THE TRUTH ABOUT WOOD ROT (You need to watch this!!)

[@keenanxipher]

I run a termite and moisture repair company, and must say this dude actual knows what he's talking about. I will show his videos to my new inspectors. Nice work

[@ianmoon1103]

Who wants their termites repaired?

[@harwoods11]

@@ianmoon1103 Sounds like fun.

[@robbinbarrett617]

I love this video it was so very informative!! I'm dealing with a lot of rotten paneling in my new place. The thing is it sits straight on concrete and there's a lot of moisture in the area that I live!! So now I know more than I did before watching this video! Thank you so very much for helping us that are not well informed and amateurs in doing some home improvements!

[@tolulopeafolabi6526]

@@ianmoon1103 I do, They invaded my room 😩😩😩 the wings are just everywhere, really disgusting🤮

[@MuahMan]

@@tolulopeafolabi6526 YES! Those nasty ass wings. I'm doing a spot treatment, hope I don't have to tent!!

[@blondeexplorer8276]

As a single woman and home owner every man has tried to rip me off from repairs. Thank you for this video. I have since been doing DIY. The projects I can not do I arm myself with as much knowledge as possible to prevent these creatures from stealing my money. Be well.

[@RubyParrotGirl]

you should make videos! i’m the daughter of a single mom and i want to help her do diy but not sure where to even start with a lot of this

[@rdb4996]

@@RubyParrotGirl as a female new home owner with a partner who is brainy but not at all into DIY there are a couple of things I can share about getting started: - It is often overwhelming in the beginning, as there are a lot of things to learn. Start with one or two things, take your time and Internet is your best friend. - Try to understand what you are looking at, use multiple sources of information and derive from that what works in your situation. Again this takes time. - Try and see if you can find people to discuss this with. Maybe they have a hidden talent or recently hired a craftsman that did a great job. - In some countries libraries, hardware stores or community centres have courses geared towards women. See if you have access to something like that. For me personally KZbin has been an invaluable source of information. It has helped me successfully wallpaper a wall, prevented me buying expensive equipment that actually wasn't right for the job and has shown me that even with minimal tools available you can tackle bigger projects.

[@KyrenaH]

Yeah, that happened to me recently when I was trying to hire someone to clear the pine needles off of my roof. The guy tried to charge me $250 and when I told him that was too much he tried to haggle with me. And would not freaking leave.

[@riverraisin1]

@@RubyParrotGirl I know this thread is rather old, but for you or anyone else out there looking for basic beginner DIY, check out seejanedrill here on KZbin. I have no affiliation with her except that I subscribe to her channel. She is a wonderful teacher of DIY projects that every homeowner should know. Not that she only tackles beginner projects. She tackles ANY project around the house and explains it in a way that anyone can grasp. Hope this helps.

[@ladyewo6778]

Our story is one in the same. I will not be had by another unscrupulous "Contractor"

[@stevehodge2903]

First, I am a professional engineer who is considered an expert on building defects. Second, this video is spot on and well done. The only suggestion I would make is for the HC to address the difference between brown rot and white rot and also how to determine the difference between brown rot and termite damage. Keep up the good work!

[@TediBare]

Yes there is a difference and They can look similar and I love you for bringing up that subject!! Been there toOooo, thank God not here

[@mbrights3158]

I may have missed it, but did he mention ways to treat would so that it doesn't rot in a moist climate/air? living about a mile from the beach there is a lot of moisture in the air. Thank you if you have any ideas. I have to replace my porch because of this... and hope to not have to do this again later on!

[@JT_70]

What is the difference? We had to twice replace in only 4 years the floor and floor joists in my mom’s house in La because of the white mold rot. The odor from the rot as the demo was being done was horrible and got me sick.

[@tannerkannon2535]

@Aarav Alan i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@tannerkannon2535]

@Aarav Alan it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D Thank you so much you saved my ass :D

[@NerrdHerrd01]

I gotta say, it’s refreshing as a home inspector to see such straight forward information out there. I have been struggling to help my clients understand why they shouldn’t cancel a transaction over some wood rot in places like the exterior trim. I just found your channel and I’ll have this video URL in my inspection reports when rot is mentioned. So much good information. Not only that but I’ll now have to pull myself out of the bad habit of using the term “dry rot.” Thanks for the correction!

