Moisture reading chart??

[kayakkeith]

So I am sure its somewhere on this forum - but I got a new hand held moisture meter and was wondering what is really dry and what is wet?? Lots of my stuff is reading anywhere from 7% to around 13%. I tested a piece that I know is really green and it was about 24%.
So just trying to get a range of whats good and dry,etc

the meter I got is a hand held General MMD4E and it was like $30

 

[CTYank]

So I am sure its somewhere on this forum - but I got a new hand held moisture meter and was wondering what is really dry and what is wet?? Lots of my stuff is reading anywhere from 7% to around 13%. I tested a piece that I know is really green and it was about 24%.
So just trying to get a range of whats good and dry,etc

the meter I got is a hand held General MMD4E and it was like $30

The flames will tell. Toss a few sticks indicating 7-13% on the coals, and see how they react. Depending on species, they should light quickly (e.g. 15 sec.) and stay lit when the door is shut after maybe a minute.

The learning process is at least half the fun, and it never ends. After a while, you can tell a lot just by hefting a piece and looking at the end grain.

Some will tell you "wood is wood." Not. Big difference between black locust, sugar maple, red oak, etc.

 

[cygnus]

For those who measure, most folks here use 20% as the cut-off. I think it works as a good guideline but a few points lower is preferable to me.

Always remember to measure on a freshly split surface. The middle of a split that's been sitting, and/or the area behind the bark, will give you the highest reading which is what I go by.

 

[fossil]

^ Yup, 20% seems to be the general consensus for a good target maximum. Anything less than that is even better. Rick

 

[gzecc]

Your numbers are very low. Touch the probes to your palm, you should get around 30-35. Touch to interior unpainted lumber in your house, should get less than 10. Touch to green firewood, should get 35+. If the green wood is ash or locust it will be around 30 to start.

 

[DanCorcoran]

Yep, never test the end or outside of a round, only the freshly-split inside surface, parallel to the grain.

 

[Wood Duck]

7% to 13% in West Virginia is great. So great that I wonder if the meter is working correctly. I think the lumber that my house is made of is around the 7% to 13% range, but I seriously doubt any of my firewood is.

I doubt you'll find a chart. One problem would be a way to rate how well something burns. Maybe the chart sould range from "cold and bubbly" at 35% to "hellfire" at 5% moisture content.

 

[kayakkeith]

So my palm is reading 30% and a 100 year old beam is 5% so I think its reading okay - most of my wood was split in the spring and alot was standing dead or fallin dead. Most locust or oak

 

[Wood Duck]

Then it sounds like you are in very good shape for this winter.