south east asia. A subfloor needs to be clean, dry, level and structurally sound. I have a question, I have moisture in the crawl space, we insulated the crawl with closed cell, cannot get the osb subfloor below. 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. Hi, we live in a coastal area, had a recent water leak, and a hard wood floor MC is measuring about 25% the water did not contact this area directly. summary Wood must always be allowed to acclimate or come into balance with the RH of the end-use location. My question is microwaving twice turned bowls what would be the general rule of thumb for a target by weight. Surface molds may develop. Do NOT install the flooring planks until these moisture content levels are achieved. You should be able to specify a lower moisture content. What would be the recommended MC for doors of my new building(under construction)? I would like to rip two slabs and glue them together to make a nice large dining room table. Over a year ago, I re-shim all the piers with metal shims. On a hot, humid summer day, the air venting into the crawl space could be as much as 75% relative humidity and 85 degrees. Its more important to understand that the wood is kiln-dried down to a certain bell-shaped range of MCs. 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. We are very arid where the tops were built so I figured the tables would be just fine knowing that it is arid where they were goingbut that doesnt seem to be the case. Sorry, that time of year. I think mine is +-3% Is it possible being near the door just means greater humidity and there isnt actually a leak? We are manufacturer of eng wood flooring. %PDF-1.2 % What You Should Know About Septic Systems, Interior Slab Foundation Settlement: Evaluations and Cost of Repair. Do you think that heated floor actually help to dry or do they make things worse and more humid! Wood in buildings usually has a wood moisture content of 5% to 15%. The plywood setting is .57. Indoor humidity is around 50%, indoor temps around 70 degrees. hello I been getting very sick in my home so I had my manger do a mold and moisture test which came back high level of moisture levels which a contractor wants to take the sub floor up and 2 to 4 inches of the wall but my apartment manger is not releasing to report and hes is saying the spore test didnt pick up any mold spore question is it safe for me and my family to be in the home with high level of moisture in the restroom which the floor have been really soft for over 9 months now as well as the kids bedroom where a pipe burst. guide-standards-tolerances.pdf. Thank you. Floor joists are generally 6, 8, 10, or 12 inches in width, with 8 or 10 inches as the most common sizes. 1= z@ . 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. Signs Of Moisture In Basement. Water Level Survey: Are You Smarter Than an Egyptian? 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. For wide-width solid flooring (3 or wider), there should be no more than a 2% difference in moisture content between properly acclimated wood flooring and subflooring materials. at one spot, its 40%. 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? I understand that a home inspector expressed concern about fungal growth on the floor framing, so the buyer is concerned that the fungus needs to be removed/cleaned/mitigated from the joists. thanks so much in advance. Houses with timber-framed floors can be at risk of having poor underfloor ventilation. Pin-type meters use penetrating electrodes and measure the woods moisture content using electrical resistance. The moisture content of wooden substructure members is routinely being disclosed in the closing process of real estate transactions. The installer should then check the moisture content of multiple boards and average the results. 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. Building Performance Series No. In all cases, determining the acceptable moisture level of wood requires the use of an extremely accurate moisture meter. I used my Wagner meter and it Measured in the 10% area. I suspect the moisture was the culprit? They are currently nearing equilibrium (around 12 MC) and are stored within the house. 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. A wood moisture content of 47% is too high. primer, the moisture vapor transmissions rate (MVtr) from the substrate should not be in excess of 5 lbs. Seattles EMC ranges from 12.2% to 16.5%. The manufacturer of the oil-based poly should have a specification on the maximum allowable moisture content of the wood. Here is a link to our moisture meters, thermo-hygrometer, and Smart Logger. The other was for a $100 retail gift card. Currently the RH is 76%, the residence RH will be set at around 35%. 