[@toothpastehombre]

Carpenter here who started my construction journey running a small painting company. A painter is often the first person to catch or be called to rotting areas of a home. Everything in this vid is spot on. Incredibly informative and shall we saw, honest. Damn honest. Well done

[@DiscoFang]

Yes. I used to do exterior repairs for a friend who ran a painting business with several crews. Started as a favor because they always struggled to get carpenters/builders to do what are relatively small jobs at short notice, but turned out it paid very well because of that so I kept at it. Seeing the same things over and over and again, with rot appearing in exactly the same places, I learned a huge amount about exterior cladding, flashing and the whats and whys of rot. Nowadays I can glance at a style of house or building and can tell not only exactly where there will be issues, but also whether the issues that may look serious aren't really.

[@manchesterexplorer8519]

To bad 90% of painters suck as carpenters , most painters can't even read a tape measure .

[@louiselowe1568]

What’s the best way to address ‘brown rot’ in wooden window sashes- it is now dry as exposed to full sun as had the huge tree’s removed that were too close to house cut down as kept moisture and shade on wood constantly. I’ve had builders say ‘oh dry rot so they ‘say’ they have to replace entire 2 metre wooden window fixture. The dry rot is only in one small area of sill. Any suggestions for fix - I thought it was a bit dramatic to have to replace ‘entire’ windows frame when 95% is in excellent condition. Any advice most welcome 🙏

[@manchesterexplorer8519]

@@louiselowe1568 If it's just dry rotted as in " rough looking " lightly sand the area " and seal it with two coats of shellac before painting it . If it's slightly deteriorated and crumbling scrape and dig out the loose rott and use a wood filler such as " Durhams Rock Hard Wood Putty " sand the putty , then prime and paint the area . Also this putty dries very hard and it's a pain to sand so spread it as evenly and smoothly as possible Window sashes that are rotted and repaired with putty is a temporary fix when a window sash is rotted . Unless it's a pre-1940 home where sashes are repairable as they used to make things that were repairable back in the day . If its a modern window , it's junk if thats makes any sense . Good luck .

[@ericrotsinger9729]

I've been doing home repair for only 40 years, so what do I know. This guy is spot on.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you, Eric!

[@ericrotsinger9729]

Doing the job right is a pay check you can take to the grave

[@bobleclair5665]

Pressure treated,pressure treated,pressure treated,,where ever you can put it,especially your sills and first floor,floor joists,framing around your windows and doors and soffits and facias,,will save you a lot of money down the road,,stay away from particle board (garbage,it’s a sponge),,floating floors ,fast and looks great (garbage),cardboard,,do not plastic or poly inside frame,even if the engineers say so,,it will collect gallons of water,(fact),,lay your insulation bats in walls without vaperbarrier paper,plastic or tin foil,,( paper is always moldy in old house remodel,plastic and foil collects moisture and end up on the sills and rots it,,,the paint on your drywall is a vapor barrier,caulk your windows more often (saves a lot of money)if you paint your roof every three or so years (water paint,any color)you’ll never need to reroof (except for storm damage),,hand nails (galvanized(on framing)will outlast gun nails and screws ,and a hell of a lot easier to remove when replacing or if you screw up,,spray foam is a sponge,buy the good stuff ,,your spending enough,put in the good stuff

[@sunhel]

Bob Le Clair .

[@brianslocum6823]

I’ve found that the end grain that isn’t allowed to breathe like miters or tight butt joints wick up the water and rot begins there

[@randomcraftinggamer]

THANK GOD there are people like you on here... Not everyone can afford to deal with home repair or are educated enough to make sure they aren't ripped off!!! THANK YOU

[@bobbarron6969]

Educated homeowners rarely get burned, so providing this information may save some homeowners from being cheated. And even after 40+ years of doing remodeling work and still loving it, I learned a thing or two from the vid. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

[@mickeythemaltipoo3756]

We need more on honest people like yourself sir , thank you.

