Construction Drying Basics

Most construction schedules cannot tolerate waiting a day or two to apply a new layer of mud. To enable the drywall subcontractor to apply a new layer daily, the General Contractor must consider temperature, relative humidity, and airflow. Temporary systems can achieve dry times between 12 and 15 hours, maintaining or accelerating the job’s schedule via overnight dry times.

Interior finishes require installation and protection at their Standard Service Life Conditions (SSLC) for proper physical appearance and functionality. Hardwoods and millwork can warp, cup, and expand with minimal variances in conditions. Climate control can maintain a consistent environment to preserve materials, avoiding tear-out, reconstruction, and long delays.

Wood used in a structure must be at or below a certain moisture content to be considered dry. At certain times of the year, this can be achieved via ambient conditions and air movement. However, most climates and job schedules cannot simply ‘let the weather’ dry the wood materials. Schedule delays due to excess moisture in a wood frame can be difficult to recover from. This will be multiplied exponentially in the event of mold forming. To help avoid these issues, find a partner who can provide dehumidification, heat options, and regular moisture mapping to prove that the materials are at specifications.

Flooring materials and adhesives have varying moisture tolerances, yet the vast majority of construction schedules are unable to achieve this relative humidity level in the slabs via ambient conditions. To avoid costly vapor sealers and downtime during application, custom temporary dehumidification systems can remove moisture to achieve spec. This allows for installation of flooring without compromising the manufacturer’s warranty, while simultaneously drying building materials in the rest of the space.

Explore the benefits of effective construction drying >

Benefits of desiccant dehumidification

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Construction Drying Basics

Explore the benefits of effective construction drying >

Speed up the drying of mud, paint, and finishes

Stabilize interior hardwoods and millwork

Dry out and acclimate wood framing and mass timber

Mitigate moisture for concrete slabs and gypcrete

Benefits of desiccant dehumidification

Smarten up your project with Polygon