Interest in mass timber and its advantages has surged, yet with any innovation comes challenges—and one particular challenge for mass timber is moisture protection during construction. Cases in which exposed floor and roof panels resulted in elevated wood moisture content have highlighted the significance of addressing drying limitations in mass timber projects.
This session will help you understand the risks and impacts associated with moisture exposure of mass timber during the design and construction phases and provide evaluation insights and recommendations for risk reduction. You’ll discover a three-step process for moisture management that emphasizes assembly selection, exposure risk assessment, and material determination for on-site and factory-installed protection.
A real-world case study will reinforce these strategies to help you better understand and manage the practical moisture challenges in mass timber construction.
What you’ll learn
- Explain why mass timber floors and roofs are at special risk of moisture exposure during the design and construction phases.
- Recognize the effects of elevated moisture content on the durability of mass timber floor and roof assemblies.
- Identify potential solutions to mitigate the risk of exposing mass timber to moisture during the design and construction phases.
- Identify the best strategy for moisture management during a mass timber project’s design phase based on project-specific conditions.
- Outline a three-step approach to moisture management that emphasizes on-site and factory-installed protection.
- Recognize whether moisture management strategies have been implemented during the construction phases of a mass timber project.