[@nancyferguson4420]

Great info. I already had a contractor come estimate a whole new siding! Thanks

[@tombennett1893]

Agree

[@seanmcaleavy2369]

This is a good informative video. For anybody who might be interested in such things, the reason paint cracks and chips off of a house is because of uneven drying. Think of a coat of paint as having two sides, the side you don't see is touching the house and the second side is what you see. That side that you see is exposed to direct sunlight and the oils in the paint are drying out more rapidly on that side while the oils on the other side are drying slower. This causes the paint to shrink on that exposed side which causes cracks and eventual cupping of the paint which in turn pulls the paint up off of the house anywhere there is a crack. Latex paints, commonly called water-based paints, are more flexible and they are able to stretch to accommodate for this shrinking of one side of the paint so they are way less prone to crack and peel. So now you know.

[@jennifernewell9846]

OMG!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!! i just had an HOA handyman rip out all the drywall (walls, ceilings, everything) claiming that I had mold on the wood in my condominium from a flood. Then, I put 2 and 2 together. the studs had a little green on them from the original build (where lumber was stacked a little wet 30 years ago) . Although, the HOA took a huge hit monetarly on this one, at least it opened my eyes, and now, thank you, that guy would have ripped my whole place down, using scare tactics, that...woow!! I wouldn't have known. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@L2HH2C412]

Your HOA worked on your interior and covered the cost?! Wow

[@seinundzeiten]

yes you know they are lying when they scare you and tell you the mold will spread and kill you

[@user-pu9xo2xu9v]

I wouldn’t mess around with mold or any moisture damaged drywall. Super bad for your health. I would be grateful for all the drywall replacement.

[@ironwood1621]

You definitely live up to your name: The Honest Carpenter.

[@Ratlins9]

Thanks for making this video, I appreciate tradesmen like you who educate homeowners.

[@pointedspider]

Im an HVAC tech and electrician. In opened a business doing home repair. I'm more busy than ever!!! I love it!!

[@johns4476]

I appreciate the informative content here. My father basically said the same thing about 'dry rot'... "it is wet rot, that has dried." He's still kicking but not in the business anymore.

[@MsBianca30]

I'm so happy KZbin suggested your page. I was single and every time I would call for a quote(for EVERYTHING), the guys would either try to talk to me or over charge me while being dishonest. Thank you so much for your help. You're truly a gem. ❤️

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thanks for subscribing, Leigh! I’m really glad the vids help 🙂

[@SuperNoticer]

Probably because you didn't know what you were talking about

[@victorquesada7530]

Thanks for that precision on the definition of dry rot. Fungi are crazy cool when they aren't trying to eat your house. Don't forget the damage that carptenter bees and ants can do, along with termites. Again, water/moisture is a big draw for these organisms, and needs to be dealt with if you are planning on keeping your wood sound for years to come.

[@romedina100]

Always good to educate your customers of the reasons they are getting wood rot in areas and not just replace it without explanation. Good stuff young Sir!

[@bigal7561]

Just found your channel. I'm a DIY'er and by no means a master carpenter, electrician or plumber. I have banged nails and worked under homebuilders as a part time job paying my way through school (high school and college.....we were very poor...ha) and I loved it. Unfortunately I just did what the boss told me and he never had time to explain or teach which I would have soaked in. His company was him, his partner, me and anyone else he could get. It was small. Thanks to him, the brick plant I worked at and the other places I worked for, I made it and now years later, I prepared to retire after putting my child through college. I say this because I owe so much to that job that was there for me every hour during the day I could work. And again I loved it and have so much respect for people like you that have those skills. I was in upper management after college and earlier in my career I'd do executive hiring. I could care less about degrees or credentials. What I cared about was if they ever really worked. One of the questions I'd ask of Master degreed applicants are one: Do you know how to cook Ramen noodles with only what you could get from the packets in a restaurant (Working man knows how to make do) and two: have they ever worked on a construction job/home remodel. Yes to the first one would give them a heads up on the other applicants. Yes to both would mean an immediate hire. It's never let me down. I have remodeled my house 5 times over the years (I'm 65 now). From buying a beautiful house that I fully remodeled when we bought it (by myself as I would do one room at a time. Then when the wife would want a change. Remember this was over a life time and there was no Google or Facebook when I started. I'd get a professional when I needed it and fortunate to have great carpenters and such here in rural Oklahoma. It would have been such a Godsend to have had your channel when I did all that work. I mean every thing from crown molding to gutting two bathrooms and installing a jacuzzi tub. I've just found your channel and have been watching them back to back this morning and have to stop to go to church. I hope people understand how great it is to trust a how to channel. This is the best I've found. All young men and women should have this channel saved. It will make their lives so much easier and they will learn the joy of working with wood etc. Just wanted to comment and sorry for the long post but I think this is so important.

