Using a multimeter to measure wood moisture

Next I
researched
how moisture
meters
actually work
on the web. I
found that all
they do is
measure DC
electrical
resistance of
the wood, and
use that to
calculate
moisture
content. So I
figured, why
not just use a
multimeter to measure the resistance and calculate the moisture content myself?
The catch with this is that a typical multimeter will read up to about 20 megohms in
resistance mode, and the resistance between the two probes for any "normal"
moisture content is often in the hundreds of megohms. So the multimeter wouldn't be
able to measure it.

But there is a
trick to
measuring
much higher
resistance
with a cheap
multimeter.
Most of these
multimeters,
when in
voltage
measurement
mode, have
an internal
resistance of about 10 megohms. That is to say, the meter itself is like a 10 megohm
resistor that just happens to display the voltage across it. I checked, using another
multimeter, that this meter was one of those with the 10 megohm resistance.
So now if I use a 9-volt battery, and hook the volt meter and my wood probes in
series with each other, the voltage drop across my meter and the wood will be equal

to the 9 volts from the battery. And the voltage drops across the meter and the
probes will be in the same proportion as their resistances.

Knowing that
current is
equal to
voltage
divided by
resistance,
and that the
current
through each
element is the
same, we can
express this
as:
V V
Cu Vbat met woo
rre
er
d
= =
nt Rmeter R R
= +Rwo met woo
od

er

For example,
if the wood
between the probes has an 80 megohm resistance, my meter has a 10 megohms
resistance, and my battery is 9 volts, I should see an 8 volt drop across the wood
and a 1 volt drop across the meter. So if my meter reads 1 volt, I know that the
resistance is 80 megohms.
Vbat = Vmeter + Vwood Now, through a bunch of algebraic manipulation, we can solve for
Rwood as a
function of
known
variables Vbat,
Vmeter and Rmet
er:
Rwood = Rmeter

By taping and
connecting a
nine volt
battery to one

( VV

bat

meter

- 1 <b

of the probes, we can now measure the voltage across the meter with the probes
(two nails in the wood) in series with the meter.
With the meter indicating 3.33 volts, we can solve for a resistance of 17 megohms.

Now we can use the following resistance data to convert that to wood moisture
content.
This graph was generated from the data below.

The average electrical resistance along the grain of several species of wood at
different levels of moisture content1
Source:http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr06.pdf

Wood
species

Moisture content
7

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Conifers
Baldcypr 12,60
1,41
12
18. 11.
3.0 1.7 1.2 0.9 0.6 0.5 0.4
3,980
630 265
60 33
7.1 4.6
ess
0
0
0
6 2
9 8 6 1 6 1 2
Douglas- 22,40 4,780 1,66 630 265 12 60 33 18. 11. 7.1 4.6 3.0 2.1 1.5 1.1 0.7 0.6 0.4

fir (coast
0
region)
Fir,
31,60
Californi
6,760
0
a red
57,60 15,85
Fir, white
0
0
Hemlock,
120,0
eastern
00
Hemlock, 22,90
5,620
western
0
Larch,
39,80 11,20
western
0
0
450,0 52,00
Pine, jack
00
0
Pine,
25,00
8,700
longleaf
0
700,0 100,0
Pine, red
00
00
Pine,
20,90
5,620
white
0
Pine,
39,80
ponderos
8,910
0
a
Pine,
43,60 11,75
shortleaf
0
0
Pine,
22,90
5,250
sugar
0
22,40
Redwood
4,680
0
Spruce,
700,0 90,00
black
00
0
Spruce,
22,40
5,890
Sitka
0
Hardwoo
ds
Ash,
black
Ash,
white2
Aspen,
bigtooth
Basswoo
d2
Birch2
Birch,

14,00
0
12,00
0
300,0
00
36,30
0
87,00
0
200,0

2,00
15
28. 18. 11.
5.0 3.3 2.2 1.5 1.1 0.8 0.6
725 315
83 48
7.6
0
0
8 2 8
1 1 9 8 5 3 3
3,98 1,12
415
0 0
20,0 4,30 1,30
00 0 0
2,04
850 400
0
3,98 1,44
560
0 5
9,50 2,80 1,00
0 0 0
3,16 1,32
575
0 0
17,0 4,30 1,30
00 0 0
2,09
850 405
0