1. in Indonesia there are a lot of raw materials consisting of natural fibers, such as: pandanus, water hyacinth, rattan etc. So, to sum up, Moisture in crawlspaces is bad. The engineered wood floor appears ok. What humidity content should cedar be at for proper gluing. What % does it have to get down to before it would be usable to make a table top ? The size of the lumber used for floor joists is the single greatest determining factor in terms of how far a joist can span. During my visit, I crawled to the four main corners of the crawl space and probed the floor system with an electronic moisture meter during this traverse. I checked it with my new moisture meter and had a reading of between 8-13.5%. Joist spans may not be on the minds of most do-it-yourselfers, but joist spans are everywhere: above our heads in the ceiling joists and below our feet as flooring joists. The conversion puts the adjusted MC between 9.5 -> 12%. In your blog I read that furniture for outdoor is dried to a MC between 9 and 14%. Brick Veneer Homes: Are They Really Worth the Headache? i dont understand how the bottom beam looks like swiss cheese from all the holes ive drilled and has had a commercial blower on it for days yet the number is still high despite there being no visible water to keep the wood wet. I am having a section of our 3.25 Maple hardwood floor replaced. Unless something is so out of whack shimming in back of the sheetrock won't suffice it's OK here. Effects of Moisture on I-Joists and LVL April 2007 P.O. Your ideal MC will also depend on the outdoor humidity levels. (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%. For example, a 26 Southern Pine joist can span 12'. New roof first week of November. This must be done before attempting to dry out the wood. The other thing to consider is examining how water is entering your crawl space. Timber logs & Lumber into India company remained actively involved in harvesting and sale of Hardwood logs of Indian origin. Two questions I need a reliable, easy to use meter that can cover all species as I now have a portable mill and that can be used for treated. If a board reads 100% (Difficult to measure accurately) then the weight of the water equals the weight of that wood. It is a 2-3 feet wide wet area that drains to a line connected to the city system. My main concern here is that the flooring didnt have enough time to acclimate to the surrounding conditions. ( 55 days transit by sea) What should be the moisture content while loading in Containers? Very simple and understandable. Its still there and causing stains and scaring inexperienced home inspectors who frighten buyers, but its dormant. The home inspectors working for fees today seem to have one primary motive in mind: to cover their liabilities. Retain this information with your records. It gains or loses water moisture as the relative humidity (RH) of the surrounding air changes. Working with some slabs of spruce. Too dry and you get chipping out of the wood. Am I possibly getting false positives? Larry: I recently had my annual termite inspection. The other question is what should the moisture content be on treated lumber that will be for the framing of the deck? with the spring thaw, i was one of the lucky ones that got water in my basement. For severely rotten joists though, you're going to want to remove the rotten section. Substrates must be protected by: What do you recommend? A dry reading will be 16% MC (Moisture Content) or below. 1. Its mc is 11- 12% . WME? Just press the scanning plate against the woods surface, turn on the meter, and receive the reading. Though on occasion, they are made of 2x10s and tripled for additional . If youre wondering how wood can have a 200% moisture content, heres how that works. The wood has been kiln dried and packed in corrugate. Hope this helps. Thank You. The MC varies from 7% 13.5% around the exterior door on dry days and 10%-16% during rains. 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. So what do you think is the ideal moisture% I should dry them to before rotary polishing them? Post and beam constructions don't have to be kiln-dried but should be air-dried. I do not have a hygrometer or a moisture meter as I am a hobbyist. Meanwhile, the reference scale can be used to provide qualitative moisture assessments in other building materials. Cut out a portion (approx 1/2" I think) from the top of the floor joists. Thanks for the email. I suggested replacing my dehumidifier (Sears brand, bucket collection) which has been inoperable this past year. The acceptable moisture levels in basement walls and floors will depend on many factors. our question is do we need to replace the floor to avoid fungal problems? provide a good substrate for a wide range of wet area finishes. Hi, in MN where extreme temperatures are very hard on homes. And it's important to keep in mind that a glued-up panel behaves basically as one wide piece of lumber. Whats the Difference Between a Home Inspection and an Engineering Inspection? Because of the different materials involved, they will react differently to high heat, thus giving you an un-even plywood surface. As lumber dries, it may split, cup and warp. Here is a link to our website for more information: https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-950-smart/. 