Wood & Paper Manufacturing worked example

Moisture Loss Calculator at 13% moisture shrink rate: a worked example

This worked example runs the moisture loss calculator numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 13% moisture shrink rate instead of the typical 18%. Estimates the dollar value of weight lost to evaporated moisture during lumber or pulp drying, plus the energy to drive it off.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Wet tonnage sent to dryer: 40 tons (held at the documented default)
  • Finished material value per ton: 185 $/ton (held at the documented default)
  • Moisture shrink rate (wet basis): 13 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 18)
  • Dryer energy charge for the batch: 320 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Moisture loss value = wet tonnage x value per ton x moisture shrink% + dryer energy charge.
  • Total moisture loss cost works out to 1,282 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Moisture loss cost per unit works out to 32.05 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable moisture loss cost works out to 962 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed moisture loss adder works out to 320 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where moisture shrink rate sits at 18% and the headline result is 1,652 $, this scenario comes in 22.4% below the baseline at 1,282 $.
  • Use it when quoting kiln-dried lumber, evaluating a green-moisture surcharge from a supplier, or comparing dryer schedules where shrinkage and fuel burn trade off. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Total moisture loss cost: 1,282 $ (headline result)
  • Moisture loss cost per unit: 32.05 $ / piece
  • Variable moisture loss cost: 962 $
  • Fixed moisture loss adder: 320 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Moisture Loss Calculator calculator, set moisture shrink rate to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.