18
0
45
0
18
5
25
0
44
0
27
0
47
0
20
0

26. 16.
4.4 3.0 2.1 1.5 1.1 0.8 0.6
11 6.6
9 6
7 2 4 5 2 6 2
10
0.7 0.5
45 25 14 8.8 5.4 3.5 2.3 1.6 1.1
0
8 7
28. 16.
3.8 2.5 1.5 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.3
51
10 6
2 2
9 2 8 5 2 1 7
33. 19. 12.
5.0 3.3 2.2 1.6
0.8 0.6
63
7.6
1.2
9 9 3
2 9 9 2
7 6
11
0.9
60 35 21 13 8.8 5.8 3.8 2.6 1.8 1.3
0
8
41.
14.
5.7 3.7 2.4 1.6 1.1 0.7
74
24
8.9
0.6
7
4
6 2 6 6 5 9
10
0.9 0.6
52 28 16 10 6.8 4.4 2.8 1.9 1.2
0
1 7
33. 19. 12.
5.0 3.3 2.1 1.5 1.0 0.7 0.5
58
7.9
1 9 3
1 1 9 1 5 4 2

83 46
20
0
98
12
0
21
0
13
5
21
0
10
2

3,31 1,41
30 15
44. 25. 14.
5.6 3.5 2.3 1.6 1.1 0.8 0.6
645
81
9.1
0 0
0 0
7 1 8
2 5 4 2 5 7 9
3,72 1,35
560
0 0
1,66
645 280
0
1,55
615 250
0
16,0 4,30 1,40
00 0 0
2,14
830 365
0

25
5
14
0
10
0
58
0
16
5

13
38.
69
0
9
25.
76 44
7
12.
45 22
6
25 12
68
0 0
25.
83 44
1

2,300 600 200 85 40 20 10

22. 13.
5.7
2.6 1.8 1.2 0.9 0.6
8.7
3.8
4 8
6
3 2 9 3 6
15.
4.3 3.0 2.0 1.4 1.0 0.7 0.5
10 6.6
9
6 2 9 8 5 5 6
2.2 1.7 1.3 1.0 0.8 0.7
7.2 4.7 3.2
0.6
9 4 2 5 5 1
38 23 14 9.6 6.3 4.3

15.
4.2 3.0 2.1 1.5 1.1 0.9 0.7
9.8 6.3
5
7 2 4 8 7 1 1

0.4
2
0.8 0.6
9 3
0.8
1.3
8
1.3 0.9
2 3
3.5 2.5
5 1
2.5 1.7

6 3.4 2.1 1.3 0.9 0.6

2,190 690 250 105 55 28 14 8.3

3 2.1 1.4

1.3
2

5 3.1

5 3.2

24,00 4,00 1,10

15
360
60 30 16 8.6
0
0 0
0

1.8
6
19,95 4,47 1,29
20
30. 18. 11.
5.1
470
96 53
7.6
0
0 0
0
2 2 5
3
24,00 5,00 1,40 550 23 11 57 30 17 10 6 4
1,740 470 180 85 45 27 16 9.6 6.2 4.1 2.8

0.3 0.2
0.1
0.2
2 5
7
0.4
0.5
0.4 0.4
4
0.6 0.4 0.3 0.2
1 3 3 6
0.6 0.5 0.3 0.3
9 1 9 1
1.7 1.3 0.9
0.7
8 2 5
1.1 0.8 0.5 0.4

paper
00
0
Elm,
18,20
2,000
American
0
31,60
Hickory2
0
43,70 12,60
Magnolia
0
0
Maple,
72,40 13,80
sugar
0
0
Oak,
14,40
northern
4,790
0
red4
Oak,
17,40
3,550
white
0
Walnut, 51,30
9,770
black
0
Exotic
hardwoo
ds
Philippin
e
mahogan
y
Sweetgu
m
Tupelo,
black4
Yellowpoplar
Khaya3

2,890
38,00
0
31,70
0
24,00
0
44,60
0

0 0

350 110 45 20 12 7 3.9

2,19
340 115 50 21 11 6.3
0
5,01 2,04
43 20 10 56.
910
0 0
5 5 5 2
3,16
10
16.
690 250
53 29
0
5
6

0.6 0.4 0.4

2.3 1.5 1
6 8 2
0.7 0.5
3.7 2.3 1.5 1
1 2
29. 16.
5.2 3.0 1.8
9.1
5 2
5 9 6
10.
3.1 2.2 1.6
6.8 4.5
2
6 4 2

12,60
0
8,320
16,20
0

0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4

0.4
0.4 0.4 0.4
4
1.1 0.7
0.3
0.5
7 4
2
1.2 0.9 0.7
0.6
3 8 5

1,59
12
18. 11.
3.0 2.0 1.4 0.9
0.6
630 265
63 32
7.3 4.6
0.8
0.5
0
5
2 3
2 9 5 5
3
1,10
12.
1.1 0.7
0.4 0.4 0.4
415 170 80 42 22
7.2 4.3 2.7 1.7
0.6
0
6
5 9
9 4 1
2,63
15
22. 12.
3.1 2.1 1.4 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.3
890 355
78 41
7.3 4.9
0
5
4 9
6 4 8 2 2 1 8

