Worksheet 9

Timber Decay / Attack / Preservation

Timber Decay
Timber decay (rot) is caused by a biological attack within the wood by certain species of fungi. The
fungus can lie dormant in the timber for years until the right conditions present themselves. The
conditions needed are oxygen, moisture and nutrients, with moisture being the critical component. If
moisture is not present in timber, then the fungi will remain dormant, even when oxygen and the
nutrients they require are abundant.

Dry rot
Dry rot is the term given to brown rot decay caused by
certain fungi that deteriorate timber in buildings and
other wooden constructions seemingly without an
apparent source of moisture. The term is a misnomer
because all wood decaying fungi need a minimum
amount of moisture before decay begins. The decayed
wood takes on a dark or browner crumbly appearance,
with cubical like cracking or checking, that becomes
brittle and can eventually crush the wood into powder.
The term dry rot is somewhat misleading, as both
species of fungi Serpula lacrymans and Meruliporia
incrassata require an elevated moisture content to
initiate an attack on timber (2830%). Once established,
the fungi can remain active in timber with a moisture
content of more than 20%

Wet rot
Wet rot is probably the commonest. If you have lived in
a 1960s house or flat for any length of time you will be
familiar with wet rot galloping around the window
frames, door frames and the fascia boards decaying,
despite careful painting and maintenance. The reason
was the wrong timber was used due to shortages
following the explosion of building in that period.
Buildings of all ages can be affected by wet rot as it is a
fungus which feeds on timber, the timber must be damp
or wet for the fungus to thrive and continue the rotting
process. Take away the cause of dampness and the rot
stops. This is not rocket science but wet rot continues
to occur in buildings, due mostly to lack of
maintenance, including leaking roofs, flashings, gutters,
water pipes, and proper decoration. The use of timber
with a higher resistance to rot, better design of joinery
and use of preservatives have gone a long way to
reduce the problems of wet rot.

Rising Damp
Rising damp normally occurs in properties which either have
not been built with a damp proof course (DPC) or where the
DPC has failed. The most obvious signs of rising damp are a
brown "tidemark" on the wall and the plaster below feeling cold
or damp to the touch. Rising damp can affect any wall in
contact with the ground and therefore can affect internal as well
as external walls. It does not normally rise above about a metre
in height.

A phenomenon in masonry walls affected by rising damp is

efflorescence. Water moving through a wall or other structure,
or water being driven out as a result of the heat of hydration as
cement stone is being formed, brings salts to the surface that
are not commonly bound as part of the cement stone. As the
water evaporates, it leaves the salt behind, which forms a
white, fluffy deposit, that can normally be brushed off. The
resulting white deposits are referred to as "efflorescence" in
this instance. Since primary efflorescence brings out salts that
are not ordinarily part of the cement stone, it is not a structural,
but, rather, an aesthetic concern.

The main causes of rising damp are:

A damaged damp-proof course (dpc) and/or the damp proof course no longer copes with
changing conditions such as a rise in ground level.

Inadequate sub-floor ventilation lack of ventilation in the sub-floor results in a build up of

humidity and means only minimal evaporation from the soil and base walls occurs.

Sub-floor obstructions any debris in the sub-floor can obstruct the flow of ventilation and may
contribute to dampness by bridging the damp-course.

Poor drainage and/or damaged guttering and pipes Water may be directed underneath your
house if you have poor drainage and built up garden beds and sloping grounds. If storm water
pipes, gutters, roofs or down pipes are damaged, this can cause excessive leaking which can
also cause dampness problems.

Damp proof course in brickwork

Damp proof course (DPC) is a barrier of impervious material
built into a wall or pier to prevent moisture form moving to
any part of the building.
The DPC is built into base wall brickwork. It bridges brick
skins and/or the brick and pier.
The DPC is laid into the brick wall approximately two courses
(two bricks) below the lowest timber member, typically the
bearer.

