Repairing Dry Rot in Poway: Putting an End to Fiber-Eating Fungus

Here at Chism Brothers Painting, we love the fact that our work allows us to meet both practical needs and create aesthetic beauty in Poway. It’s not an “either/or” situation.

As a case in point, take a look at the first photo in the slideshow above. The wood is cracked, failing, and downright unattractive. Why? Because dry rot had set in, meaning that the fibers of this beam were literally being consumed by a specific variety of fungus. This is very common in exterior portions of a structure, and particularly because of the continued exposure to moisture.

• Fun Fact : The term "dry rot" is actually a misnomer. Rot is always started by a certain level of moisture being present. This particular rot is called "dry" simply because the level is lower than what you will find in other forms of wood rot.

The practical need we had the opportunity to meet was stopping rot in its tracks, keeping the onward march of decay from eating this beam.

On the aesthetic side of the coin, scroll to the end of the slideshow and take a look at the finished product. Sound, strong, beautiful, and rot-free.

Our very own Marty handled this job from start to finish, including the photography. His steps were as follows:

• Remove the damaged portions of wood - It’s important to remove the rot, leaving only the stronger, untainted wood behind
• Applied a hardener - This adds a layer of strength and reinforcement
• Patched the repair
• Primed and painted

This process doesn’t just cover over the issue, but literally gets to the root of it. The end result is a beautiful, blemish-free, healthy beam. And, thanks to the quality of Marty's work, wood rot won’t pose a threat again for quite some time.

If so, we are thrilled that you found our blog. Please take a moment to browse our painting services and get to know us a bit better. The Chism Brothers Painting team would love to be of service, and we look forward to discussing your specific project needs.