690 220 80 35 15 9 5 2.8 1.7 1.1 0.7

6,460

2,09
815 345
0
5,02 1,82
725
0 0
3,17 1,26
525
0 0
6,31 2,75 1,26
0 0 0

16
0
27
5
25
0
63
0

25.
7
27.
58
6
43.
76
7
18 10
0 5

81 45
12
0
14
0
34
0

15.
9.3
1

0.4
0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0
0.3
5
1 6 2 9 7

3.9
8
2.1
13 6.9 3.7
9
25. 14.
5.7
8.7
2 5
6
60. 35. 21. 14.
2 5 9 1
6

2.6 1.7
3 8
1.3 0.9
8 5
3.8 2.6
1 4
9.3 6.1
3 6

1.2 0.8 0.6 0.4

6 7 3 6
0.6 0.4 0.3 0.2
3 6 3 5
1.9 1.3
0.8
1.1
1 9
5
4.1 2.8 1.9 1.4
7 2 9 4

Mahogan
y
20,90
2,29
18
22. 12.
2.6 1.6 1.0 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.2
6,760
870 380
85 43
7.2 4.4
(Swieteni
0
0
0
4 3
9 6 7 2 9 5 6
a)
1

Resistance measured in megohms at 80F (27 C) between two pairs of needle

electrodes spaced 1-1/4 inches apart and driven to a depth of 5/16 inch. The
reciprocals of these data are conductance in micro siemens.
2
Exact species unknown.
3
Known in the trade as African mahogany.
4
The values for this species were calculated from measurements on veneer.
You can also Download the Excel spreadsheet of this data
Unfortunately, the source data only indicates the depth of penetration, but not the
actual diameter of the probes used to make the measurements. Much of the

resistance is actually from the region nearest to the probes, as the cross sectional
area that the electricity can flow across is only as large as the surface of the probes.
For the distance between the probes, the current can spread over a much larger
area. So the shape of the probes is actually more critical than the distance between
probes.
I figured a reasonable probe diameter would be a small nail. I'm using nails with 1.85
mm (.073") diameter. The next challenge is to drive the nails the same distance into
the wood as was done for the source data above. I needed a penetration of 5/16" or
8 mm.
The easiest way to get the depth and spacing consistent was to make a block of
wood that was 8 mm shorter than the nails, with two holes that the nails loosely fit
into.

The idea is to use the block as depth stop when driving the nails into the wood. The
block of wood is then removed to take a resistance reading between the two nails.
An interesting property of wood is that for moisture content below 20%, resistance
goes up almost exponentially with decreasing moisture content. Getting the
resistance reading wrong by a factor of two will only throw the calculated moisture
content off by about a percent. So getting the probe size and penetration depth
exactly right is not that important. I did some experiments though and the resistance
between the probes drops inversely with penetration depth. So if you want to get a
deeper moisture reading, drive the nails 16 mm into the wood, then double your
resistance reading to compensate for the deeper penetration before looking it up on
the above table.
The approach can also be simplified by pre-calculating the whole table in terms of
voltage readings on the multimeter. I recalculated the table for readings below 20%
moisture content, so now all you have to do is look up the voltage on the table below
to get the moisture content.
Voltage reading for cheap 10-megohm impedance meter in series with wood
probes
This is for two probes about 1.8 mm in diameter, 32 millimeters apart, with 8 mm
penetration.
Wood
Moisture content
species
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Conifers
Baldcypress 0.007 0.023 0.063 0.141 0.327 0.692 1.286 2.093 3.147 4.245 5.263 6.164 6.875
Douglas-fir
(coast
0.004 0.019 0.054 0.141 0.327 0.692 1.286 2.093 3.147 4.245 5.263 6.164 6.875
region)
Fir,
0.003 0.013 0.045 0.122 0.277 0.563 0.968 1.552 2.320 3.191 4.128 5.114 5.996

California
red
Fir, white
Hemlock,
eastern
Hemlock,
western
Larch,
western
Pine, jack
Pine,
longleaf
Pine, red
Pine, white
Pine,
ponderosa
Pine,
shortleaf
Pine, sugar
Redwood
Spruce,
black
Spruce,
Sitka

