Wood Moisture Meter
Moisture Meter for Wood is THE Essential
Tool!
Whether you are installing hardwood flooring, building a
piece of fine wood furniture or  turning
a bowl, it is essential to know if the wood you are using
is dry. The only effective way to do this is with the use
of a wood moisture meter. Wood cut green can be as much as
80% water, so it has a long way to dry if it is to perform
in the traditional home environment without cracking or experiencing
joint failure.
The industry standard for hardwoods is 6.5-8% moisture content.
When we receive a shipment, it does not get off the truck
until it has been checked.. and you may think that is excessive,
but I can tell you two stories.
Less than a year ago we brought in a truck load of oak from
the north-central US, and on metering it was coming in at
between 14-18%. Talking to the sawmill, we found out that
they had had serious spring floods in the last months and
this must have "taken on water" .. in this case
I might have been a little sympathetic but not even going
to that extreme, we had another smaller load come in from
a traditional wholesaler and when questioned on moisture content,
he suggested that the 11% reading was "close enough".
Of course after he saw a few laminations that had let go,
and considered his liability his tune changed a little. So
it was essential in both of these cases to have a moisture
meter. For wood, before you use, it must be checked!
Softwoods like white pine and cedar, used for furniture or
interior finishing are considered are a little differently
as they can naturally fluctuate just sitting in a warehouse.
They are much more porous and can easily pickup water if not
stored appropriately. They are typically dried to 12%, although
I'm not sure that I have seen that in writing, probably because
they are of less value and often mixed up with construction
material that only have to be dried to under 19% to be labeled
as kiln dried.
Exotic woods, especially from the casual importer can be
just about anything from pretty green at over 20% , to partially
airdried in the country of origin, to the species that are
more readily available like Brazilian cherry that is more
likely to be kiln-dried properly to 8%.
Thus using a moisture meter for wood, is an essential step
in your woodworking adventure. Best to know your wood is wet
before starting your project then after it is installed. So
what should you purchase... here's a few ideas on wood
moisture meter design.
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Products, specifications, and techniques shown
are meant as a guide to better understanding for the designer, builder,
and/or homeowner.
Owners of this site assume no liability for and
makes no claim to the suitability of any products or information
shown, other than to report history of usage, and sharing of knowledge
from others.
It is the sole responsibility of the owner or installer
to adequately test for product suitability and application method
for a particular installation.
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