Australian Species Correction Tables

Why Australian timbers need their own corrections

Resistance moisture meters sold in Australia are almost always calibrated to Oregon (Douglas Fir). Australian hardwoods are considerably denser — many are close to double the density of Oregon — and they read differently at the same moisture content.

Using a meter on Spotted Gum or Ironbark without applying a species correction will give you a reading that is wrong, sometimes by several percent. On a flooring job that is the difference between laying and not laying.

These tables are published by the Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA) and CSIRO. If your meter has Australian species settings built in, use them and ignore these tables.

How to use these tables

Take the meter reading.
Apply the temperature correction from Table 1. Note this is wood temperature, not air temperature.
Apply the species correction from Table 2 to the temperature-corrected figure.

The order matters. Applying the species correction first will give a different answer.

Table 1 — Temperature correction factors for resistance moisture meters

This is wood temperature, not air temperature. On a cold slab or in a hot roof space the two can differ substantially.

Meter Reading %	8%	10%	12%	14%	16%	18%	20%	22%	24%
Wood Temperature	Temperature correction to be added to or subtracted from meter reading before applying the species correction factor
15 deg C	Nil	Nil	+1	+1	+1	+1	+2	-	-
20 deg C	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	-
25 deg C	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-
30 deg C	-1	-1	-1	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2

Table 2 — Australian species correction factors for resistance moisture meters

Resistance meters are generally calibrated to Oregon (Douglas Fir). Apply these species corrections after the temperature correction. Density figures are at 12% moisture content.

This table contains common species only. Refer to AS 1080.1 and FWPRDC report PN01.1306 for a fuller list. The tabled figures are based on the Deltron moisture meter; figures may differ for other meters — refer to FWPRDC report PN01.1306.

Moisture Reading %	8 %	10%	12%	14%	16%	18%	20%	22%	24%	Density
Species	Resistance meters are generally calibrated to Oregon (Douglas Fir). Apply the following species corrections after temperature correction.									At 12% MC
Oregon (Douglas Fir)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	550
Australian Hardwoods
Yellow Stringybark (NSW)	+4	+4	+3	+3	+2	+2	+1	+1	0	900
Red Ironbark Broad Leaved & Red (NSW)	+4	+3	+3	+3	+2	+2	+2	+1	+1	1100
Grey Ironbark (Qld)	+3	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+1	1105
Forest Red Gum - Blue Gum (Qld)	+3	+2	+2	+2	+2	+1	+1	+1	0	1000
White Mahogany – Honey Mahog. (Qld)	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	1000
River Red Gum (Vic regrowth)	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	No data	No data	900
Rose Gum - Flooded Gum (Qld & NSW)	+2	+2	+2	+1	+1	0	0	0	0	750
Sydney Blue Gum (NSW)	+2	+2	+1	+1	0	0	-1	-1	-1	850
Blackbutt (Qld & NSW)	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	900
Turpentine (Qld & NSW)	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	0	950
Blackbutt (NSW regrowth)	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	0	0	0	No data	900
Grey Ironbark (NSW)	+1	+1	+1	+1	0	0	0	0	0	1100
Red Ironbark Narrow Leaved (Qld)	+1	+1	+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1090
Blackwood (Tas)	+1	+1	0	0	0	-1	-1	-2	-2	640
Myrtle (Tas)	+1	+1	0	0	-1	-1	-2	-2	-2	700
Spotted Gum (Qld Citridora)	+1	0	-1	-1	-2	-3	-3	-4	-5	1100
Shining Gum (Vic)	+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	-1	-1	700
Jarrah (WA regrowth)	0	0	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	No data	780
Grey Gum (Qld & NSW)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1050
Tallowwood (Qld & NSW)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1000
Alpine Ash (Vic & Tas regrowth)	0	0	0	0	0	0	-1	-1	No data	650
Mountain Ash (Vic & Tas regrowth)	0	0	0	0	0	0	-1	-1	No data	650
Messmate (Vic & Tas regrowth)	0	0	0	0	-1	-1	-1	-1	-2	750
Southern Blue Gum (SA plantation)	0	0	-1	-1	-1	-2	-2	-3	-3	700
Spotted Gum (NSW Regrowth Maculata)	0	-1	-1	-2	-3	-4	-5	-5	-6	1100
Brush Box (Qld & NSW)	0	-1	-2	-3	-4	-5	-6	-8	-9	900
Manna Gum - Satin Ash (NSW)	-1	-1	-1	-1	-2	-2	-2	-2	-3	800
Imported Hardwoods
European Beech	+3	+3	+3	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	690
Kwila / Merbau (Malaysia)	+2	+2	+2	+2	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	850
Sugar Maple (Nth America)	-1	0	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	No data	740
Softwoods
Araucaria - Hoop Pine (Qld & NSW)	+3	+2	+2	+2	+1	+1	+1	0	0	550
Radiata Pine (Vic)	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	550
Cypress (Qld & NSW)	+2	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	0	0	700

