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What Is Equilibrium Moisture Content
Imagine stepping into a woodshop, where piles of freshly cut timber wait their turn to be transformed into furniture, structures, or art. But there’s more to wood than meets the eye.
Behind every wooden creation lies a science that ensures the wood’s durability, functionality, and longevity. It’s all about the wood’s moisture content and its equilibrium with the environment.
Let’s jump into Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) – a crucial factor in woodwork that impacts everything from crafting to wood performance over time.
- What Is Equilibrium Moisture Content
- What Is the Moisture Content of a Piece of Wood?
- What Is Fiber Saturation Point?
- What Is Relative Humidity?
- More About Equilibrium Moisture Content
- How EMC, Relative Humidity, and Temperature All Relate to Each Other
- Why Is Equilibrium Moisture Content Important?
- 3 Tips to Help Your Flooring Reach Equilibrium?
- The Importance of Correctly Measuring Moisture Content
Whether you’re a seasoned carpenter, an enthusiast, or just curious, join us as we uncover the intricacies of EMC, its relation to temperature and humidity, and why it’s pivotal in woodworking.
What Is Equilibrium Moisture Content
Equilibrium moisture content definition (EMC) is the moisture level where the wood neither gains nor loses moisture since it is at equilibrium with the relative humidity and temperature of the surrounding environment.
Let’s define some key terms needed to talk about the effect of relative humidity on the moisture content of a piece of wood and reaching equilibrium with its environment.
These terms are the variables in the complex mathematical equations used to determine when the wood is at its EMC. In the next few sections, I’ll detail these variables, how they’re calculated, and how they’re used in other calculations.
What Is the Moisture Content of a Piece of Wood?
The moisture content of a piece of wood is the total amount of moisture, including both water and vapor, contained in that piece of wood.
Mathematically, moisture content (M or MC) is the mass of wood with moisture (m) less the mass of wood without moisture (mod or the oven-dry mass), divided by the mass of wood without moisture. It can be expressed as:
MC = (m – mod)/mod
To obtain %MC, multiply MC by 100%. The typical moisture content varies among regions and species. Green moisture content is that which is found when the wood is still in its natural state, before being kiln-dried or equilibrated to its ambient conditions.
For example, the average moisture content of green wood Douglas fir (Rocky Mountain type) is 43%, while it’s 108% for a California red fir. Similarly, the green heartwood of eastern white pine has an average moisture content of 50%, and the green heartwood of ponderosa pine averages 40% MC.
The average EMC ranges vary too. The Midwest has an EMC range of six to nine percent, which is the middle ground of U.S. EMC ranges. The average EMC in coastal areas is above nine percent and the dry southwestern United States average EMC is below six percent. These EMC differences are caused by differing ambient relative humidity and temperatures.
What Is Fiber Saturation Point?
In almost all kinds of wood, moisture can exist as either free water or bound water. The water vapors or liquid water in the cavities and cell lumina is free water. The water held by the intermolecular attraction within cell walls is bound to water. That is, it’s literally bound up in the cellular structure of the wood.
The fiber saturation point (MCfs) is the point at which all free water has evaporated and the cell walls are completely saturated. When wood reaches its fiber saturation point, it can hold no more bound water. Below fiber saturation, the wood will start to shrink or swell as its moisture content changes in concert with the ambient conditions around it.
For most wood species, the fiber saturation value of MCfs is about 30 percent. However, the fiber saturation point can vary from species to species and piece to piece. Some tropical species from Africa have a fiber saturation point as low as 17 percent. Furthermore, the surface dries first, allowing for it to reach its fiber saturation point before the wood’s interior.
What Is Relative Humidity?
Relative humidity is the ratio of partial pressure of water vapor (H2O) to the saturated vapor pressure of water at a particular temperature in an air-water-vapor mixture. That’s the hard science-y way to put it. More simply, think of relative humidity as the amount of moisture in the air as a percentage of how much moisture the air could hold.
Temperature affects the relative humidity of the air because it affects how much water vapor the air can hold. The following equation is generally used to calculate the relative humidity of air:
ϕ = (ew/e*w) ×100%
where
ϕ = relative humidity expressed as a decimal
ew = the partial pressure of water vapors
e*w = the saturated vapor pressure of water at a particular temperature
More About Equilibrium Moisture Content
As long as the fiber saturation point is not reached, the relative humidity and temperature of the atmosphere significantly affects the moisture content of wood.