0.002 0.006 0.023 0.080 0.212 0.474 0.968 1.607 2.439 3.383 4.286 5.422 6.220
0.001 0.004 0.021 0.069 0.196 0.429 0.818 1.636 2.571 3.750 4.787 5.844
0.004 0.016 0.044 0.105 0.220 0.462 0.833 1.475 2.356 3.435 4.500 5.625 6.479
0.002 0.008 0.023 0.062 0.158 0.346 0.692 1.233 2.050 3.010 4.036 5.114 5.992
0.000 0.002 0.009 0.032 0.089 0.200 0.409 0.750 1.286 2.000 2.903 3.913 4.787
0.004 0.010 0.028 0.068 0.154 0.321 0.621 1.071 1.741 2.647 3.689 4.762 5.711
0.000 0.001 0.005 0.021 0.069 0.188 0.409 0.818 1.452 2.368 3.462 4.500 5.357
0.004 0.016 0.043 0.105 0.217 0.429 0.804 1.324 2.088 3.010 4.036 5.028 5.996
0.002 0.010 0.027 0.063 0.137 0.290 0.563 0.989 1.645 2.564 3.629 4.712 5.762
0.002 0.008 0.024 0.066 0.158 0.340 0.643 1.139 1.840 2.778 3.782 4.813 5.711
0.004 0.017 0.054 0.137 0.310 0.600 1.047 1.667 2.521 3.475 4.500 5.422 6.267
0.004 0.019 0.058 0.144 0.346 0.818 1.636 2.813 3.982 5.233 6.122 6.818 7.323
0.000 0.001 0.006 0.021 0.064 0.153 0.346 0.692 1.154 1.875 2.727 3.750 4.592
0.004 0.015 0.042 0.107 0.240 0.514 0.968 1.667 2.564 3.529 4.545 5.521 6.307

Hardwoods
Ash, black 0.006 0.039 0.148 0.429 0.947 1.800 3.000 4.500 5.625 6.716 7.438 7.965 8.257
Ash, white2 0.007 0.041 0.129 0.346 0.783 1.385 2.368 3.750 4.918 6.000 6.818 7.500 7.951
Aspen,
0.000 0.004 0.022 0.081 0.243 0.563 1.286 2.250 3.462 4.839 6.000 6.870 7.500
bigtooth
Basswood2 0.002 0.051 0.188 0.474 0.947 1.636 2.432 3.462 4.592 5.556 6.383 7.031 7.589
Birch2
0.001 0.005 0.020 0.069 0.188 0.429 0.849 1.429 2.239 3.191 4.186 5.114 5.948
Birch, paper 0.000 0.004 0.018 0.064 0.161 0.375 0.750 1.343 2.250 3.333 4.500 5.625 6.429
Elm,
0.005 0.045 0.250 0.750 1.636 3.000 4.091 5.294 6.475 7.317 7.826 8.182 8.443
American
Hickory2
0.003 0.041 0.257 0.720 1.500 2.903 4.286 5.521 6.569 7.317 7.826 8.182
Magnolia 0.002 0.007 0.018 0.044 0.098 0.202 0.419 0.783 1.360 2.278 3.435 4.712 5.902
Maple,
0.001 0.007 0.028 0.129 0.346 0.783 1.429 2.308 3.383 4.455 5.357 6.207 6.839
sugar
Oak,
northern
0.006 0.019 0.056 0.141 0.327 0.667 1.233 2.143 3.191 4.225 5.202 6.164 6.912
red4
Oak, white 0.005 0.025 0.081 0.212 0.500 1.000 1.731 2.813 3.982 5.233 6.294 7.087 7.692
Walnut,
0.002 0.009 0.034 0.100 0.247 0.545 1.023 1.765 2.778 3.930 5.202 6.040 6.839
black
Exotic

hardwoods
Philippine
mahogany
Sweetgum
Tupelo,
black4
Yellowpoplar
Khaya
Mahogany
(Swietenia)

0.031 0.129 0.391 1.000 2.000 3.600 4.737 6.000 7.031 7.692 8.108 8.411 8.612
0.002 0.014 0.043 0.109 0.254 0.529 0.989 1.636 2.521 3.586 4.663 5.625 6.438
0.003 0.007 0.018 0.049 0.122 0.316 0.692 1.324 2.394 3.913 5.325 6.569 7.383
0.004 0.011 0.028 0.071 0.168 0.346 0.600 1.047 1.676 2.557 3.673 4.813 5.711
0.002 0.006 0.014 0.033 0.071 0.141 0.257 0.474 0.783 1.282 1.978 2.821 3.734
0.004 0.013 0.039 0.102 0.231 0.474 0.947 1.698 2.778 4.036 5.233 6.250 7.092

You can also Download the Excel spreadsheet of this data

Note that cheap moisture meters don't even allow you to specify the wood species
that is being measured. This causes a little bit of inaccuracy in the meters, but not
too much. If you look at the resistance table (first table in this article), you will see
that even though the resistance between species varies a lot, if you take a specific
resistance and look it up in each row of the table, the closest values tend to be in the
same or adjoining columns. So even if you get the species wrong, this will only result
in an error of about one or two percent.
I used the above table to do a few spot check comparisons with my cheap meter,
and they come out pretty close. Though realistically, I think I'd trust my method more
than the cheap moisture meter.