5 commonly used wood moisture meters for flooring
5 commonly used wood moisture meters for flooring
Flooring contractors need to constantly deal with moisture in order to maximize the quality of their flooring installations. Problems may arise if there is too much or too little moisture in the wood compared to where it is installed. Problems can arise if there are active leaks in the building’s pipes (or walls or ceilings).
Therefore, to prevent callback and ensure the long life of the hardwood floors they install, flooring contractors need to use a high-quality wood moisture meter on the job. But which wood moisture meter is better to use? How do we define a “good wood moisture meter”?
How do we define what a good wood moisture meter is?
A good wood moisture meter is one that has all the bells and whistles, combining multiple features into one tool? Is it a simple hygrometer? Or, does it allow you to complete a moisture test in the shortest amount of time?
Well, the thing is that all of these can define a good wood moisture meter – based on your specific needs as a flooring contractor. No one tool is absolutely good for everyone.
For example, some contractors want a simpler tool that everyone they hire can use, regardless of skill or experience level. Others may want an “all-in-one” wood moisture meter that combines every possible feature they might need. Some professionals may require specific functionality, such as the ability to record and output moisture measurements.
With that in mind, here’s a list of five of Delmhorst’s great wood moisture meters to suit different needs:
1: RDM-3 needle moisture meter
5 Commonly Used Wood Moisture Meters for Flooring Picture 1 The RDM-3 is a wood moisture meter with a group of built-in special features for professional floor installations. First, the meter has a wide wood moisture detection range (from 5% to 60%). This can help you know if the wood is too wet or dry – and by how much.
Second, this needle moisture meter has built-in species correction for 69 different types of wood. It also corrects readings based on temperature – just in case you’re working in a particularly hot or cold structure.
However, one feature that makes it a good moisture meter for wood flooring professionals is the read-memory function. The RDM-3 can store up to 1,400 moisture content measurements in its memory with date and time stamps. Optional software allows users to download these readings to their computer for making Excel reports.
This helps flooring contractors document their processes so they can better demonstrate to clients the causes of moisture-related delays in their flooring installations – such as floors that are too wet to install.
2: TotalCheck integrated wood moisture meter
5 Commonly Used Wood Moisture Meters for Flooring Described in Figure 2 TotalCheck is a 3-in-1 moisture testing device that combines the functionality of two pin and pinless moisture meters in a single device. The reference scale mode of the pinless moisture meter can be used to quickly scan large volumes of hardwood floors for abnormal moisture levels, while the pin meter mode allows for more accurate and detailed information. The needle moisture meter has built-in wood corrections for 69 types of wood to help ensure accurate readings.
In fact, TotalCheck’s pin meter has all the same features and benefits found in the RDM-3 Wood Moisture Meter, but with the addition of a pinless meter and a thermo-hygrometer.
Thermohygrometer helps turn this hygrometer into a true all-in-one solution for flooring contractors. It helps measure relative humidity (RH) and temperature conditions at the installation site so flooring contractors can accurately determine the equilibrium moisture content of flooring wood prior to installation.
It can also be used with an in-situ probe to test concrete subfloors for excess moisture according to ASTM F-2170 standards – the most reliable way to see the amount of moisture in concrete. This is needed for flooring contractors, especially on new construction sites where they have freshly poured concrete.
3: Proscan Pinless Moisture Meter
5 Commonly Used Wood Moisture Meters for Flooring Picture 3 Delmhorst’s Proscan needleless moisture meter is a good tool for checking most wood floors as quickly as possible. The back of the meter uses a large scanning plate that, when laid flat on the wood, emits a radio frequency signal that scans the wood for traces of moisture.
This non-invasive testing method is ideal for flooring installers who want to closely inspect their wood floors, as it does not leave any pinholes in the wood being tested. Many flooring contractors like to use this as a secondary wood moisture meter because it is quick, easy to use, and non-destructive to wood floors.
Additionally, as long as you know the specific gravity of the wood being measured, you can adjust the meter to automatically correct the desired reading to ensure excellent accuracy.
4: BD-2100 needle moisture meter
5 commonly used wood moisture meters for flooring are shown in Figure 4. The BD-2100 is an easy-to-use needle moisture meter that can be used on various materials such as wooden floors. While overall simpler than the RDM-3 and TotalCheck, the BD-2100 offers some additional flexibility compared to other wood moisture meters in that it doesn’t just have wood moisture scale – it also has built-in reference scale mode and plaster scale mode .
The reference scale mode of this pin moisture meter allows its use on a variety of other materials in structures – this is great for flooring contractors who deal with non-standard flooring materials or who need to check the moisture content of materials around the construction site.
For any flooring contractor who regularly uses Gyp-Crete flooring, the Gypsum Scale Mode is a necessity as it accurately tests the moisture content of the material.
5: J-Lite LED display instrument
5 Commonly Used Wood Moisture Meters for Flooring Picture 5 Whether you regularly deal with low-light construction sites or need a “foolproof” moisture meter that anyone can use, the J-Lite Pin Wood Moisture Meter is the one High quality moisture testing equipment at a reasonable price.
While it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of most other wood moisture meters on this list, it does accurately detect moisture levels in wood within a range of 6 to 30 percent. This allows users to easily know if their wood is too wet or too dry. Additionally, thanks to the illuminated LED, the indicated humidity reading is easy to see even in the dark.
Many contractors like to give their least experienced workers a J-Lite needle moisture meter so they can get used to using a moisture meter and a sturdy, reliable tool.
