Carpentry secrets: how to accurately determine the moisture content of wood without a moisture meter

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In order to work with wood, you need to know its relative humidity. This parameter is important for both painting and carpentry work. For example, the moisture content of wood before applying paintwork should be 13-15%. If the indicator is higher, the absorbency will deteriorate and this will affect the quality of the coating. How to accurately determine the moisture content of wood - read on.

What do you need to measure?

This indicator cannot be determined by eye, and here you will need some equipment - an oven, a kitchen scale and a calculator. In most homes, this is not a problem!

And also for the calculation, a sample of wood is needed, which will be used. To do this, you need to cut off a small piece of lumber, but not from the very edge, but at a distance of 5 cm from the end.

How to count?

To accurately determine the moisture content of wood, there is a special formula: W = (P1 - P2) / P2 * 100%. On the surface, it seems difficult, but in fact, everything is very simple. Let's figure it out and calculate using an example.

The cut piece of wood is first weighed. We write this weight as P1. Then we put this piece in the oven and dry it for two hours at a temperature of 100-110 degrees. This is enough to make the piece of wood completely dry.

Weigh the dried sample and record it as P2. For example, our sample weighed 50 grams before drying and 44 grams after. This means that he lost 6 grams of moisture. Next, we calculate using the formula and determine the moisture content as a percentage.

First step: 50-44 = 6. Second step: 6/44 = 0.136. The third step: 0.136 * 100 = 13.6% - the moisture content of the wood, from which the sample was taken for measurements. What does this mean?

What wood moisture is suitable for processing?

According to GOST, timber with a moisture content of up to 22% is considered dry; everything above is wet. Wood has a heterogeneous structure and therefore moisture evaporation is uneven. This causes the wood to deform as it dries. You cannot build from wet wood!

Our sample has 13.6% moisture. This is an ideal indicator for processing wood with paints and varnishes - painting, varnishing, impregnation. For outdoor work, it is also perfect, but for carpentry (making furniture, doors, windows, etc.) it is still too wet and needs to be dried to 6%.

Where to buy high quality paints and varnishes for woodworking?

Friends, in 2019 we launched a line of building and finishing materials under the brand FORUMHOUSE. Our products are manufactured in Europe and meet the highest international quality and safety standards.

We have a wide range of paints and varnishes for wood and mineral surfaces. Go on link - get to know the products of the FORUMHOUSE brand. On our website you can get a free consultation of a specialist on the choice of paintwork materials.

How do you determine the moisture content of a tree? Write in the comments.

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