The wood-moisture chart I found behind a fridge in a tear-out

I was ripping out an old kitchen last Tuesday in Eugene and found this faded chart taped to the side of the fridge cabinet. It said pine at 12% moisture will move about 1/8 inch across a 12 inch board when it hits 8%. I'd been dealing with seasonal gaps on outdoor furniture for like 8 years, never once thought to track this. I snapped a photo and now I check moisture levels before every glue-up, not just when the wood feels damp. Guy who built that cabinet back in 2003 probably never knew his chart would save my edge joints. Anyone else got a random tip from a tear-out that stuck with you?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jenny20d ago

I mean, that's a cool find and all, but 1/8 inch over a foot? That sounds like a lot of fuss for something you probably can't even see with the naked eye. I've glued up plenty of boards without checking moisture and they've held fine for years. Maybe you were just using bad glue or clamping too tight before. Unless you're building furniture for a museum, I don't see the big deal.

victorb1719d agoTop Commenter

You've glued up plenty of boards and they held fine" tells me you've been lucky, not good. That 1/8 inch is exactly what you can see over a long run, and it's even worse once the wood decides to move six months later. Nobody checks moisture for fun. It's because wood doesn't care about your track record. Go ahead and keep skipping it. Your call.