Methods for determination of duration of surface moisture and presence of water in gaps in wood joints

If water stays on wood surfaces or is trapped in gaps, the wood is supplied with water for a long period of time and high local moisture contents are reached. This can lead to decay by rot fungi, and it is therefore important to avoid such water traps in order to limit the decay rate. This paper presents two methods: one for determination of duration of surface moisture on wood surfaces and one for determination of duration of water trapped in gaps in wood joints. Both these methods are based on electrical conductance measurements that are commonly used to measure moisture content of wood. Both sensor types consist of insulating tubing, electrically conductive adhesive and copper wire. The sensors monitor the presence of moisture on the actual material surface, and because of their small size, they do not influence the amount and duration of moisture that stays on the surface or in the gap.