No correction factors are published for Gympie Messmate, New England Blackbutt or Northern Box. Oven dry testing is the preferred method for Brush Box.

Download the ATFA information sheet: resistance moisture meters (PDF)

CSIRO Australian species correction chart (1999)

An alternative published set of correction factors. Where the two sources differ, note which one you have used when recording a reading.

Moisture Content %		8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
Trade Common Name	Trade Reference Name	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
Fir, Douglas (DIC) *	Pseudotsuga menziesii	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
Ash, Alpine	Eucalyptus delegatensis syn. E. gigantea	10	12	14	16	18	19	21	23	25
Ash, Mountain	Eucalyptus regnans	10	12	14	16	18	19	21	23	25
Ash, Silver, Queensland	Flindersia bourjotiana	10	11	13	15	17	19	21	23	24
Baltic, White	Picea abies syn.P excelsa	10	12	14	16	18	21	23	25	27
Beech, White (Queensland)	Gmelina leichhardtii	9	11	13	14	16	18	19	21	23
Blackbutt	Eucalyptus pilularis	9	11	13	15	17	19	21	23	25
Blackwood	Acacia melanoxylon	9	11	12	14	16	17	19	20	22
Box, Brush (NSW)	Tristania conferta	7	8	9	10	11	12	14	--	--
Cedar, Red	Toona australis syn. Cedrela toona var. aus.	10	12	14	17	19	21	23	26	27
Cedar, White	Melia azedarach var. australasica syn Melia dubia	10	12	14	16	18	19	21	23	24
Coachwood	Ceratopetalum apetalum	7	9	11	13	14	16	18	20	22
Fir, Douglas (Vic.)	Pseudotsuga menziesii	9	11	13	15	17	19	21	23	25
Gum, Blue, Southern	Eucalyptus saligna	10	12	13	15	16	18	19	21	23
Gum, Manna	Eucalyptus Viminalis	7	9	11	13	14	16	18	20	21
Gum, Red, Forest	Eucalyptus tereticornis	11	12	14	16	18	19	21	23	24
Gum, Red, River	Eucalyptus camaldulensis syn. E. rostrata	11	13	15	17	19	21	23	25	27
Gum, Rose	Eucalyptus grandis	10	12	14	15	17	18	20	22	24
Gum, Shining	Eucalyptus nitens	9	11	12	14	16	18	20	21	23
Gum, Spotted (N.S.W.)	Eucalyptus maculata	8	9	10	12	13	14	15	16	--
Ironbark, Grey	Eucalyptus paniculata	9	11	13	15	16	18	20	22	24
Ironbark, Red	Eucalyptus sideroxylon	12	13	15	16	18	20	22	23	24
Jarrah	Eucalyptus marginata	9	11	13	15	17	19	21	23	25
Karri	Eucalyptus diversicolor	8	10	12	13	15	17	18	20	22
Kauri, New Zealand	Agathis australis	10	11	12	13	14	16	17	18	19
Mahogany, African	Khaya spp. ivorensis	10	12	15	17	19	22	24	26	29
Marri	Eucalyptus calophylla	8	9	11	12	13	15	16	17	19
Oak, Silky, Northern	Cardwellia sublimis	8	10	12	14	16	17	19	21	23
Oak, Silky White	Stenocarpus sinuatus	9	10	11	13	14	15	17	18	19
Pine, Cypress, White	Callitris columellaris sent. lat. (=C. glauca)	10	11	13	15	17	19	21	22	24
Pine, Hoop	Araucaria cunninghamii	11	12	14	16	17	19	21	22	24
Pine, Huon	Dacrydium franklinii	10	12	13	15	16	18	19	20	22
Pine, Radiata (NZ)	Pinus radiata	8	11	13	16	18	20	23	25	28
Pine, Radiata (Vic.)	Pinus radiata	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26
Pine, Slash	Pinus elliottii	8	10	12	15	18	21	24	--	--
Stringybark, Messmate	Eucalyptus capitellata	10	11	13	15	17	19	20	22	24
Tallowwood	Eucalyptus microcorys	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
Teak	Tectona grandis	8	9	11	12	14	16	17	19	20
Turpentine	Syncarpia glomulifera syn. S. laurifolia	9	11	13	15	17	19	21	23	24
Woollybutt	Eucalyptus longifolia	10	12	14	15	17	19	20	22	24

