acceptable moisture levels in floor joists

Larry Loffer is a senior technician at Wagner Meters, where he has over 30 years of experience in wood moisture measurement. We are checking moisture levels in several areas each day. Does that seem normal. We have a free App called WoodH2O that will tell you the moisture content given certain temperature and humidity conditions. This week, I notice the next pier on the same beam is starting to push up, warping the floor. I so appreciate your treatise on this issue. As far as the oil finish, the manufacturer of the oil will specify the correct moisture content for an application. Thanks. 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. 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. If your subfloor is a wood product, make sure the reading is less than 20% on the moisture meter. Heres how it works. Turn on the meter. Good luck. Hug the ones you love when you see them! Good moisture content for softwoods is 10% to 14% moisture. After all, the wall is in contact with damp soil. As with plywood subfloors, if there is movement or squeaks, refasten the subfloor to the joists and set protruding fasteners into the subfloor. 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. WagnerMeters 1.93K subscribers 3.2K views 1 year ago Hardwood Flooring - Tips & Problems Do you work with wood? The plumbing was improperly installed with the wrong cement to fit the pipes and could have been leaking from anywhere between 5-29 years while absorbing into the ground. I manufacture ice cream sticks and disposable wooden cutlery from European Baltic birch wood in India. I had it milled into 2.25 slabs and I stacked it on a deck area. 'Fs[OHTO{0wBj/3Y|rbTXb>IZ=p>Rj K7~K-m%KNce endstream endobj 28 0 obj 99 endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 9 0 R /Resources 16 0 R /Contents 23 0 R /Thumb 4 0 R /MediaBox [ 0 0 612 792 ] /CropBox [ 0 0 612 792 ] /Rotate 0 >> endobj 16 0 obj << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB ] /Font << /F4 19 0 R /F6 18 0 R /F8 21 0 R >> /XObject << /Im1 25 0 R /Im2 26 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 24 0 R >> >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /FontDescriptor /Ascent 745 /CapHeight 704 /Descent -203 /Flags 262178 /FontBBox [ -152 -229 1000 945 ] /FontName /Goudy-Bold /ItalicAngle 0 /StemV 106 /XHeight 418 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /FirstChar 32 /LastChar 255 /Widths [ 278 333 500 556 556 889 889 278 389 389 500 606 278 333 278 278 556 556 556 556 556 556 556 556 556 556 333 333 606 606 606 389 747 778 667 722 778 611 556 778 833 389 389 722 611 889 833 778 611 778 722 556 722 833 778 1000 722 667 611 333 606 333 606 500 333 444 500 444 500 444 333 444 556 278 278 556 278 778 556 500 500 500 389 389 333 556 500 722 500 500 389 333 606 333 606 278 778 778 722 611 833 778 833 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 278 278 278 278 556 500 500 500 500 500 556 556 556 556 500 400 556 556 500 606 628 556 747 747 979 333 333 0 1000 778 0 606 0 0 556 556 0 0 0 0 0 278 300 0 722 500 389 333 606 0 556 0 0 500 500 1000 0 778 778 778 1000 778 500 1000 500 500 278 278 606 0 500 667 167 556 333 333 556 556 500 278 278 500 1000 778 611 778 611 611 389 389 389 389 778 778 0 778 833 833 833 278 333 333 333 333 333 333 333 500 333 333 ] /Encoding 20 0 R /BaseFont /Goudy-Bold /FontDescriptor 17 0 R >> endobj 19 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /Encoding 20 0 R /BaseFont /Times-Roman >> endobj 20 0 obj << /Type /Encoding /Differences [ 39 /quotesingle 96 /grave 128 /Adieresis /Aring /Ccedilla /Eacute /Ntilde /Odieresis /Udieresis /aacute /agrave /acircumflex /adieresis /atilde /aring /ccedilla /eacute /egrave /ecircumflex /edieresis /iacute /igrave /icircumflex /idieresis /ntilde /oacute /ograve /ocircumflex /odieresis /otilde /uacute /ugrave /ucircumflex /udieresis /dagger /degree 164 /section /bullet /paragraph /germandbls /registered /copyright /trademark /acute /dieresis /notequal /AE /Oslash /infinity /plusminus /lessequal /greaterequal /yen /mu /partialdiff /summation /product /pi /integral /ordfeminine /ordmasculine /Omega /ae /oslash /questiondown /exclamdown /logicalnot /radical /florin /approxequal /Delta /guillemotleft /guillemotright /ellipsis /blank /Agrave /Atilde /Otilde /OE /oe /endash /emdash /quotedblleft /quotedblright /quoteleft /quoteright /divide /lozenge /ydieresis /Ydieresis /fraction /currency /guilsinglleft /guilsinglright /fi /fl /daggerdbl /periodcentered /quotesinglbase /quotedblbase /perthousand /Acircumflex /Ecircumflex /Aacute /Edieresis /Egrave /Iacute /Icircumflex /Idieresis /Igrave /Oacute /Ocircumflex /apple /Ograve /Uacute /Ucircumflex /Ugrave 246 /circumflex /tilde /macron /breve /dotaccent /ring /cedilla /hungarumlaut /ogonek /caron ] >> endobj 21 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F8 /FirstChar 32 /LastChar 255 /Widths [ 250 333 371 500 500 833 833 222 389 389 500 606 250 333 250 278 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 