Concrete Moisture Content For Wood Floors

Wood and concrete both have independent changeable moisture levels.

Concrete moisture content for wood floors.

The normal moisture content of wood or emc varies from 7 19 depending on the rh in the air. From the 1940s to today many contractors have relied on surface based methods for monitoring or evaluating relative humidity levels and moisture content. For woodworkers who build cabinets fine furniture musical instruments dishes toys decorative art boat restoration or various other wood products the acceptable wood moisture content normally ranges from 6 to 8. The most accurate measurement for moisture content in wood is the oven bake out.

In most cases your installation will probably in a zone with rh values between 40 and 45. When installing hardwood floors over concrete subflooring appropriate mc levels must be achieved. To avoid these failures from occurring a variety of test methods are used to determine the amount of moisture in concrete before installing flooring. Determining moisture content is an essential part of quality control within the flooring installation process.

If your subfloor is concrete and recently laid you re likely to face more of a challenge when it comes to moisture. Therefore it s advisable to have a floor tested for moisture content prior to installing flooring or moisture barriers. Flooring installers must know the moisture content of the wood flooring as well as the subfloor. Wood moisture meters for flooring applications come in two varieties.

In fact mc in both materials fluctuates with changes in ambient relative humidity rh. These devices can be used to test the moisture content mc of wood flooring in mere seconds. Moisture testing for wood flooring and wood subfloors. The fastest way to measure moisture in floors is to use a moisture meter for wood.

Concrete slabs and floors can be excellent subfloor surfaces for tile and other floor coverings but too much moisture in the concrete can cause problems with flooring installations. Ideally you should aim to have a reading of somewhere between 35 and 40 humidity air or 2 3 moisture content before laying your new floor.