×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Test Method for Wood Plank Roof

Test Method for Wood Plank Roof

Test Method for Wood Plank Roof

(OP)
I have an older manufacturing facility with a wood plank decking roof covered with a layer of gravel and tar and metal sheathing on top. The insurance company has asked for an analysis of the decking to determine if any needs to be replaced due to moisture content or deterioration. Is there a proven method to test for such damage, without completely tearing the roof apart and taking samples?     

RE: Test Method for Wood Plank Roof

You can do a couple of things...

1.  You can try infrared thermography; however, the metal  sheathing (that's unusual..why is it there?) will give you a problem. You might have to do it from underneath.

2.  Check the moisture content of the wood using a portable moisture meter, calibrated for wood.  If the moisture content does not exceed 15 percent (theoretically, 19 percent is the point at which wood destroying organisms can prevail), then you do not likely have a moisture deterioration issue.

3.  Probe for "pucky" areas of wood.  Using an ice pick or similar device, see if you have inordinately soft spots in the wood. If you find them, determine their cause through sampling and testing.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources