Pair width and moisture in one dated record
Assign the part a stable ID before collecting inputs. Record its cross-grain width, the wood moisture reading, the date, storage location and relevant instrument settings in the same note. Reusing a width measured before a substantial moisture change breaks the relationship between the two inputs. If a project is being revisited after transport, identify which measurements were refreshed and which are still drawing assumptions. The notes field accepts a concise record; keep detailed photographs or supplier documentation in your own project files and refer to their names.
Separate wood moisture from room relative humidity
Wood moisture content describes water relative to the oven-dry wood mass. Relative humidity describes the surrounding air. Oklahoma State University Extension explains both moisture measurement and the exchange of moisture with the environment. An indoor sensor reading of 45% RH therefore does not belong in the current-MC field. This planner accepts wood MC directly; it does not contain an RH-to-equilibrium calculator. Use a documented measurement or a suitable independently established wood-moisture scenario, and state which kind of evidence supports each value.
Use the instructions for the instrument in hand
Record the meter model and follow its own operating instructions, including the relevant species and temperature settings when specified. Keep the measurement locations consistent enough that another reading can be compared. If different places on the part disagree, preserve those readings instead of hiding the variation behind one rounded number. This tool accepts a single current value and cannot describe a moisture gradient or certify meter accuracy. When the disagreement matters to the fit, resolve the measurement method and stock condition before treating one reading as the baseline.
Give each service endpoint a reason
Write a short explanation for the dry and wet values: a documented indoor operating range, repeat project-site measurements, or a clearly labeled planning scenario. Identify the actual destination rather than assuming the shop and installation site are interchangeable. A brief weather report does not establish the long-term condition of a heated or cooled interior. If no service evidence is available, compare plausible scenarios with their assumptions visible and retain the need for further measurement. The default 6–12% example is an editable demonstration, not a climate recommendation.
Review the current value against the envelope
The tool requires dry endpoint ≤ current value ≤ wet endpoint, with all three inside 6–14%. This is an explicit input contract that makes “expansion from now” and “shrinkage from now” easy to interpret. If the current reading sits outside the proposed envelope, broaden the scenario to include it or reassess the project inputs. Do not change a genuine measured reading simply to make the form accept it. If a relevant value lies outside 6–14%, the planner stops; a different dimensional-change method is needed for that job.
Preserve a useful revision trail
Include a drawing revision or part batch in the label and a dated explanation in notes. Export the CSV after reviewing the values; it records both the inputs and the calculated endpoints in millimeters. Export JSON when you need to reopen the editable draft on another browser. The planner automatically keeps valid changes in local storage when available, but it has one current draft rather than a history of inspections. Keep separate files for distinct measurement dates instead of assuming that a later edit will retain the earlier state.
Revisit the record when the physical context changes
Transport, a new storage location, an altered opening or a different part can make an earlier calculation a poor fit for the current decision. Repeat the relevant observations and create a new export with a clear label. This workflow does not specify an acclimation duration or certify readiness after a number of days. Use the existing moisture-acclimation checklist to organize the release evidence and the physical stock review. Close the loop by recording any measured change that differs from the scenario, while keeping the original calculation available for comparison.
Sources and method boundary
Oklahoma State University Extension: Dimensional Changes in Wood — Definitions of wood moisture content, moisture exchange and measurement methods. The planner does not use the green-to-oven-dry shrinkage table on this page. Checked 2026-10-11.
USDA Wood Handbook, Chapter 13 (2021) — The 6–14% applicability boundary belongs to the dimensional-change coefficient model, rather than to every wood project or every measurement instrument. Checked 2026-10-11.