[@miketony2069]

Listening to good advice from a good guy reaffirms my faith in humanity.

[@bryanrocker5033]

Very well done video, this should be a recommended watch for every first time home buyer. Enjoy this very nice Saturday!

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you, Bryan! I appreciate the feedback 😀

[@JamesSmith-op7yc]

I completely understand and what we have to do as contractors is remove the *"bad wood" and replace it with "good wood". I'm a commercial waterproofer and thank you for the information home owners need to know. We do historic building restoration in S.E. MI. and explain & repair this issue every day. Excellent explanation of a very common problem, but identify and deal with the water inundation source first, then see above* J.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Well, yeah. Makes no sense to just go over it.

[@atteroljones6936]

You get an A+ for this video. I have been a homeowner since 1994 and each of my five houses have been fixers, so I have learned a thing or two. I am in the process of repairing exterior window framing and sills on my current (74 yo_ house. I might have gone for a contractor and the inevitable tear out and wood replacement, but in this crazed housing market (July 2021) no handyman or contractor is available. So its me and my tools and wood preservative and scrap wood (to reconstruct trim) and Bondo and primer and paint.

[@sharronwaszkiewicz763]

Bravo. Your my kind of person. Use what you have, restore if possible, then only what is necessary.

[@PatriotWoman]

I don't understand why there are so many more thumbs down than thumbs up on this. As Steve Hodge pointed out, this is terrific information for homeowners. I knew most of this and was searching for a video on a good product to reinforce the wood instead of replacing it when it's just a small amount and the source of water has been eliminated. However, I just want to say that even I searched it with the term "Dry Rot". LOL I need to change my vernacular because you are so right. I just always assumed it was called that because like you said, once the source of water is gone, the wood looks dry and rotten. But great video! I love videos that help us homeowners avoid scammers. Thank you!

[@jasond7176]

I've been a contractor for many years. Glad I'm doing research before making a rot repair. I didn't know fungus was the cause of rot. Great vid. Thank you.

[@mikeparker5008]

I love it! Truth at last. Pro painter here...yup! ~9:00 Paint failure, likely due to sun and lack of maintenance. Remove spalled paint (lead based, RRP required...), sand back to clean surface, and it's done. Sending an owner off on a 'mold chase' wastes their dollars - those dollars are needed to do what I just recommended and what you called out. Sad that so many people are so gullible today. Good vid!

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you, Mike! I really appreciate the pro advice there. So much confusion on this topic--every little bit of good advice helps 🙂

[@baldguy5985]

Looked like lead paint to me too ... what a job that will be

[@peterduxbury927]

Thanks for a great introduction to wood rot for beginners who don't have the level of understanding as you. Wood that is very dry, but rotten and crumbling apart, could be termed as "Dry Rot". But I feel that any areas of dry rot will quickly spread, and this is due to the lost density of the wood, and thus, the rotten wood will draw-in 10X more moisture - due to capillary attraction! Wood that is dry - but rotten acts like a Blotting Paper at the first opportunity of getting a soaking! I am one of the thousands of people that have sub-floor rot problems in wet areas of my home. I will never understand why the Home Builder did not drape PVC sheeting along the whole run of Structural Parts of the Sub Floor Timber, between Joists and Bearers, at the time of Home Construction. Any water leaking through the Bathroom or Laundry floor would simply run-off into the earth below. Floor timbers would then always remain dry. Like an underfloor "Umbrella" for all of your floor timbers.

[@rickcurtis2983]

Just did some repairs around my rear door frame and I was so worried that the rot might spread even after repair and taking away the moisture..now I know that can't happen! Thank you Brother!

[@penelopemaynard9016]

Thank you! I just received an enormous estimate for a few rows of ratty shingles and was told they are "rotted and need to be replaced" ... Tomorrow morning I'm performing all of your tests, and if they're not rotten I'll owe you an even bigger thank you! These shingles bake in southern exposure all day, every day, but they look horrible because the paint is peeling and flaking. I can't wait to stick a screwdriver in them, I bet they're just fine and only need a good scraping and painting. You are a treasure, I love you!