The moisture content at which wood neither gains nor loses moisture is the EMC. The equilibrium is dynamic in nature because the ambient conditions, such as relative humidity and temperature, are constantly changing.
When a piece of wood is placed in a controlled environment, it tries to achieve equilibrium with the environment over time. The moisture content adjusts to the relative humidity and temperature of its surroundings. After a certain period of time, the wood’s moisture content stops changing. This moisture level is termed the EMC.
As long as the relative humidity and temperature of its surroundings don’t change, the wood’s moisture level remains at its EMC once reached. That’s why acclimating wood to its final surroundings is vital before using it. Once it acclimates to its environment and reaches the EMC, the risk of physical changes occurring in the wood is minimal… unless the environment changes.
How EMC, Relative Humidity, and Temperature All Relate to Each Other
The relationship between moisture content, EMC, and relative humidity can be studied and approximated for a given temperature.
For each value of relative humidity for a given temperature, there is a corresponding EMC percentage. Therefore, EMC can be plotted as a function of relative humidity for a known temperature. For most of North America, 30% to 50% relative humidity corresponds to 6% to 9% EMC. It’s worth noting that the EMC values of solid wood are generally greater than wood composites.
For a reasonable estimation of the true target EMC at any value of relative humidity and temperature, the following equation may be used:
EMC = [ -ln (1 – ϕ) / 4.5 x 10-5 ( T + 460 ) ] 0.638
where
ln = natural logarithm (a mathematical equation that calculates the time it takes to reach a specified point)
ϕ = relative humidity expressed as a decimal
T = temperature in Fahrenheit
The Hailwood-Horrobin equation can also be used to estimate the complex relationship of EMC, relative humidity, and temperature mathematically. This is a more complicated formula but provides more accurate results.
Meq = ( 1800 / W ) * ( (kh) / (1 – kh) + ( k1kh + 2k1k2k2h2 ) / ( 1 + k1kh + k1k2k2h2 ) )
where
Meq = the %EMC
T = temperature in Fahrenheit
h = the fractional relative humidity
W = 330 + 0.452T + 0.00415T2
k = 0.791 + 4.63*10-4T – 8.44*10-7T2
k1 = 6.34 + 7.75*10-4T – 9.35*10-5T2
k2 = 1.09 + 2.84*10-2T – 9.04*10-5T2
Generally, temperature doesn’t affect the moisture content as significantly as relative humidity does. For this reason, coastal areas like Miami, Seattle, and Japan, which have higher values of relative humidity, also have higher EMC values than non-coastal areas.
Free Download – 5 Ways Pinless Moisture Meters Save You Time and Money
Why Is Equilibrium Moisture Content Important?
Consequently, the risks of not knowing the moisture content of the wood or EMC of its in-service location are high. It’s also critical to understand how the in-service location’s EMC fluctuates throughout the year.
When the temperature and relative humidity change, the EMC changes along with it. When that happens, the wood starts to release or absorb moisture to re-acclimate to the new EMC. This period of re-acclimation is when warping, cracking, and splitting can occur in the wood.
These moisture-related failures are more likely to occur based on how often the EMC changes and how large the EMC swings are. New Orleans is one of the most humid cities in the United States, yet it’s also one of the most temperate. That is, there aren’t great swings in temperature or relative humidity throughout the year.
Thus, a flooring installer doesn’t need to account for as much swelling and shrinking when installing boards as does a flooring installer in Oklahoma City, which has more seasonal climate variety.
The worst-case scenario is installing wood with a moisture content that’s too high. This wood is still in the process of equalizing with its surroundings, which means significant shrinkage is inevitable as it reaches equilibrium. Under such circumstances, total moisture-related disasters are likely.
3 Tips to Help Your Flooring Reach Equilibrium?
1. Schedule delivery after the job site is at service conditions.
Even proximity to undried plaster or masonry can temporarily impact the MC of wood flooring. Be sure the wood flooring is allowed to come to complete equilibrium with the job site’s conditions before installing, and ideally, only installing when the space is at service conditions.
