Have you ever painted exterior siding or interior drywall, then watch the paint peel and flake afterward? Or installed flooring materials, only to see your handiwork buckle and heave? Or built something in your shop and have the wood warp or split later on? The failures they represent all share the same underlying cause: moisture content in the materials being worked on. Professional woodworkers and building contractors know how to avoid this problem, and DIY'ers should take note. Before any carpentry, painting, drywall, concrete, or other construction or finishing project, first test the materials with a moisture meter. Some amount of water is ever present in wood and most other materials used in construction - even when those materials seem adequately dry upon close inspection. A moisture meter is a valuable tool that every woodworker and DIY homeowner needs to have. Most are easy-to-use and the cost is based on an instruments features and degree of accuracy.

CHECK OUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOISTURE METERS!

MOISTURE SEEKS EQUILIBRIUM

Embedded moisture is forever seeking to find a balance with the moisture in the environment around it. If the wood you use for furniture or flooring has a higher moisture content than its ambient surroundings, it will eventually dry to a near-compatible level; when the difference is extreme, it can cause the wood to shrink and crack as that moisture dissipates. Moisture migrating out of materials also causes paint and other surface finishes to fail, just as moisture emanating out of subflooring can invade the finished flooring laid on top of it, causing the wood to swell and buckle. Moisture meters are a standard go-to test and measurement tool in many industries, from material handling and storage to gardening and woodworking. As the pros know, "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it." Fortunately, these instruments are also readily available in hardware and home stores at very affordable prices. And they're easy to use - simply hold one against the material you need to test and you'll know instantly whether that material is ready to work or finish, or if it needs to be in an environment where its moisture content can gradually reach equilibrium with its surroundings.

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TWO TYPES

Basically, there are two types of moisture meters: Pin type and Pinless. Pin type meters have sharp, needle like pins that are designed to be stuck directly into the wood or material to be tested. Their built-in pins measure electrical resistance between the pins, which is affected by the moisture content in the material. The pinless type are non-penetrating meters which have an electrode plate that is simply placed in contact with the material surface and generates an electrical field to measure relative moisture content. Both types of meters will get the job done.

Finally, pin-type meters measure moisture at or just below a material's surface, but because their pins must penetrate - and potentially mar - the surface they are less desirable for testing finished goods. Pinless meters, on the other hand, detect moisture beneath a surface (generally up to 3/4) and are useful for determining moisture content without damaging the material. Moisture meters are especially necessary for woodworking because wood is extremely susceptible to moisture fluctuation. Knowing when wood is ready to be worked or finished often determines a project's success or failure.

General Tools & Instruments offers an extensive variety of pin and pinless meters, including dual-function meters that can do both penetrating and non-penetrating measurements.