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you, Penelope! Good luck with the project. I'm interested to hear the state of them :)

[@liveitlikeitloveall2746]

Penelope Maynard so what happened, it went trough didn’t it. 😲

[@Bigshoots86]

We need an update,!

[@justinmoreno4413]

This is the video I needed as a first time home owner. Thank you

[@ememchi3717]

Home Inspector approved video! And thank you for addressing bad contractors. I’m always concerned for my clients being scammed by someone.

[@johnnyk2494]

Excellent Just found a bunch under my front porch when I went to change the facia boards.......low and behold much more damage underneath- this was perfect for my current issue

[@winstonian88]

Another great video. One other thing to mention is that the fungi are not invasive. They are already present in all wood, (even kiln dried lumber) and only take over when the dead tissue is subjected to moisture (as you noted).

[@Not_Vladimir_Putin]

Great video. I found crumbling wood around exterior window trim and it was from termites. Now I see it is clearly wood rot, so I won't need to call a bug guy and I can just replace the boards myself. Thanks

[@allaunier8143]

An excellent tutorial. Despite having many years of "personal projects" woodworking type experience I never gave much thought to wood rot. This is very instructional and should be viewed by every homeowner.

[@firefoxhits]

Heh, Honest Carpenter: your honesty (and your excellent and thorough yet concise presentation) just earned you a new subscriber!!

[@benisplayin]

Great content and accurate information. I am a contractor and agree with simply everything you have stated. It is almost funny how most home owners expect the scope of work to require extensive wood replacement when WOOD ROT is present. Structural compromises must be resolved. Visuals are elective. Again Great information.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you Benjamin! I couldn’t agree more. Always happy to hear from contractors like yourself 🙂

[@jarodstrain8905]

Great video! It is the first one of yours I've watched. And I am quite impressed. I've worked in real estate and Contracting off and on and it is always dazzled me how little the average homeowner knows about maintenance. I've had people request that I remove a lot of material because of small amounts of rock and had to explain to them that as long as you remove the structurally damaged areas and keep it dry it's not really that major an issue. Somebody else probably would have just let them spend 10000 and enjoyed the bonus. A particular favorite of mine is to use a copper treating compound in areas that are prone to moisture infiltration. Of course this is not a substitute for proper flashing and protection - but copper is been used in the Marine industry for a long time because it inhibits fungal growth. So it's just a little extra protection if something gets past the waterproof barrier.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thanks Jarod! You’re totally right about the crazy overbidding that’s goes on. My clients sometimes look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them “nah, that old rot is probably no big deal.” They’re just so used to getting worked up by contractors. And thanks for the copper fluid tip! I’m going to do a full video on wood treatment methods soon. I appreciate you writing in!

[@DiscoFang]

Here in my country part of the fundamentals of the building code for the control of water and moisture in building elements are based on the 4 D's - Deflection, Drainage, Dehydration, Durability. Each of the steps are redundancies for when the preceding step fails Eg in an exterior wall: Flashing > Cavity drainage > Cavity venting > Wood treatment. That final step is huge.

[@DiscoFang]

Oh we are also one of the world leaders in the industry of pressure treating with CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate). Treated radiata pine is THE main construction method.

[@davidscbirdsall]

Dry Rot was a common phrase when I grew up in Louisiana. Our schools from elementary to high school taught us that fungus causes rot only when moisture with the correct temperature is present. I was confused with this conflicting information until I realized in my adult life, that there are no products to address or deal with dry rot because dry rot doesn’t exist in nature. This realization was verified during my time working in a big box home improvement store and soon after when I finally began to spend time on KZbin which began with watching home improvement videos.

[@duke2304]

I am doing wood rot repair on a 50 year old house now. Everything presented is accurate and helpful to anyone who might run in to this kind of problem.

[@0skar9193]

I'm asked to inspect and repair lots of "rot" I do these same types of tests. I take time to explain to my customers what is happening and show them "rot" and failed paint and the like. I see my role as part educator part repairman. This video is excellent and I will be adding a link to it on my website so my customers can become better informed. Thank you!!!

[@imranh5395]

Thank you Ethan James! People should know how easy it is to identify rot and you have given a valuable lesson.