2. Be sure subfloors are adequately dry.
Especially in new construction, subfloors can still hold significant levels of moisture. Concrete should be at the specified RH level (relative humidity testing is the best way to accurately measure concrete moisture levels), and wood subfloors should be tested with an accurate wood moisture meter to be sure the wood flooring and the subfloor have similar MC levels.
If they are not, more time is necessary to allow for equilibrium to be reached. You may also have the option of utilizing an appropriate moisture mitigation product (like vapor retarders) prior to installing the wood flooring.
3. Allow time for the flooring to acclimate.
ALWAYS CONSULT THE INDIVIDUAL MANUFACTURER’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACCLIMATION OF THEIR PRODUCTS.
After delivery, packaged flooring should be opened and separated as much as possible to allow airflow to reach all pieces and encourage equilibration throughout the load. Take an initial reading with an accurate wood moisture meter to help determine how the MC levels are changing over the next hours and days.
The Wagner Meters line of pinless wood moisture meters lets you easily take multiple readings that can be repeated as often as necessary with no damage to the flooring surface.
4. Install and finish.
Accurate installation is also part of maintaining a wood floor’s long-lasting beauty, and once the flooring MC has settled into balance with the job site, you can proceed with confidence. The finish will also help to seal the wood from surface moisture movement, but be sure to leave accurate maintenance advice with your customers so they can be aware of changes that might indicate a problem from external moisture sources.
The Importance of Correctly Measuring Moisture Content
Wagner wood moisture meters are designed to quickly and accurately measure moisture content in a piece of wood so that very costly mistakes are avoided. With a Wagner moisture meter, wood can be measured accurately and as often as one might need before making any important decisions.
Try Our EMC Calculator
Find out why it’s important to know the correct moisture content for your woodworking projects.
Larry Loffer is a senior technician at Wagner Meters, where he has over 30 years of experience in wood moisture measurement. With a degree in Computer Systems, Larry is involved in both hardware and software development of wood moisture measurement solutions.
Last updated on June 19th, 2024
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Are the units of time for your EMC equation in hours?
hola Loffer , somo productores de compactos con espesores de 10 mm , los compactos son laminados a base de resinas fenolicas saturadas con papel kraft ..luego de prensadas y entregadas al cliente se genera un proceso de warping (twisting) , lo anterior es por cambio de humedad ?? slds y gracias
Yes, the problem is likely a large difference in humidity.
Another possibility is different moisture contents of the thin layers within the laminates.
Hi Larry,
I bought a new building with a commercial street level floor and apartments on the top floors. The commercial level is not completed and has never had a tenant. A water valve broke on the floor above it. My insurance carrier recommended a company that specializes in remediation. They showed up with an EMC meter and began taking measurements. They then set up a dehumidifier and and began isolating the flooded area with plastic sheeting. I told them the floor did not need protection because it was still under construction. I was told the sheeting was to keep the area being dehumidified as small as possible.
The next day it was snowing on and off outdoors. The entire floor commercial floor was cold. Water had destroyed the heater control. The dehumidifier was working poorly. The remediation crew was wearing winter coats while tearing out the wet drywall and insulation. I apologized for the cold and told them a new heater control would not be available for weeks.
After a couple more days, the debris were removed and the floor cleaned. The dehumidifier was gone. But, the floor was designed for retail sales, so when the sun came out the display windows let a lot of light in and warmed up the room to about 70 degrees.
I got the bill for cleaning up the damage along with a bunch of data including EMC readings for drywall, framing and concrete. Baseline readings were taken of each material in an area of the building that was dry:
Drywall 15
Framing 12
Concrete 30
Readings taken on the first day for wet materials were as follows:
Drywall 100
Framing 75
Concrete 100
By the third day the EMC readings for all three materials were the same as those of the dry baseline materials. They sent me a graph showing the plot of the material readings intersecting the material’s baseline on the third day.
I saw the workman take the first EMC reading from the wet framing. He used a two pin meter. I do not know what kind of meter he used to get the readings from the concrete. And, I cannot figure out how both of the first readings from the drywall and the concrete came out to be 100.
I’m also at a loss as how materials hit the baseline dryness in only three days while being so cold. The concrete was poured years ago; I don’t understand how its EMC readings changed at all.
