Wood Floor Moisture Content

The moisture content of wood is tied directly to the relative humidity of the surrounding air.

Wood floor moisture content.

In most cases your installation will probably in a zone with rh values between 40 and 45. These devices can be used to test the moisture content mc of wood flooring in mere seconds. 2 when you re acclimating the floor. As the air s rh increases so does the moisture content of any wood exposed to the air.

Measuring moisture in wood flooring the fastest way to measure moisture in floors is to use amoisture meter for wood. The wood used in the flooring industry is usually dried to a moisture content between 6 9 percent which is representative of a level appropriate for interior use. It is important to understand moisture content and its relation to the function of wood flooring. If the temperature of the building is between 75 and 85 degrees fahrenheit the equilibrium moisture content of your wood should be between 7 and 8.

Hardwood floors the maximum subfloor moisture level will be either 12 or 13 depending upon the manufacturer. You should also measure the moisture content of the subfloor prior to installation. 2 for plank 3 wide or more hardwood and 4 for strip 2 wide hardwood. Moisture content weight of water ovendry weight of wood x 100 for instance suppose that a freshly sawn piece of eastern cottonwood populus deltoides weighed 50 lbs.

However in some coastal areas the average rh is in the 58 to 63 range. Then the hardwood flooring moisture content must be within 2 4 of the subfloor moisture. In its initial green state and ended up weighing only 20 lbs. Wood exposed to air with a rh of about 90 will reach a wood moisture content of about 20.

Above 90 rh or 20 wmc mold can grow on the wood. Wood moisture content between 0 and about 28 is dependent upon the relative humidity rh of the air. The higher the relative humidity the higher the mc of the wood. Wood moisture meters for flooring applications come in two varieties.

The national wood flooring association nwfa has a chart that indicates the moisture content of wood at any given combination of temperature and humidity. 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. When fully dried in an oven this means that a total of 30 lbs. Of water was lost in the drying process.