Repairing damaged damp proof course

A new damp-proof course may be installed by:
Physically inserting a new membrane
A mortar bed-course, at a level below the lowest floor framing member is cut out and a new dpc
membrane is then inserted into the resulting horizontal gap. This technique is now mostly
associated with a patented method using a plastic bag as the membrane which is inserted into the
joint and then pumped full of a quick-setting mortar to ensure support.
Creating a chemical d.p.c.
A horizontal row of holes is drilled into the bricks or mortar which is injected with a chemical under
pressure to impregnate a band of bricks and mortar to create a moisture resistant layer.
Further reading: http://www.abis.com.au/defective-or-bridged-damp-proof-course

Structural Dampness
Structural dampness is the presence of unwanted moisture in the structure of a building, either the
result of intrusion from outside or condensation from within the structure.
A high proportion of damp problems in buildings are caused by condensation, rain penetration or
rising damp.
The main factors that contribute to dampness in a building are

Damaged gutters

Leaky pipes

Leaking roofs

Leaky shower recesses

Poor sub-floor ventilation

Condensation due to poor ventilation

Breakdown of damp proof course

Poor drainage away from building

Faulty flushing around roof structures

Faulty joints in windows

Timber Preservation
http://www.woodsolutions.com.au/Articles/Resources/Timber-Preservation
A range of different chemical treatments has been developed to enhance the durability and service
life of timber. Such chemical treatments impregnate the wood cells, making them resistant to decay,
insects, weather or fire.
While chemical treatments add to the cost of the timber, they can significantly increase its lifetime.
When used in environments in which there are known biological hazards, it is cost-effective to specify
treated timber and expects a longer service life or a lower cost maintenance schedule. Remember
though that treatment of timber is not a fail-safe solution that will prevent any biological degradation.
Rather it inhibits the degradation when the timber is used in a normal environment. In abnormal
environments (such as cooling towers and some horticultural applications where the timber is almost
continually wet) specialist advice on detailing for durability should be sought.

CCA treated pine

Most of the timber used in pergolas and decking
substructure is CCA treated pine. CCA treated timber
is pressure treated and designed for use in outdoor
areas or areas of increased moisture or insect
habitation.
CCA stands for Copper (23-25%) Chrome (38-45%)
and Arsenic (30-37%). This solution is water borne and
is designed to protect timber from rotting, attacks from
fungus, termites and other wood boring insects.
Within the solution Copper acts as a guard against
rotting and decay, Arsenic is used as a pesticide to
ward off insects and Chromium is used to bind these
two agents together and make the treatment insoluble,
in doing so preventing the solution from leaching from the timber.
Once treated with a CCA solution pine will have a slight greenish tinge. CCA treatment will guard
against decay and insects; however natural discolouration will still occur if the timber is left
unpainted or unstained.
CCA Safety
In accordance with an APVMA (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority)
recommendation of March 2005, CCA treated timber will no longer be used in the production of:

Garden furniture

Picnic tables

Exterior seating

Childrens play equipment

Decking boards

Handrails

Tanilith E (copperbased) preservatives

In response to increasing environmental pressure to find preservative formulations that have reduced
reliance on non-biodegradable and heavy metal constituents, a number of copper-based
preservatives have been developed such as Tanalith E (or Copper Azole). These preservatives have
copper as a primary active constituent as well as an organic co-biocide such as Tebuconazole
The main advantage of these products is the elimination of arsenic and chromium which is seen as
an improvement for occupational health, environmental liability and disposal of wastes.

LOSP (Light Organic Solvent-borne preservative)

LOSP is a solvent-borne preservative treatment of pine
timber. The organic solvent takes the preservative into the wood
and is drawn out in the last stages of treatment leaving the
preservative in the wood.
LOSP treated pine has long lasting protection against decay and
insect attack.
LOSP treated timber is great for appearance applications such as
external joinery, due to it leaving the light coloured appearance
unchanged after treatment.
LOSP timber is frequently coated with a protective oil based
primer which is usually pink. This primer is applied to stabilise
and protect timber during storage and installation, not as a paint primer. As a result it is
recommended that LOSP primed timber be sanded down to remove the primer before painting.

Primer
Primer or undercoat is a preparatory coating put on materials before painting. Priming ensures better
adhesion of paint to the surface, increases paint durability, and provides additional protection for the
material being painted.
If used on timber before use or erection (eg on the back of weatherboards) the timber will be better
protected from the effects of moisture.

Tanalised Treated Pine (Blue pine)

Tanalised treated pine is a safe organic based insecticide treatment which protects wood against
termites. It is made up of a common insecticide called permethrin and a linseed oil blend, which
makes it safe and cost effective. The timber treated with this treatment is used for framing and roof
trusses in construction. There are two versions of this treatment, one blue in colour which is only
suitable for used in areas south of the Tropic of Capricorn and red which is suitable for all areas in
Australia. Tanilised treated timber is guaranteed for 25 years when used in accordance with the
building code and Australian Standards.
http://www.bluepine.com.au/documents/bluepine-treatment-protection-system.pdf