“0” is the where the EMC range starts on their chart. I thought it should be equilibrium. However, they label their baselines as the material’s EMC.
The company wants a few hundred dollars for the dehumidification and plastic sheeting. I think their use cannot be justified.
Does this company’s data look correct to you? All my inquiries get forwarded to the remediation company’s Account Receivables Department.
Daniel,
The question is… how bad was the leak? If it was caught quickly and the water didn’t penetrate deep into the drywall, concrete, and framing, then it is reasonable that it dried out quickly.
They probably used a pinless meter with a relative scale to check the concrete moisture.
The plastic sheeting is to concentrate the low humidity air to the wet location.
If the water damage was extensive and you plan on installing a moisture-sensitive floor, I recommend getting a second opinion and possibly using our Rapid RH product to check the moisture deep in the concrete.
Hello Mr. Loffer,
Could you kindly provide the reference for the EMC equation: EMC = [ -ln (1 – ϕ) / 4.5 x 10-5 ( T + 460 ) ] 0.638
Thank you,
Henry
Hello Mr. Loffer
I’m a graduate student researching the relationship between the amount of mold and water content in weight percent of dry mass. The surface of the envelopes is always wallpaper or gypsum, is it suitable to set the moisture meter in the wood mode? I mean that the measurement process is based on the wood property.
best,
Wang
Hello,
From the product description for the Orion 910:
A relative moisture measurement mode allows for taking relative moisture measurements in non-wood based materials and engineered wood flooring. This means you can use an Orion moisture meter to obtain relative moisture conditions on a number of non-wood building materials and flooring products.
Mr. Loffler – I build climate controlled wine rooms in Texas and am always researching rH, temperature and moisture related issues. The goal in the wine room is temperatures in the 55 – 60 range and an rH of 50 – 70. Anything over 70rH can be problematic for any number of reasons.
The climate around the wine rooms walls is the ambient of the house – usually in the high 60’s to low 70’s temperature and 48 – 52 rH.
Usually the walls inside and outside the wine room are sheet rocked.
My questions are:
* If the room is heavily insulated and sealed with closed cell foam on all walls, ceiling and floor, do you think it is possible that humidity could enter the room through the studs and or a wood door? The two narrow sides of the studs are not sealed or in contact with the closed cell foam.
* If we stay with the above scenario and I “seal” exposed side of the stud with some sort of sealer, it follows that humidity will travel thru the wood from outside the wine room and then ‘stop” at the sealed side which is in the colder, damper wine room. If this is correct, do I need to worry about the stud holding the moisture and decaying?
Hi Jost,
Make sure you purchase kiln-dried studs when building your wine room walls.
It is recommended you check each stud for proper moisture content (less than 20% MC) before purchasing. The small differences in RH will not be a problem as long as you buy kiln-dried lumber, and, of course, the studs do not get wet.
Here is a link to one of our meters I would recommend for measuring studs if you do not currently have a moisture meter.
https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-910-deep/
Thanks for the question and answer opportunity we have here. After reading through the comment, does it mean that if I have obtained the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of a concrete slab, there is no way to be able to estimate the moisture content (MC) of the concrete using the EMC values?
Thank you
Peter,
The article you are referring to relates to wood and wood-based materials.
The moisture content in wood is measured as percent moisture content, whereas, in concrete, it is measured as relative humidity deep inside the slab.
Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) has no relevance in concrete.
Thank you for the detailed explanation of EMC. I have a charge of Oak 8/4 in my kiln right now. I have insulated pins at center (1 inch deep) and a set near the surface. How do I know when my wood has reached EMC? The center is always higher than the surface which makes sense. Do I take the average? If I’m shooting for a 8% moisture content for a finished product, again – is the average or do I need to get the center reading to 8%? Thank you – I’ve been struggling with this concept for awhile.
John,
Ideally, you will want to get 8% throughout the thickness. This can be achieved by “Conditioning” your kiln charge.
In other words, put less drying stress on the wood for an extended period of time. This should help even out the moisture content.
A good resource to help with drying is http://www.kilndrying.org.
