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Category: Construction Industry Today
Published Tue, Dec 20th 2011 Back to Articles

The impact of moisture content on timber's performance

TRADA Technology Wood Information Sheet 'Moisture in timber' provides basic information for the specifier and user on the key facts and issues. Moisture content can affect many aspects of performance, including durability.

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TRADA estimates that more than 80% of the in-service problems associated with wood are in some way related to its moisture content. The amount of water present in timber can affect its weight, strength, workability, susceptibility to biological attack and dimensional stability in a particular end use.

TRADA Technology's Wood Information Sheet (WIS) 'Moisture in timber' provides basic information for the specifier and user on the key facts and issues concerning moisture content. For example, timber below approximately 20% moisture content is not considered to be at risk from fungal decay.

Timber does not shrink or swell lengthwise along the grain, but as it loses water below the 25%-30% fibre saturation point it will shrink laterally. In constant conditions of temperature and relative humidity, timber will eventually reach a constant moisture content - the 'equilibrium moisture content' (emc). 'Movement' is the term for dimensional change that results from changes in emc that occur after the initial shrinkage has taken place. Movement occurs because, in practice, a
stable emc is never reached.

Moisture in timber is available in PDF format free of charge from the TRADA website.  The cost is £12.00 for non-members.


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Contact Information

Jean Kloos
BM TRADA Group
Stocking Lane
Hughenden Valley
High Wycombe
Bucks
HP14 4ND