[@patrickschardt7724]

A few tricks I have l learned by having a cabin in the woods where it wet a lot: 1. Don’t leave snow and leaves on walking surfaces 2. Don’t leave nearby fungus 3. Do annual or regular (every few years depending on conditions) conditioning... paint, urethane, water seal, etc 4. Only do number 3 after clearing all debris and letting the wood dry for a few days 5. Flat aka horizontal surfaces tend to be more prone to having their protection break down. 6. Vertical surfaces tend to have their protection break down right near the ends, particularly the bottom where they might even sit near water

[@coryjohnson2486]

I’m currently on a MISSION to learn as much as I can about DIY- home repairs, basic maintenance, learning basics about each trade, etc… I don’t own a home yet, but I want to be prepared when I do. This is such a COOL video… I’ve always known about “wood rot,” but I learned a TO. Watching this. Thanks man! 👏🏻

[@okafka5446]

Thanks a great, straight forward introduction into what to look out for. The only things I'd add are - paying particular attention to endgrain, as this is where the moisture rot loves, can be easily sucked up; and a moisture meter can be another useful tool in determining the possible extent of the damage.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thanks O kafka! Good call. I failed to mention the end grain. But in my last video we covered the moisture meters and also humidity levels that can cause rot 🙂

[@ambilaevus7607]

Very well done & explained. I've had contractors do that to me regarding "it all needs replaced." 99% of the time it's been to bloat the bill. When the tone of voice goes up and they start getting dramatic I know what they are saying isn't needed, this is their sales style, they just want more money and I politely show them out. I have a huge picture type window that was put in by a previous owner who would use the discards of his remodeling clients (so it's not great). The wood on the bottom of the outside sill is heavily cracked but solid to the stab/poke. The paint bakes off about every 2-3 years. I try to paint it the peak of the dry/hot season so I'm not sealing in water. Should I start to caulk those cracks up before I paint? It's big enough that it's exspensive to replace. Like new small car exspensive. Oh & he didn't put in a header on that window so when I replace that window I have to open/reframe the entire wall so it'll one of those "special projects". we don't use that space as a living/daily use area as it's uncomfortable so it's not urgent compared to our living spaces.

[@ronallen4854]

I agree 100%. I have known this for many years thanks to my father's teachings during my early years. Many times rafter tails along the fascia had to be cut treated and sistered due to moisture rot and fungal damage. We would cut out most of the damaged wood and use an antifungal spray, and sister a proper up to code rafter to the existing rafter. Take care of the water penetration point and problem solved. Most times it was an improper drip edge and gutter installation causing the problem. Including improper ventilation to allow moisture to escape or be drawn out, from soffits to vent. Most times it was insulating along the birds mouth with no air flow venting or not enough vents in the roof to properly ventilate. Trapping moisture on the low points. Many other contractors would tell them it was a dry rot issue after getting other quotes. Trying to inform the customer was not easy when 3 other company quotes tell them dry rot, and we say moisture fungus problem including poor ventilation. In the end I suppose we had better customer relations and spent more time explaining the cause and potential issues, because we did receive 80% of our quotes. In most cases we were not the highest or lowest quote we were in the mid range. Some cases it was very low due to less work and materials to finish properly. Saving the customer thousands. In the end, have the knowledge take the time to explain reasonings with the customer. Most importantly be honest. Word of mouth travels much faster than any advertising in a short period of time if the problem was solved properly. Ps. Sorry for the long comment. This is not easy to explain without details for your DIY followers my friend. Thanks for this informative video I liked and subscribed.

[@mikeharrington5593]

Running repair option. I have treated small areas of rot on fascia boards by digging away the soft stuff as far back to good wood as possible. Then paint on a wood hardener, & after it has dried & hardened use external grade filler, dried & sanded flush. Then reprime, undercoat & gloss for a watertight finish. Provided water can't ingress again you have a fairly good chance it will at least last one winter or one extreme summer & probably 2/3 years by which time you may be wanting to replace the whole lumber. A better option when the repair is done is to cap over with UPVC panels if possible. For load supporting lumber, replacement is almost always gonna be the wise option.

[@davidreed760]

Very good instructions on locating problematic spots for yourself. What I know of dry rot comes from the auto industry or aka weather check. This is when the UV rays deteriorate the rubber of tires. Usually the side walls as they are more prone to the sun's rays than the tread that gets more shade under the fenders. Thanks for another great video!

