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Sampling For Oven Dry Testing
Oven dry testing provides the most accurate method of determining the moisture contents of timber flooring or timber subfloors. However, it is important that samples are correctly obtained and sent to atfa so as to minimise moisture loss.
Testing is carried out in accordance with AS 1080.1 Timber – Methods of test – Method 1: Moisture Content, and as such the procedures of the standard which includes transport of samples must be followed. Failure to do so can cause less meaningful results. Also note that oven dry testing is the only recognised method for testing particleboard and plywood subfloors. Oven dry testing is also necessary where either the timber species is not known or meter corrections are not available.
To obtain best results just follow the 5 steps below:
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1.
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Samples need to be representative of either a specific floor area of concern or in the case of a pack of flooring, the samples need to capture the variation present.
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2.
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From flooring packs or the jobsite, view the end of boards and choose some wider boards as well as some narrower boards. If some boards are cupped include these. If from packs select some outside boards as well as some from within the pack. Boards that are cupped or where cover widths vary by more than 1 mm (80 mm wide boards) can be indicative of higher moisture content flooring at the time of installation.
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3.
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Provided the variation present can be captured, six samples each from different boards will provide a reasonable representation. If the flooring is all close to its nominal cover width (e.g. 80 mm ± 0.5 mm), then five samples from different boards including outside and inside boards from packs will suffice. Outside boards should be labeled as such. Do not use packing boards.
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4.
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Test samples are not to be from within 400 mm of the end of a board and where possible should be 300 mm in length.
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5.
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Samples are to be individually ‘plastic wrapped’ or put in separate sealed plastic bags. Samples should also be stored in cool conditions prior to dispatch to ATFA, 7 Coachwood Court, Mackenzie, QLD 4156 or in Western Australia please send to 42 Omalley st Osborne Park WA 6017 with a
copy of your request form.
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300 mm long wrapped samples sent to ATFA
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Smaller sections cut, weighed and placed in oven for at least 24 hours
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After a sample’s mass becomes constant the moisture content is calculated from its change in mass
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Request For Oven Dry Testing
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DOWNLOAD OVEN DRY TESTING FORM
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