Hi Larry,
I am a furniture manufacturer from Indonesia and have been exporting to india lately. We majorly use species like Teak, Mahogany and Bangkirai
( Tropical Hardwood). We attain a MC of about 8% for all our furnitures at the time of dispatch from our factory. The shipment takes about 40 days to reach its destination. It’s highly humid in southern indian peninsula. The furnitures,once placed at the desired spot starts to shrink at the joints leaving it with hairline gaps(that looks dirty, trust me).
I believe this Is due to the wood trying to attain it’s EMC at its new surroundings. Would you be able to help me with a ‘simple’ measure to overcome or minimise the issue. Where in I would be able to keep in check the variation in wood Moisture.
Kind regards
Farish,
I’m a little confused because wood will increase (Swell) in size if placed in a more humid environment. You claim that it is shrinking once it reaches its final destination. That tells me the wood was higher in moisture coming from your factory. Perhaps it is gaining moisture on the journey? It is best to know the conditions of the environment it will live in, to match the conditions at your factory. Perhaps wrapping the wood in an airtight plastic will help.
Hi Larry,
You mention in the article that the Hailwood-Horrobin equation can be used to estimate EMC, but that wood composites generally have lower EMC values. Do you know of any work done on modelling of EMC with humidity and temperature changes for chipboard or paperboard products? I am working with chipboard pieces at very low relative humidity (approx. 10%) and somewhat elevated temperatures (approx. 120-140F). Any help or guidance toward references would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Elaina,
Yes, the EMC’s of most wood composites are lower since they are not as absorbent as wood.
I’m not aware of any tests being performed with chipboard.
You can start by searching for “chipboard tests”.
Hello Mr.Loffer,
Can you please direct me towards source for finding EMC Vs Relative humidity data for Sodium Dodecyl sulfate.
Hello Komal,
Wagner Meters has a free APP called “WoodH2O” that can be downloaded for iPhone or Android. This APP will give you the EMC value expressed in percent moisture content by weight. You need to know the ambient temperature and humidity.
Mr. Larry, thank you so mucho for your amazing article. I have a question about the moisture content, if MC is MC = (m – mod)/mod, the mod ( mass of wood without moisture) is considered with bound water or only free water?
I mean, the cells are hydrated and only the free water is consumed (vaporated) when the mass is without moisture?
Best regards
Hi Mariella,
The equation MC = (m-mod)/mod as you listed is good for bound water (water within cell walls).
Free water is defined as the water outside of the cell structure. This is also called fiber saturation which occurs around 30% moisture content. It is very difficult to accurately measure moisture content in fiber saturated wood above 30%.
Hi Larry,
I have oak parquet planks that have become curved. They have been lying in a room with 73 degrees F and 33% relative humidity for 6 weeks. This should be more than enough time for the planks to reach EMC. However, I measure the MC to 0% with a pin moisture meter. According to WoodH2O the EMC should be 6,6. Can wood really reach 0% MC, or must there be something wrong with my moisture meter?
Besr regards
Knut
Hi Knut,
Pin moisture meters are not good for measuring moisture content in the very low range, particularly the inexpensive pin meters. The good news is your oak planks must be very dry.
I recommend purchasing a pinless meter such as the Wagner MMC220. Here is a link for more information:
https://www.wagnermeters.com/moisture-meters/
Thank you very much for your help. I will research it and pray thats what it is!
Hello Larry. I have a question that I am hoping you can answer with all the knowledge you have about wood. My kitchen cabinets are producing some form of liquid and there’s no piping so i am wondering if it could be that the wood is having a problem because of fiber saturation. Could that be possible?
Hi Misha,
It isn’t likely your kitchen cabinets are that wet. Kitchen cabinet manufacturers use dried wood to prevent other problems like splitting, warping of the wood.
If you are sure that a food item is not leaking, then perhaps there is some sap or resin that is coming from the wood. If that is the case, it should be small and eventually stop.
Mr. Loffer,
I went through your article. I wanted to calculate the moisture content at equilibrium for Pre-compressed board which is again a cellulose material with a lesser density as compared to wood. Can the same formula be used for calculation or not?
Hello Krati,
The equation “MC=(M-Mod)/Mod” will work with any solid substance as long as you do not lose any of the material during the drying process.
