How To Test Moisture Of Bamboo Flooring

Three methods for testing concrete moisture levels.

How to test moisture of bamboo flooring.

Laminated bamboo flooring with a top layer glued to multiple sub layers is diy friendly. Hardwood floors the maximum subfloor moisture level will be either 12 or 13 depending upon the manufacturer. Measuring moisture in wood flooring. Floors will expand or contract as rh levels rise or fall.

Acclimate as long as possible and use a moisture meter to check moisture content of the flooring and sub floor. These devices can be used to test the moisture content mc of wood flooring in mere seconds. By keeping records of the temperature humidity and moisture of the wood you can re test after installation to see if the wood has gained or lost moisture and identify moisture related problems. Wood moisture meters for flooring applications come in two varieties.

Testing with either method will tell you how precisely how much moisture is present making it possible to choose a surface flooring that is appropriate. 2 for plank 3 wide or more hardwood and 4 for strip 2 wide hardwood. The calibrations preprogrammed in the ligno scanner sdm are based on the wood moisture equivalent which means if the meter indicated 9 the bamboo floor is as stable as wood at 9. For those who prefer modern décor bamboo flooring has a clean contemporary look.

A definitive test that measures the amount of moisture released from the concrete requires a calcium chloride kit or a relative humidity meter. Leave adequate expansion space. The fastest way to measure moisture in floors is to use a moisture meter for wood. Then the hardwood flooring moisture content must be within 2 4 of the subfloor moisture.

This process usually takes 72 hours but it can take longer if you are in a region with higher or lower levels of moisture. Bamboo flooring can be installed when the moisture content between the floor and subfloor is within 3. Always test the flooring and subfloor at the start of acclimation and before the flooring is installed keep records. The sheet is left in place for 72 hours then a dewpoint hygrometer is used to test the level of moisture that is in the air under the sheet.

Pin meters use electrical resistance to measure the presence of moisture in wood flooring. Heimerdinger noted that lignomat s moisture meter ligno scanner sdm has specific calibrations for bamboo. Any wood or bamboo flooring will expand or contract with varying rh levels. Like other hardwood flooring bamboo may be refinished depending on the thickness of the planks.

Properly finished bamboo flooring cleans easily with a mop and mild soap. It is vitally important to test your concrete slab s moisture before installing flooring over it.