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Wood math made practical

Wood movement calculator

Estimate how much a board may change width as moisture content changes, using species and grain direction.

Wood movement estimator

Estimated width change
Estimated final width
Metric change
Published shrinkage basis

Why wood moves across the grain

Below the fiber-saturation region, wood changes dimension as bound moisture changes. Tangential movement is generally larger than radial movement, so flat-sawn boards often change width more than quarter-sawn boards of the same species.

What the result is good for

Use it to sanity-check gaps, panel expansion allowances and seasonal fit. Do not use it as a structural design value or a promise of an exact future dimension. For high-value joinery, measure the actual material, understand the expected environment and leave a construction detail that tolerates movement.