There are two main types of wood rotting fungus that attack damp timber in houses and commercial buildings, Wet rots and Dry rot. To buy rot treatment you need to know the difference between a variety of Wet rots and the unique fungus, Dry rot (Latin name - Serpula lacrymans). This is because Dry rot can travel across dry areas made of any material to reach untreated wood to eat. Wet rots are confined to the wet areas only. However, areas of Wet rot that dry out can easily turn into Dry rot, as the dampness level falls into the range that Dry rot prefers. We provide Free Advice to make sure that the diagnosis of Rot is correct and that we offer the correct chemical treatment for wood preservation and masonry (e.g. brick, stone, mortar) sterilisation.

All wood rots indicate a dampness problem. Damp in walls, floors and roofs must be tracked back to source and the cause of the damp treated (see www.dampness-info.co.uk).

Rots are woodland fungi frequently found in houses and commercial buildings where dampness has entered, usually as the result of leaking gutters, downpipes, drains or roofing. They requires an initial moisture content of about 18% in wood, but Dry rot, unlike the family of Wet Rots, can spread across dry areas and across surfaces treated with wood preservatives. This ability, unique to Dry Rot, to travel outside of the damp area makes it dangerous to wood in buildings. You can treat masonry and timbers with wood preservatives to perfection, but a small pocket of Dry Rot can still be capable of emerging across the treated area looking for new timber to attack.

Sometimes such an outbreak can emerge long after initial treatment, as the result of a new leak into the treated area. The treatment chemical is then over diluted by the water added from the new leak. This dilution effect occurs because Rot treatments have to be water soluble in order to penetrate damp masonry and timber.

The answer to this problem is called 'Dry Rot Barrier Paint'. This is an emulsion paint containing Polyphase, a fungicide which is incorporated in the paint film when it dries - amazingly Rot will not walk across this coating! This effect has been tested by the Government backed Building Research Establishment (B.R.E.) - the 'Gold Standard' in testing facilities for the Building industry. The paint can be used on timber and masonry, and it creates a 'No Go Zone' for Rot, regardless of future dampness problems.

Diagnose Rot

1. Wet looking, dark, water stained timber, soft and damp to touch or probe - Wet rot symptom

2. Wood breaking into lots of small cubes - Wet rot 'cubing' symptom

3. Wood breaking into larger cubes, fewer but larger cracks across the grain - Dry rot 'cubing' symptom

4. Strands, like plant roots, brilliant white, dark brown, or black (flexible when dry) - Wet rot 'hyphae' symptom

5. Strands, like plant roots, dirty silver grey (brittle when dry) - Dry rot 'hyphae' symptom

6. Skin, brilliant white, dark brown or black - Wet rot 'mycellium' symptom

7. Skin, off white to silver grey, like felt - Dry rot 'mycellium' symptom

8. Flat or lumpy mushroom, brilliant white, pale yellow, brown - Wet rot 'fruiting body' symptom

9. Flat mushroom, brilliant rust red with rust red dust (spores) on surroundings - Dry rot unique 'fruiting body' symptom

10. Pillows of off white fluffy growths - Dry rot unique symptom

11. Damp skirting boards or wooden boards crease inwards along the grain - Wet rot likely on the rear

12. Damp skirting boards or wooden boards curve outwards (convex) along the grain - Dry rot likely on the rear

Special features of Dry Rot Barrier Paint:

* highly visible white barrier coating, you can see that you are protected (most treatments are clear, so you cannot be sure they have been applied)

* low odour emulsion paint (low V.O.C.), odourless when dry, can be colour tinted or matched

* not affected by damp (even if adjacent wood treatments are diluted)

* easy to brush on

* low toxicity active ingredient, only 1 hour re-entry rule

* non-flammable

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Independent Test of Dry Rot Barrier Paint:

Building Research Establishment (B.R.E. - Government backed test house)

Dry Rot Painted Panels (right hand two columns) tested against untreated

and ordinary painted panels (left hand three columns)

Fruiting Body Mycellium

Mycellium Mycellium + small Fruiting Bodies

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The strands of Dry Rot send out tiny, micro strands ahead of the main attack, looking for wood to eat - these are not visible to the naked eye - hence the need for treatment beyond the visible areas of wood decay. These strands can carry water within themselves, so they can 'walk' across dry areas and non-timber surfaces (plastic, metal, flooring) - hence the need for a barrier coating - Dry Rot Paint.

This picture shows how internal treatment with Boron Paste and a solid stick of Borate, the Boron Rod, can spread around the insertion point to protect timbers internally, an essential part of Dry Rot treatment in damp timbers close enough to an attack to be reached by the micro strands ahead of the main attack.

Bindon House Hotel - the roof tie beams were badly affected by Death Watch Beetle, Wet Rot and Dry Rot. These were replaced with TYPE E Timber-Resin Splice Units and timbers like these should be treated with Boron Ultra 12 by spray, Boron Ultra Gel to end grain and vulnerable surfaces and Boron Ultra Paste by injection.

Bindon House after restoration

1. Eliminate the moisture source and establish the extent by drill testing

2. Remove all decay back to sound timber.(Note - no need to cut back and scrap good wood))

3. Inject Boron Ultra Paste, apply Boron Gel and surface spray/brush with powder in water Boron Ultra 12.

Dry Rot rampant on an office wall

Manor House, Warwick - extensive infestation had resulted in massive areas of Dry Rot mycelium (skin) and sporophores (fruiting bodies - mushrooms) on timber and masonry. Previous treatments with conventional chemicals had failed to stop the spread of fungi. Boron Ultra 12 powder in water was applied by spray to timber, masonry and sub-sites, Boron Ultra Gel to end grain and vulnerable surfaces, Boron Ultra Paste and Boron Ultra Rods to 8-10mm holes drilled to prescribed hole pattern, to surrounding areas at least 300mm in all directions from the limits of the attack and to all timbers at or above 18% moisture content.

Fruiting Body of Dry Rot - note the red spore dust

1. Prevent the ingress of moisture by eliminating penetrating and rising dampness

2. Treat vulnerable timbers (those above 18% moisture content) and those subject to seasonal dampness (e.g. window and door frames, wall plates) with Boron Ultra Rods, Boron Paste and Boron Gel. To prevent surface spread apply Dry Rot Paint, an emulsion that can be applied to timber and masonry. BRE testing proves that Dry Rot will not 'walk across' surfaces coated with this paint.

3. To avoid leaving timbers that are drying out vulnerable to Dry Rot, cut back wet rot damage and dry out/treat as above

The Log House - before restoration

The Log House, near Lymington - wet rot decay had destroyed a large number of logs on the weather side of this £1.5 million + home, facing Southampton Water. This left the damp timbers vulnerable to Dry Rot, so Boron Ultra Paste and Boron Rods were installed in the remaining sound logs to provide long term protection.

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Ring for help on 01626 331351 - speak directly to David, Angela or Hayley

WOOD PRESERVATIVE AND BIOCIDE SAFETY

Use wood preservatives and biocides safely. Always read the label and product information Data Sheet before use.

Wear the correct safety equipment and keep unprotected people and animals out of the treated area for the statutory period given on the label.

All products have some hazards and the COSHH Regulations (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) apply to ALL building repair and construction products that we sell, even Cement.

If in doubt consult us for free technical help. Take care not to contaminate soil, waterways or the environment with the product or the waste and packaging.

For more Timber Repairs go to:www.timber-repair.co.uk

Property Repair Systems
Olympus Business Park, Kingsteignton Road
Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 2SN
T: 01626 331351
F: 01626 331143
E: help@propertyrepairsystems.co.uk