Thank you,
Larry
Mr. Loffer,
Thank you for your excellent article. Are there any rules of thumb for estimating how long it will take to reach EMC? For example, if I have a piece of basswood of some thickness at a known MC, say, 7%, and introduce it into a chamber with, say, 60% relative humidity at 70 degrees F, is there a way to estimate how long it will take the basswood to reach its new equilibrium (EMC=10% if I used the formula above, correctly). Thank you.
Hi Ed,
First of all, I get an EMC of 11% using your humidity and temperature values when I use the free App “WoodH2O”. There is no formula for determining the time needed to reach equilibrium because there are too many factors involved such as wood species and dimension. The heavier dense woods will take longer. It is best to monitor the moisture periodically using a moisture meter.
Mr. Loffer
Thank you for your explanation of the equilibrium moisture content.
I am planning to purchase a large amount of expensive wood paneling that will probably be milled in a damp climate for installation in my home in the Mojave Desert (Las Vegas). I’ll have to sticker it up here until it reaches equilibrium before I install it. I’m wondering about the usefulness of a pinless vs pin moisture meter for use on wood that is already coated with a six sided finish. Will a pinless meter be able to observe the moisture beyond the finish barrier? Should I just saw off a piece to be able to get an accurate measure or should I used a pin meter?
Hi Kenny,
In my opinion, the only advantage of a pin moisture meter is that you can pound the pins into different depths of the wood, provided you get insulated pins. This would allow you to get past whatever finish is on the outside.
Wagner pinless meters reach down into the wood about ¾ inch and is the way to go provided the finish is only a couple millimeters and is non-metallic.
Hello Mr. Larry Loffer,
I have been reading your interesting articles. Could you kindly explain me the relation between Fiber Saturation Point and Equilibrium moisture content in wood?
Hi Anju,
These are two different things.
There are small cells in the fibers of wood. Fiber Saturation is when these cells can’t hold any more water. Water accumulates outside these cells and is sometimes referred to as “Free Water”.
Equilibrium Moisture Content is the moisture content that wood will eventually reach given exposure to the same conditions around the wood. Room temperature and humidity are the factors.
As an example, if a piece of wood is in a controlled environment that is a constant 70 degree Fahrenheit and 50% humidity, the wood will “Equalize” at a moisture content of 9.2%.
I used Wagner’s free App called “WoodH2O”.
Thank you,
Larry Loffer
Hello Mr. Larry Loffer,
I have been reading your interesting article. Me I have to do an experiment on a wall, I placed sensors (for temperature and relative humidity) at different depths of the wall, I would like to determine the Moisture Content at those points through determined values of relative humidity and temperature, so my question is : how is that possible? I insist on Moisture content MC and not equilibrium moisture content EMC, because I want to study the transient performance of the wall, so I am not going to wait for equilibrium at every value of relative humidity… I hope my question be clear for you.
Best regards
Tarek
Hello Tarek,
Humidity readings (ambient moisture in the air) are only useful for determining equilibrium moisture content over a long period of time. The humidity readings will not help you if you need to know the moisture content now.
I don’t know what material you wish to measure, but I assume it is wood or some other building material such as sheetrock or drywall? A moisture meter designed to measure these materials will give you percent moisture content readings as soon as they are placed on the material to be measured.
I recommend the below model for measuring many different kinds of building material:
https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/bi2200-building-inspection-moisture-meter/
Thank you
Larry
Mr. Loffer, i happened upon your article when searching information on care for a couple of 18th century wood musical instruments i own. I’ve always been hyper-aware of keeping them at a relative humidity between 40-60% (ideally nearly 50%), but i still detect big differences in how they respond at different combinations of temperature, altitude, and maybe even barometric pressure, even when the relative humidity is kept absolutely constant through humidity controls.
It was suggested to me that partial pressure water vapor might be a better way of measuring the moisture content (your EMC, i think). Can you direct me to more written about this that’s readable by layperson? Or do you have more to add?
best,
mark
Hi Mark,
As you know, wood is similar to a dense sponge. It can acquire moisture as well as give it up depending on the surrounding conditions. The Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) you referred to is the percent moisture content that wood will eventually reach given the ambient conditions remain constant.
If you have a smartphone, Wagner has a free APP that will determine the EMC based on constant humidity and temperature. It is called “Wood H2O”.
We also have a plethora of free wood articles on our website at https://www.wagnermeters.com/wood-moisture-meter/.
Thank you for your question.