Material Matters: Why You Can’t Use Wood and Concrete Meters Interchangeably

There’s a common misunderstanding that wood moisture meters can be used to measure concrete moisture, and that concrete moisture meters can be used to measure wood moisture.

But the truth is, moisture meters are specially designed to measure the moisture in a specific material.

Imagine decorating your cake with paint, or using food dye to stain a wall. Both paint and food dye color things, but they’re only designed to work on specific materials. Not only will they not work, they’ll also cause a bigger mess for you in the long run.

Measuring a material with the wrong moisture meter goes the same way.

It won’t provide you with results that are accurate to the material, and the resulting damage can lead to even greater problems, like a ruined project or even a ruined business reputation.

Let’s learn why by taking a look at:

• How wood moisture meters work
• How concrete moisture meters work
• Why these meters can’t be used interchangeably
• Choosing the right meter for the job

How Wood Moisture Meters Work

Pin meters use pins to scan materials while pinless meters use a sensor.

Wood moisture meters work in one of two ways, depending on whether they’re pin meters or pinless meters.

As you might have guessed, pin meters have pins you press into the wood. The meter releases an electric current that travels between the pins. The wood’s resistance to this electricity tells the meter how much moisture the wood contains.

But if you’re using a pinless moisture meter, all you have to do is press the meter’s sensor against the wood. The meter will then send an electromagnetic signal through the wood. This signal is received through the sensor, giving you a moisture reading.

Sounds pretty straightforward, right?

Wood moisture meters aren’t hard to use, but how well they’re able to get readings will depend on the kind of wood you’re using.

The density and chemical composition of wood varies from species to species. Both of these factors can throw off the meter’s readings.

This is why wood moisture meters must be adjusted to account for wood species.

Fortunately, high-quality meters come with species settings to fine-tune your meter to whatever wood species you’re working with. But even so, it’s only designed to work with wood. So you can’t set it to measure the moisture in concrete.

How Concrete Moisture Meters Work

Concrete moisture meters measure the upper portion of concrete slabs.

Like pinless wood moisture meters, concrete moisture meters use a flat sensor plate to get moisture readings.

But they’re constructed differently. Concrete is much more dense than wood. Wood and concrete also have completely different chemical compositions. Because wood meters aren’t designed to account for these differences, a wood moisture meter isn’t going to get accurate results.

That’s why you’ll want to use concrete moisture meters if you’re measuring concrete. They’re great at identifying areas with high moisture levels within the surface of a slab of concrete.

This makes them a handy tool for knowing where to place Rapid RH probes that you insert deep into a slab of concrete to get moisture readings from below the surface.

Why You Can’t Use Concrete and Wood Moisture Meters Interchangeably

Because so many factors affect moisture readings, it’s important to use the right moisture meter for the job.

Take wood moisture meters, for instance. Every time you’re working with a new wood species you’ll want to make sure your meter is set to the proper species setting.

Let’s say you were measuring oak with a pinless meter, but now you want to measure pine. You’ll need to change the species setting to account for different wood properties. This is because oak has a much higher density than pine.

Failure to do so could cause you to get a false reading and an inaccurate picture of the moisture condition of the wood.

If the wood’s moisture reading is too high or too low, that means the wood is unstable. It’s susceptible to shrinking, swelling, or warping, which could lead to a total project failure.

And if this kind of false reading can come from differing species of wood, imagine what would happen if you were trying to measure a different material altogether.

Floor coverings could end up cupping, buckling, or delaminating.

And if you fail to use the right meter on wood or concrete projects you won’t only be risking your project. You’ll be risking your reputation in the field.

Repurposing a meter to measure other materials may seem like a smart way to save money. But, in reality, fixing the fallout of an inaccurate moisture reading can end up costing you much more.

So don’t waste your materials, money, and time. And don’t put your reputation in jeopardy.

Start on the right foot by using the right moisture meter for the material you’re measuring.

Choosing the Right Meter for the Job

Rapid RH L6 in-situ probes measure deep into concrete slabs.

As you can guess, if you’re working with wood, you’ll want to use a wood moisture meter.

And if you’re working with concrete, the right meter for you to use is a concrete moisture meter.

While wood moisture meters can be used on their own in certain cases, concrete moisture meters are best used alongside relative humidity (RH) testing. This is because ASTM standards have only approved RH testing as the final determination for whether a subfloor is dry enough for a floor covering to be installed over it.

Some floor covering manufacturers allow concrete moisture meter readings to be the final word, but you’ll want to verify this with the manufacturer before you proceed.

Whether you’re working with wood or concrete subfloors, you should look for quality meters like our C555 concrete moisture meter or our Orion 950 pinless wood moisture meter.

Some meters even come with extra bells and whistles to help you get the job done easier.

These include features like:

• Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to share moisture data to an app
• Meter-compatible apps to store moisture data
• The ability to calculate EMC and relative humidity

At Wagner Meters, we’re committed to helping you find the right moisture meter for your project. If you have any questions, consult our customer service team at 844-879-5504.

You can also find more information on wood and concrete moisture by visiting our wood blog or our concrete moisture blog.

Looking for a moisture meter? Check out our store to see what we have to offer.