Introduction of 5 Wood Moisture Meters Commonly Used in Flooring
1: RDM-3 Needle Moisture Meter
5 Commonly Used Wood Moisture Meters for Floors with Figure 1 The RDM-3 is a wood moisture meter with a bunch 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 pin moisture meter has built-in species correction for 69 different types of wood. It also corrects the readings for temperature - just in case you're working in an especially hot or cold structure.
However, one feature that makes it a great moisture meter for wood floor professionals is the read memory feature. The RDM-3 can store up to 1,400 moisture content measurements in its internal memory, date and time stamped. Optional software allows users to download these readings to their computer for Excel reports.
This helps flooring contractors document their process so they can better demonstrate to clients the cause of moisture-related delays in their floor installations — such as a floor that is too wet to install.
2: TotalCheck Integrated Wood Moisture Meter
5 Wood Moisture Meters Commonly Used for Flooring As described in Figure 2, the TotalCheck is a 3-in-1 moisture testing device that combines the functions of two pin and pinless moisture meters with a thermo-hygrometer in a single unit. The reference scale mode of the pinless moisture meter can be used to quickly scan large quantities of hardwood floors for abnormal moisture levels, while the pin gauge mode can obtain more accurate and detailed information. The pin moisture meter has built-in wood correction for 69 species of wood to help ensure accurate readings.
In fact, TotalCheck's Pin Meter has all the same features and benefits of the RDM-3 Wood Moisture Meter, but with the addition of a Pinless Meter and a Thermo-Hygrometer.
The Thermo-Hygrometer 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 in-situ probes to test concrete subfloors for excess moisture per ASTM F-2170 - the most reliable way to see the moisture content in concrete. This is a must for flooring contractors, especially on new construction sites where they have freshly poured concrete.
3: Proscan Pinless Moisture Meter
5 Wood Moisture Meters Commonly Used on Floors with Figure 3 Delmhorst's Proscan pinless moisture meter is an excellent tool for checking most wood floors as quickly as possible. The back of the meter uses a large scanning pad 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 floor installers who want to closely inspect wood floors because it does not leave any pinholes in the wood being tested. Many flooring contractors prefer to use it as a secondary wood moisture meter because it is fast, easy to use, and non-destructive to wood floors.
Also, as long as you know the specific gravity of the wood being measured, you can adjust the meter to automatically correct for the desired reading to ensure good accuracy.
4: BD-2100 Needle Moisture Analyzer
5 Wood Moisture Meters Commonly Used in Flooring Figure 4 BD-2100 is an easy-to-use needle moisture meter that can be used in various materials such as wooden floors. While overall simpler than the RDM-3 and TotalCheck, the BD-2100 offers some additional flexibility over other wood moisture meters in that it doesn't just have a wood moisture scale - it also has a built-in reference scale mode and a plaster scale mode .
The reference scale mode of this needle moisture meter allows it to be used on a variety of other materials in the structure - this is great for flooring contractors who are involved with non-standard floor materials or who have to check the moisture of materials around the construction site.
The Gypsum Scale Mode is a must for any flooring contractor who regularly uses Gyp-Crete floors, as it accurately tests the moisture content of that material.
5: J-Lite LED display meter
5 Wood Moisture Meters for Flooring Photo 5 Whether you're constantly dealing with poorly lit 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 an affordable price.
While it doesn't have the bells and whistles of most of the other wood moisture meters on this list, it does accurately detect moisture levels in wood in the 6% to 30% range. This allows users to easily know if their wood is too wet or too dry. Also, thanks to the light-up LED, the indicated humidity reading is easy to see even in the dark.
Many contractors like to give their least experienced workers the J-Lite Needle Moisture Meter so they can get used to using a moisture meter and a rugged, reliable tool.