250 250 606 606 606 333 747 778 611 722 722 556 500 778 778 333 333 667 556 889 778 778 556 778 667 556 667 778 722 1000 667 611 556 278 606 278 606 500 333 444 500 444 500 444 278 444 556 278 278 500 278 778 556 500 500 500 333 333 333 500 500 667 500 444 333 278 606 278 606 250 778 778 722 556 778 778 778 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 444 278 278 278 278 556 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 400 500 500 500 606 628 500 747 747 979 333 333 0 1000 778 0 606 0 0 500 500 0 0 0 0 0 394 425 0 722 500 333 333 606 0 500 0 0 500 500 1000 0 778 778 778 1000 778 500 1000 389 389 222 222 606 0 444 611 167 500 333 333 500 500 500 250 222 389 1000 778 556 778 556 556 333 333 333 333 778 778 0 778 778 778 778 278 333 333 333 333 333 333 333 333 333 333 ] /Encoding 20 0 R /BaseFont /Goudy /FontDescriptor 22 0 R >> endobj 22 0 obj << /Type /FontDescriptor /Ascent 745 /CapHeight 704 /Descent -207 /Flags 34 /FontBBox [ -168 -213 1001 967 ] /FontName /Goudy /ItalicAngle 0 /StemV 73 /XHeight 418 >> endobj 23 0 obj << /Length 2280 /Filter /LZWDecode >> stream ft., based on a standard AStM F-1869 (Calcium Chloride) test, or 80% rh, based on AStM F-2170. There are two main types of wood moisture meters, pin-type and pinless. Whats the Difference Between a Home Inspection and an Engineering Inspection? Having performed multiple (>500) soil moisture and density Sieve and Proctor, so I am well versed in moisture calculations (both add and subtract). Thank you so much for your time and expertise. I had a quick looked around the crawl space and didnt notice any structure damage. Summers are hot and dry while winters can be cool. Does coating wood with oil stabilize the moisture content in wood? moisture will typically measure 7-10%. Very educational! I just bought a live edge slab of Cherry from a local sawmill that was kiln dried. Standard moisture contents for hardwoods are 6% 9% MC. 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. Let's repeat that again. Would the screws skew the measurements? An MC in this range, therefore, is considered sufficiently dry for exterior in-service 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. 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. As with the hardwood flooring, it is essential to check the OSB's moisture content using a moisture meter. For a wooden subfloor you will need to use a 2-pronged moisture meter. What is the optimal MC of the fir stock for construction of the windows? Lets go over the basics of each, Oven dry testing is the oldest method for measuring the moisture content of wood. Is your electrical outlet that is 3 inches above the floor inside the house? Also, if the leak was bad enough, it will be necessary to have a contractor make sure the strength of the subfloor isnt compromised. Second, would the same pine slab, would it be okay to use for a side table or Kitchen island. 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%. Structural Repairs Dont Have to Be a Nightmare! We really cant overstress the importance of taking plenty of moisture readings. However, a general rule of thumb is that the basement's humidity level is not over 30 - 50 percent. It gains or loses water moisture as the relative humidity (RH) of the surrounding air changes. 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. %PDF-1.2 % The engineered wood floor appears ok. Any opinions. 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. 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. The shipping time is approximately 45 day in a 40 container to the west coast . I get some water seepage through an exterior wall at basement floor level as a result of heavy rain. With the WoodH2O-app I could deduct the EMC for The Netherlands would be between 15 and 16. Before installing plywood underlayment, ensure that the existing flooring is thoroughly vacuumed, free from debris, and stripped of wax. It is not fair to ask the seller of this home to pay some pest control firm to spray Borate on the floor system. The thinner veneers wont have much bearing on the reading. 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? Thanks for the article, really appreciate the info! I had a redwood deck, and they replaced it with Douglas fir (without my approval, but thats another issue). There are joists that display splitting. The maximum subfloor moisture level for solid strip flooring or wide-width solid flooring is either 12% or 13%, depending on the manufacturer. Three years ago, the floor sank in a heavy traffic area and an engineer told me Masonite was used to shim and had compressed. In the Midwest, the EMC of wood or lumber in Des Moines, Iowa, ranges from 12.4% to 14.9%. You can now understand the meaning of moisture content 5.5%, 15 g/m2/24 hours, and relative humidity 75% with these facts. At that point in time, we did not have a conditioned house. As the humidity increases, the MC increases, causing the wood to expand. My last Wagner was appropriated