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. Floor joists come in dimensional lumber lengths from 8 to 16 feet or more. However, the wood species and the thickness or size of the wood may also factor in. Are the measurements of all wood the same? i also drilled into the wood every few inches, several inches deep with a typical drill bit. Lower differential means slower heat loss. Its never constant. You will want closer to 6% in the drier climates and 9% MC for the more humid climates. Writing all the way from Australia, Steven. For a wooden subfloor you will need to use a 2-pronged moisture meter. Im not sure I can really answer this question. Copyright - RLC Engineering, LLC. I think that I know my own answer, but thought I might reach out for some possible better insight. 2013-10-14 03:14:29. board will move 3 times the amount as a 4-in. If humidity levels in the crawlspace with all these measures taken place is above 60% the joist and the subfloor will have a high MC reading. If the MC of plywood is above 20%, can it be redried in a kiln or would that harm the glue? So, when looking at the relative humidity of the space, spaces left above 70% RH for extended periods will also promote mold growth. My meter tells me anything above 12% is wet but I cannot find any source of leaking or signs of water. For example, from 25% to 45% or from 45% to 65%. Also, there is a risk of mold. We really cant overstress the importance of taking plenty of moisture readings. Because the moisture content of wood is equal to the weight of the water in the wood divided by the weight of the wood without the water, its possible for the moisture content to exceed 100%. You should be able to tell where the water reached the subfloor because it will be discolored and may also be swelled up. This week, I notice the next pier on the same beam is starting to push up, warping the floor. Studies have shown, however, that mold growth can occur on wood at moisture content levels above 15 to 18 percent, and corrosion of metal fasteners in treated wood can occur when moisture content exceeds 18 to 20 percent. A termite repair company (also licensed contractors) told me that I needed to replace the planks on my second story deck. Each piece of lumber is unique and carries physical characteristics that may include the following: knots, warping, shrinkage, swelling and/or splitting. Below a 17% MC of wood, virtually no microbial growth will occur on even the most susceptible materials. 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. The humidity in the room is currently 40! Have I been wrong? You can check for moisture by using a moisture meter. Thanks. Obviously, the ambient conditions within which the wood or paper is present can alter the MC% of the wood or paper. The next question is almost the same as before, if we have various kinds of wood, such as March wood, mango wood, pine. endstream endobj 79 0 obj <>stream We found out that RH at the final location was under 20%. Readings can be elevated if there is a stud directly behind the sheetrock. Down pour of rain onto underlayment of attached garage. 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. How to test moisture /water content in cassia bark? A consistent humidity level of 40 percent will require wood to be about 8 percent moisture content. For example, if you were to have an EMC of 14%, then you would measure the woods moisture content and make sure its at 14%. Perhaps better drainage around your house will do the trick or treat. If I dry too much, theres discoloration and breakage of product during polishing. A 212 joist of the same species and quality can span nearly 25'. That is way beyond fibre-saturation. The purpose of acclimating is to allow the flooring to equalize to the surrounding conditions, no matter how large the room is. There will most likely be some shrinkage, so if possible, choose the clearest boards possible to lessen the possibility of any major cracking. moisture will typically measure 7-10%. If any of these conditions occur, tell your installer right away. Before installing carpet, you will need to dry the subfloor first. I manufacture ice cream sticks and disposable wooden cutlery from European Baltic birch wood in India. moisture meter testing a floor joist In this image we measure a reading of 37% in this floor joist. Heres how it works. I appreciate you sharing this important information with us at this time. 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%. Im on a grade-level concrete slab, and the water made its way over (under the tiles) to my sink vanity. 12.5% is gettin there but not quite to the 6-9% mentioned in the article. Every home's foundation repair needs are different based on soil type, type of foundation problem, and climate. Insert the pins into the surface of the wood you want to test. https://www.wagnermeters.com/wood-moisture-meters/. What are Acceptable Moisture Levels in Wood? /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 Lacquer will not make a reading difference as long as there are no metallic components in the lacquer itself. I would think it would vary depending on the contents. I live in Charlotte, NC. I was thinking 10% MC would be ok but after reading your article Im not sure. RH where they were built is about 29-30%. If the water leak was bad enough, dry rot can occur causing possible structural integrity issues. 