[@Oldtimecarpenter]

Well done!! Knowledge is everything in our trade. Clearly you’ve demonstrated just that! Too many so- called ( self acclaimed) repair experts haven’t a clue what their talking about. Thanks for posting a knowledgeable and well done video!

[@billburkhalter411]

Nicely done video!! I would add a couple things. 1. Use PVC lumber with loctite foam or ceramic tile to replace sections of wood rot if possible. 2. Small animals, birds and insects also will usually be an added concern. I had a couple of mice in the attic that were coming in through the rotted wood on a roof gable. I set a mouse trap with wet bread in the attic. On the roof I placed a large glue trap baited with peanut butter. Got both of them the same night. Filled the hole with some ceramic tile and Loctite white foam.

[@SuperNoticer]

How the heck do mice get on the roof?

[@davidelliott5843]

How the heck do mice get to most of the places they get to?

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Feel bad for them, tho. Such a bad way to die.

[@sharronwaszkiewicz763]

❤hardiplank doesn't rot. We live in the woods and our house was built with hardi. Saved us😮

[@sharronwaszkiewicz763]

Glue boards work perfectly. Not only on mice but on rats and insects too.

[@khaess4164]

I like his word choices and approach to explaining this topic. I think many people benefit from watching this; even pros can pick up a tip or two for how to explain this or refer a client to watch this. Keep up the good work. :)

[@scottturner9419]

During an inspection, you can also take the back of the screw driver handle or very small trim hammer and tap on a suspect area. You will notice more of a “thud” sound relative to surrounding healthy wood if the wood beneath the surface is rotting.

[@k.e.s6277]

Dear Home Carpenter, This was an absolutely EXCELLENT video. Good job young man! Keep up the good work. Stay safe and have a blessed day. Sincerely, Mrs. Kathryn S.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you Mrs. Kathryn! I’m really glad it was helpful 🙂

[@beverleythomas5708]

I have never heard of or seen dry rot on a building here in the tropics, just simply wood rot that is either current (still moist), or old (dried out). What we call dry rot here in Guyana is what happens to the rubber soles of shoes that have not been worn for a while. Because of the high humidity, especially during the rainy season, fungus eats away at the rubber soles so that wearing the shoes after say a few months of them sitting in the shoe rack results in the sole of the shoe crumbling and falling apart as you walk in them. Thank you however for your tips of how to check for rot. They are very helpful.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Happy to hear from Guyana, Beverly! The dry rot term gets thrown around a lot here in NC. We don’t get much of the rubber dry rot though! Thanks for writing in 🙂

[@theresak4343]

Thank you! I just discovered wood rot on the bottom of the exterior wall under the siding; I now know what's going on.

[@jamolo]

Thank you for taking the time to save people from getting ripped off!

[@juanitavandeweerd699]

Thank you so much, this video just made me more confident for when we have to have someone come to fix our roof soon. Much appreciated! Honesty is the best policy, that is for sure and best for any builders or trades person reputation !!

[@HabAnagarek]

Thank you for this. In my house, when I got it 2 years ago, clearly had not been maintained in decades. Deck boards butt against wood lap siding, rain and snow accumulate, decades. Concrete driveway against the house, sank decades ago, exposing the band joist to the elements. The carpenter for the concrete company, and the siding installer, both standup guys (my impression, I'm sticking to it), cared way less than I do. So, your video here and their lack of concern (those areas are now very well protected from the elements) has been helpful.

[@markevans7584]

Wow thanks for saving home owners from all those horrible contractors, you're the only honest one

[@Tehcarp]

The only thing I would add, as a painter is that certain applications of acrylic / elastomeric / impermeable coatings can induce rot. If you are sealing water in while UV protecting something with a coating that is a rot waiting to happen. This is why I will refuse to paint the undersides of certain decks (especially ones with 0 spacing between boards).

[@tigermoth61]

Thank you for explaining this, I was going to take down my wooden conservatory because I thought it was rotten, a builder told me it wasn't and just needed some TLC. saved me some money.