Download the full CSIRO chart (PDF)

Basic specific gravity values for Australian species

Basic specific gravity is calculated from green volume and oven-dry weight. These figures matter for pinless (capacitance) meters, which are calibrated to a single specific gravity and read high or low on timbers that differ from it.

Common Name	Binomial	Basic Specific Gravity
Alpine Ash / Stringybark	Eucalyptus delegatensis	0.548599333
Ash, Silvertop / Black / Mountain	Eucalyptus sieberi	0.703965667
Australian Tallowwood	Eucalyptus microcorys	0.86961
Blackbutt / Pink Blackbutt	Eucalyptus pilularis	0.733194667
Box, Coast Grey / Bosisto's-Box / Gippsland Grey-Box	Eucalyptus bosistoana	0.921344667
Box, Grey / Brown / Gum-Topped Box	Eucalyptus moluccana	0.936621333
Box, Red / Red Box Eucalyptus	Eucalyptus polyanthemos	0.883978
Box, White / Whitebox	Eucalyptus albens	0.932261
Box, Yellow / Honey / Yellow Iron	Eucalyptus melliodora	0.909828667
Brigalow / Spearwood	Acacia harpophylla	0.883580333
Bunya pine	Araucaria bidwillii	0.3929968
Caloon	Elaeocarpus ruminatus	0.48
Canary Ash / Yellow Nut	Beilschmiedia bancroftii	0.55104
Gum, Forest Red / Queensland Blue / Mountain / Bastard-Box	Eucalyptus tereticornis	0.82656
Gum, Grey / Grey Irongum	Eucalyptus punctata	0.908355
Gum, Manna / Ribbon / Rough-Bark Manna / White	Eucalyptus viminalis	0.613389333
Gum, River Red / Murray Red / Long-Beak Eucalyptus	Eucalyptus camaldulensis	0.786093
Gum, Spotted	Eucalyptus maculata	0.84
Gum, Sydney Blue / Saligna Eucalyptus	Eucalyptus saligna	0.6788648
Ironbark, Narrowleaf Red / Grey / White	Eucalyptus crebra	0.94
Ironbark, Broadleaved Red	Eucalyptus fibrosa	0.96432
Ironbark, Grey	Eucalyptus paniculata	0.921353667
Ironbark, Red / Black / Mugga / Three-Fruit Red	Eucalyptus sideroxylon	0.911235333
Jarrah	Eucalyptus marginata	0.70602
Karri / Karri Gum	Eucalyptus diversicolor	0.7744695
Mahogany, Red / Red Stringybark	Eucalyptus resinifera	0.802986
Mahogany, White	Eucalyptus acmenioides	0.86961
Maiden's Blush	Sloanea australis	0.472819667
Moreton Bay Bean / Moreton Bay Chestnut / Beantree	Castanospermum australe	0.63
Peppermint, Black	Eucalyptus amygdalina	0.611854
Pine radiata / Guadalupe Island	Pinus radiata	0.39
Queensland Maple	Flindersia brayleyana	0.47
Red Bloodwood	Corymbia gummifera	0.86961
Satinay	Syncarpia hillii	0.6801312
Small-Fruited Grey Gum / Gum, Grey	Eucalyptus propinqua	0.876395
Stringybark, Small-Leaved / Thin-Leaved / Wilkinson's	Eucalyptus eugenioides	0.7187072
Turpentine Tree	Syncarpia glomulifera	0.7