Causes of Wet Rot in a building and the treatment

wet rot

Causes of Wet Rot in a building and the treatment

Dry and Wet Rot

Decay occurs in unprotected household timbers, fences and out buildings that are subjected to damp. Fungal spores that are always present, multiply and develop in these conditions until eventually the timber is destroyed. Fungal attack can be serious requiring immediate attention to avoid very costly structural repairs. There are two main type ie.

Wet rot and dry rot.

Signs of fungal attack are easy enough to detect but it is important to be able to identify certain strains that are much more damaging than others.

Mould growth:-

White furry deposit or black spots on timber plaster or wall paper are mould growths, these usually are a result of condensation. When they are wiped or scraped from the surface the structure shows signs of physical deterioration apart from staining. Cure the source of the damp conditions and treat the affected areas with a solution of 15 parts of water with 1 part of bleach.

Wet Rot:-

Wet rot occurs in timber with a high moisture content. When the cause is eliminated, further deterioration is arrested. The rot frequently attacks the frame work of doors and windows that have been neglected enabling rainwater to penetrate joints or between brickwork and adjacent timbers. Peeling paintwork is often the first sign, which when removed reveals timber that is spongy when wet but dark brown and crumbly when dry. In advanced stages the grain will have split and thin dark brown fungal strands will be in evidence on the timber. Treat wet rot as soon as practicable.

Treating of wet Rot:-

Having eliminated the cause of the damp, cut away and replace the badly damaged wood, then paint the new and surrounding woodwork with three liberal applications of fungicidal wood preservative. Brush the liquid well into the joints and end grain. Before decorating you can apply a filler to rebuild the surface and then repaint as normal.

We will discuss dry rot in the next blog post.

If you have any further questions please call our office.