Rotted wood is never a good thing in any home, especially if you find them in critical load-bearing structural areas. Most older homes are prone to this. Wood rots as a result of moisture seeping into certain areas. Wood near pipes, basements, attics, decks, and fences are the most vulnerable. Instead of replacing the whole thing, you can repair these areas with the tricks enumerated in this article.
How to Repair Rotted Wood in Your House
Study the Situation
Before you start the project, assess the problem. If it’s only a small bit of rot that doesn’t affect half of the wood, then handling it is something you can do yourself.
Look around for an explanation as to why the wood has become moist. If it’s a leak, call in a professional plumber to take a look. If the rotted wood covers half of the area, call the appropriate services.
Gather What You Need
For most patchwork jobs, all you need is a putty knife, utility knife, and wood chisel. You will also need some epoxy filler, wood hardener, sandpaper, and some paint.
Get Rid of the Rotted Wood
Take your chisel and remove the rotted areas carefully from the structure. This type of wood often comes out easily as it falls apart. Once you finish this, move quickly to the next step.
Apply Hardener, Filler, and Sand it Down.
The first thing that needs to be applied is a wood hardener, a resin that will seep into the wood and create a seal to prevent moisture from entering. Slather a good amount of this stuff on the area and give it some time to dry.
After that, use your putty knife to apply the putty to areas that need filling. Smooth out the putty and leave it out to dry, preferably overnight.
When the putty is nice and dry, smoothen out the edges with sandpaper. This helps reinforce the shape. Only when it’s all sanded down should you perform the last and final step.
Prime and Paint
If the area is very prominent, like on the porch steps or a column, you may need to paint over it. Before going with the color of your choice, you first need to prime it with all-white paint and let that dry. Once this is done, then paint over the white with the color you were planning from the start.
Conclusion
Getting rid of rotting wood isn’t exactly fun, but it is necessary. Simple repairs and replacements for small areas and the like are very much doable on your own with some time, materials, and patience. These steps will help you out through this process. But if the project is too big for you to handle, you will need the help of some experts.
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