by the individual who appropriated other tools out of my old sho. Call JADE today for a crawlspace inspection and we can give you definitive answers to your crawl space problems! I hope that helps. A subfloor needs to be clean, dry, level and structurally sound. Every home's foundation repair needs are different based on soil type, type of foundation problem, and climate. I believe you are asking for the percent moisture content (humidity) of South African woods. The best way to do this is to use an accurate moisture meter. for a mere $4900. (864) 506-4701, South Carolina Residential Construction Standards, http://www.rlcengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/RLC-Engineering-1.png. 20% 28% Readings in this range indicate that conditions are border-line for decay. Furniture grade wood is typically dried to a target of 6%-9%. To the right, 13.2% in the same distance and also drops to ~ 8% after. Download a free version of NZS 3602:2003. Now the fungus goes dormant. For more information, see our article comparing Pinless Moisture Meters vs. Pin Meters. Readings can be elevated if there is a stud directly behind the sheetrock. In your blog I read that furniture for outdoor is dried to a MC between 9 and 14%. Hello I moved into my new home in June of 2018. The humidity in the room is currently 40! Failure to do this will result in warping, cracking, and other problems after the construction of the wood product. Its never constant. The boards have dried nicely so far with minimal warpage or checking. The interior wood moisture level should be 12% or lower before painting. 28% and above Readings in this range are often accompanied by decay damage. Here's a good rule of thumb: Notches should be no deeper than 1/6 the depth of the joist. If the conditions are too wet, dehumidify, and if they are too dry, humidify. Waterproof membrane . 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. Treatment levels for timber and timber-based materials used under tiles in wet areas where the waterproofing membrane cannot easily be inspected or maintained should be: H1.2 for timber floor joists and wall framing around showers; H3 (CCA treated) for plywood. Can I get a away with this? 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. I not sure if this is normal, related to the re-shim or need to install a crawl space dehumidifier to slow the progression? 15% is too high, at least for hardwoods. New roof first week of November. Under the floor. 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. 800-347-7260 Fax. Also, the glue manufacturer should ideally give you some specifications for max and min moisture content. 0 WM=8DBaHh10tIKR/OH}X5Kpt'_]4Mfg9@w8~ n$R Looking back at pictures of the build process, they brought the hardwood bundles into my home in late October of 2017 and installed them 3 days later. 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. 2. (EMC) than other pieces of wood, depending on its location. A moisture meter will help verify. If youre wondering how wood can have a 200% moisture content, heres how that works. Make sure theyre aligned with the grain and not across it. Such readings should alert the homeowner to look for a source of excess moisture. Does it have another common name? What do you recommend the reader to be at before insulation and drywall on new construction? I have Suar wood from Indonesia and want use to indoor furniture, how range the Moisture Content allowance for this wood. Acclimation is the process for conditioning the moisture content of wood flooring to the environment where it will be installed. hellow! Free Webinar The What, Why, and How of Wood Moisture Testing. They were installed over existing plywood subfloor. I found your moisture levels column through a search for good wood for low humidity. To avoid this problem, wood flooring should never be stored where environmental conditions are uncontrolled, such as garages and exterior patios. This method uses the oven-dry method and then compares the results to those obtained using a moisture meter. Thanks for any help you can provide! Thank you. It seems to me the supplier is drying the Teak to 14% because that is what is needed in Indonesia. the concrete was completely dry, no standing water. Keep air conditioning drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly. I recommend one of our Orion models: https://www.wagnermeters.com/moisture-meters/. Your reading of 12.5% tells me it is workable. Wagner has a free app called WoodH2O to help you determine the proper moisture levels based on consistent humidity and temperature. I-joists are comprised of top and bottom flanges, which resist bending, united with webs, which provide outstanding shear resistance. Replaced the subfloor, which is . Box 1088, Roseburg, OR 97470 Tel. Because ventilated crawl spaces throughout the Southeast United States allow high humidity and fungus spores to enter the enclosed space beneath the home.

Sullivan And Cromwell Vacation Scheme, Articles A