Moisture In Timber Floors

This is called equilibrium moisture content emc.

Moisture in timber floors.

The average rh of the environment where the wood will be used. The acceptable moisture content in wood depends on two factors. Acclimatising solid and engineered wood flooring before fitting will minimise the expansion and contraction of the wood after it s laid thus reducing the risk of damage post installation. This time address the moisture or possible water leak in the concrete first.

Consequently the timber floor will push up at the joins which is known as cupping. Another sign of excess moisture that can appear in any kind of flooring is the sudden presence of pests such as termites or ants. Pin meters use electrical resistance to measure the presence of moisture in wood flooring. In fact even if moisture and humidity levels in your room are minimal it s a good idea to acclimatise your floor to its new environment before laying it.

When timber absorbs moisture it will swell which exerts increased pressure over the affected floor between each plank. In most indoor coastal situations emc is between 10 and 15. Use a proper subfloor or select a different kind of flooring that is not susceptible to damage from moisture. To minimise the risk of ceiling finish defects occurring seasoned timber with a moisture content not exceeding that recommended in bs 5268.

2002 should be used. Because wood is an insulator and water is a conductor the less moisture there is in wood the more resistance there will be and vice versa. The acceptable moisture levels of wood and lumber are in the range of 6 to 8 for interior and 9 to 14 for exterior wood or for building envelope components within constructed assemblies. Radial shrinkage is about half this.

Loadbearing timber joist floors pdfloadbearing timber joist floors. The wood s final use. Wood moisture meters for flooring applications come in two varieties. Eventually the moisture in the timber will reach a level where it s in balance or equilibrium with the humidity in the surrounding air.

To remedy the problem the moisture needs to be removed from the timber planks allowing them to re settle back to their original condition. Acceptable moisture levels in wood flooring moisture levels in different timber species different species of timber naturally retain more water than others. In dry inland areas or inside air conditioned buildings it may be as low as 6 or 7.