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%. It is important to have the same temperature and humidity during those 2 weeks that will be maintained after installation. Two weeks is sufficient for softwood. 7. We appreciate you writing in, best of luck! in other hardwood areas that wasnt close to the water, was measuring about 16-19%. 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? Even at this, the estimate would be the high end of MC% prior to shipment, but only rough estimate. Thanks Mark, The EMC outside and the wood should be the same. 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. Reaching these moisture content levels does not mean mold growth or corrosion . 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: 800-347-7260 Fax. Learn how your comment data is processed. Dryer wood produces more resistance than wetter wood. Subfloor material such as plywood or OSB should measure between 10 and 14% moisture content. These are typical readings for exterior wood. Moisture content of 11.5% for the oak is a little high for furniture grade hardwoods. Furniture maker Lonnie Bird weighs in, I dont want the wood to shrink after I use it because the wood will warp or split.. )IS0i 1P *V? U? Please provide us with regular updates. They delivered the wood one day, and began to stain and install it over the next two days, finishing on the 6th day. The purpose of the vapor barrier is to keep moisture away from materials that expand and contract. The company they hired measured 47% in the wood and declares that this must be ripped out and replaced. 10 14% moisture content is too high. Thank you. Does that seem normal. All Rights Reserved. The cause that may produce this will be discussed in the section "Biodeteration of flood". This is based on a chart in Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. 17 and the flooring is at 6 to 7. Hello and thanks for writing in. With a concrete subfloor you should use a digital hygrometer, which needs to be left in place for at least 24 hours. As a general rule, with geographic exceptions, wood flooring performs best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within an RH range of 30% to 50% and a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 3. This only occurs when wood changes moisture content below the fibre saturation point. What can we do to get the row products closer in moisture content, we are currently using fans, We are in northern lower Michigan I am the general contractor for the house, and want to avoid any problems, would love to talk to you on the phone, my number is 9894647248, Mark Skiba, This is a great site about moisture content. Request Answer. Here is a link to a moisture meter I recommend: https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-910-deep/. The wood will still react in humid or dry conditions. 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. Below 12% Readings in this range are common to kiln or oven dried woods and furniture grades of wood, and represent dry conditions. This means your crawl space humidity goes up by about 22 degrees. 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. 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. 800-634-9961, or email sales@wagnermeters.com. Lay the panels perpendicular to floor joists, allowing 1/4 inch of space between panels and the wall. There are areas where organic growth was very active to cause deep, black discolorization. Brilliant article. Or perhaps I should advise them to buy Wagner meters, for better accuracy ;-). Thats why I think the wood is either not dried to 14%, or it has picked up too much humidity after drying. Will the reading be accurate? 2-1/4", the moisture content between the flooring planks and the subfloor should not exceed 2%. Please commenr? I buy many Artificial Trees for our Stores, which has Wood Stems/Barks, mainly produced in China & Shipped to UAE. Back to top. I have about 3,000 sqft on my first floor and this was relatively consistent throughout. The interior wood moisture level should be 12% or lower before painting. Thank you for the information, I use a lot of trimmed for for children toys, menu times I use rings of 1-3 inch in diameter, For these purposes I dont care for wood shrinkage or wraping, Two things are important for me that wood will not crack, and that mold wont develop. board, and a 12-in. 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. The builder's warranty representative came out and measured the moisture levels with a moisture meter. 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. Even with lower temperatures, the ideal range for wood keeps relative humidity between 55% and 75%.