ASTM D 4442-07

Standard Test Methods for Direct Moisture

Content Measurement of Wood and Wood-
Based Materials
 Wood has been
used as a building
material for
thousands of years,
being second only
to stone in terms of
its rich and storied
history in the world
of construction.
MOISTURE CONTENT
It is the amount of water
contained in the wood. 
 It is hygroscopic, it gains or loses
water moisture as the relative
humidity (RH) of the surrounding air
changes.
 RELATIVE MOISTURE WOOD
HUMIDITY = CONTENT = EXPANDS
INCREASES INCREASES

RELATIVE MOISTURE
HUMIDITY = CONTENT = WOOD
SHRINKS
DECREASES DECREASES

When the wood neither gains nor loses moisture, we say that
the wood has reached its equilibrium moisture content (EMC).
 Laboratory test should be executed to
ensure that the wood, prior to its use in
construction, must be free from
objectionable defects and free from
moisture that will cause it to shrink
further develop cracks. 
 Method A—Primary
Oven-Drying Method
ASTM Method B—Secondary
Standard Oven-Drying Method 
D 4442- Method C—Distillation
07 (Secondary) Method
Method D—Other
Secondary Methods.
Apparatus/
Materials:

OVEN 
Apparatus/
Materials:

BALANCE
Apparatus/
Materials:

WOOD
SPECIMEN
Apparatus/
Materials:

RULER/
MEASURING
TAPE
 PROCEDURE

• In the oven-drying method, specimens are taken

from representative boards or pieces of a
quantity. Obtain the specimens at least 500 mm
(20 in.) from the end of the pieces. They should
be free from knots and other irregularities. 
 PROCEDURE

• To prevent drying or uptake of moisture, weigh

each specimen immediately. If the specimen
cannot be weighed immediately, place it in a
plastic bag or tightly wrapped in metal foil to
protect it from moisture change until it can be
weighed. 
 PROCEDURE

• After weighing, place the specimen in an oven

heated to 101 to 105 °C (214 to 221 °F), and
keep it there until no appreciable weight change
occurs in 4-h weighing interval.
CALCULATION:

WHERE:
A = original mass, g
B = oven-dry mass, g
 EXAMPLE
A specimen of wood weighs 56.70 g.
After oven-drying, the mass is 52.30
g.
 SOLUTION:

GIVEN:

• A = 56.70 g 
• B = 52.30 g
What are Acceptable Moisture Levels in
Wood?

6% to 8% for interior 

 9% to 14% for exterior wood or for
building envelope components within
constructed assemblies 
 The acceptable moisture content in wood
depends on two factors:

The average RH
of the
The wood’s final
environment
use.
where the wood
will be used.
 Moisture Content of Wood and Lumber
from a Builder’s Perspective
• Using wood with a moisture content above 14% isn’t
recommended because it may have detrimental long-term
effects on the construction.
• In fact, according to M. Steven Doggett, Ph.D. LEED AP,
the founder of Built Environments, Inc., wood moisture
content as high as 15% can cause corrosion of metal
fasteners and at 16% may lead to fungal growth.
Moisture Content of Wood and Lumber from a Builder’s Perspective

• When it comes to the moisture content of plywood or

dimensional lumber, an MC of 17% to 19% reduces
the overall strength of plywood, and an MC of 20% or
more reduces the strength of dimensional lumber.
 Moisture Content of Wood and Lumber from a Builder’s Perspective

• A study by Imamura and Kiguchi (1999) showed that wood

moisture content in excess of 20% can cause a 5% loss of
nail shank diameter in four years and a projected 25% loss
in 30 years. 
• The same study showed a 40% loss in joint strength and
concluded that a 20% MC may significantly
compromise shear resistance of exterior walls.