Timber Treatment & Repair

Timber Decay Requires Expert Treatment

Timber decay is most commonly caused by fungal attack (dry rot and wet rot) or wood-boring insect infestation. Both can cause serious structural damage if left untreated, and both require specialist diagnosis and treatment to clear them properly. Treating timber decay without addressing the underlying moisture problem will almost always result in it coming back.

Dry Rot (Serpula Lacrymans)

Dry rot is the most serious form of timber decay and can spread rapidly through a building, even through masonry, if the conditions are right. It requires a moisture source to grow but can spread to drier areas once established. Signs include cuboidal cracking of timber, a musty mushroom smell, white or grey fungal growth and rust-coloured spore dust.

Treatment requires the removal of all affected timber and masonry, treatment of surrounding areas with fungicide and replacement using pre-treated timber. Our CSTDB qualified surveyor will ensure the moisture source is identified and resolved as part of the treatment plan.

Wet Rot

Wet rot is more localised than dry rot and occurs where timber has been consistently wet. It causes softening, darkening and cracking of timber along the grain. Common locations include window sills, door frames, roof timbers and floor joists. Treatment involves removing the moisture source, replacing damaged timber and treating nearby areas with preservative.

Woodworm (Wood-boring Insects)

Woodworm is the term for the larvae of various wood-boring beetles, most commonly the Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum). Infestations show as small round exit holes in timber surfaces with fine wood dust around them. Treatment involves applying insecticide to affected timbers and, where damage is severe, replacing timber.

Timber Repair & Replacement

Where timber is beyond treatment, we carry out specialist repair and replacement work, restoring structural integrity using properly treated materials. All replacement timber is pre-treated to prevent future decay.