[@unspecifiedvee2876]

Thank You for your honesty. As Seniors on fixed incomes, I say "God Bless You." ✝️ ❤️ 🇺🇸

[@brianmi40]

Good video, the only other thing you could have mentioned about rot, is that the fungus only grows within not only a specific temperature range, but also a specific moisture range: too much moisture prevents the growth same as too little. That's how the St. Marks church in Venice, Italy has survived for 900 years built upon over 1 million trees driven down into the mud as a foundation. Also, since the most common real world occurrence of rot is due to moisture swings between wet and dry, then surfaces that are most exposed to that cycle rot fastest. This why, for example, the very bottom of the pickets in a wooden fence - near the ground, as well as the wooden fence posts - right at ground level, will be the first to rot. Ignore the crazy videos having you protect the buried bottom of a fence post for longevity: wooden fence posts will ALWAYS rot off at ground level first, unless altered by treating the wood there. This is because even a light rain will most assuredly wet the bottoms from the combination of direct rain, and splash, and ground moisture will soak into the wood and maintain a moisture level longer after rainfall ends. Also, lawn sprinklers are wetting this area often. Secondarily, the tops of fence pickets will rot next most frequently, again, due to even the lighest of all brief sprinkling rainfall will wet them to help out the fungus. So, if you want to double the life of a wooden fence, don't worry about treating the entire fence regularly with preservative, just spraying a preservative on the lowest 1' of the pickets, and the top 6" of them, along with getting the posts down at the ground will make any wooden fence last much longer. Does this every couple years for far less than the cost of spraying the entire fence and then every 5-6 years alternating with an entire fence coating will make it really last. Of course, if you're using a tinted preservative (stain) for appearance, then you will need to hit the whole fence for appearance sake...

[@DiscoFang]

Yes!

[@troykruse5161]

Thank you for doing this video. I hope a lot more people watch videos like this because the ratio of good to bad contractors are weighing very heavily towards the bad😢. Thank a lot. Keep up the good work 👍🏻

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thanks Tony. I hope the balance doesn't shift too far over. But I'm afraid you're right--I run into a lot of disconcerting work these days :(

[@GeorgeMinton-jb8ky]

I have been a homeowner for 23 years at my last home. I have found that the side wood on the garage doors, false poles on the front porch, and the bottom 2 inches on my fence have been the worst spots for wood rot. I replaced the side boards on the garage doors with pressure treated wood and painted them with Benjamin Moore Acrylic paint. I replaced the poles on my front porch with pressure treated wood using the same paint on the inside and outside of the poles after putting primer on them. I cut off the bottom 2 inches on my fence which were installed down to the dirt. I used stain on the fence and used a brush to get every possible spot and double and triple stained the top part of the board (Note: use stainless steel star screws to prevent wood rot. Pressure treated wood and nails chemically react to rot wood.) I might note that we have had this wood fence since 2002. If you can get a wood fence to last that long let me know and it is still upright. The main reason it lasted this long is that I kept all vegetation away from the fence and kept the grass cut with a mulching mower because they cut closer than any type of mower. The number one thing I did was to address any source of water that was keeping wood wet. That means adding drip edge to route water back into the gutters. Caulking to seal all source of water penetration. Keeping the hose and sprinklers from putting water on wood around the house. I also had to replace the window trim around my windows with a synthetic PVC type wood trim. The key takeaway is to control water no matter if it runs under the house, falls off of the roof onto wood and make sure you keep the roof vents sealed and boots replaced about every 5 to 8 years. Check for leaks in the attic and if you have had drywall on the ceiling fail you need to address the source of water from the roof. Oh and keep bushes cut back away from the house. Keep flashing sealed where roof meets siding every 5 to 8 years. These are my best tips for any homeowner. If you do this, buy your own ladders; acquire safety equipment for roof access; acquire tools as you need them and watch KZbin videos for how to do things you will not need that contractor.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

@George Minton Thanks so much for watching and writing in--you made a ton of great points here! Undercutting your fence and brush-painting stain are great ways to extend life, and make sure deep coating takes place. And ESPECIALLY your advice to seal top end grain carefully. If you don't, it can just drink up every bit of precipitation that falls from the sky. Also the suggestion of cutting back vegetation that wants to touch the house is something I see on EVERY home inspection report. Green matter can just hold moisture right up against the siding, and provide a bridge for tree-born insects to climb onto the house not even knowing it's not a tree. I really appreciate you weighing--please feel free to offer advice on any of my other videos as well! 😀

[@sthomas7211]

Painting those boards may not help. In some cases if water is getting to it , it would be better for it to dry out quickly. Eventually paint will fail and water gets trapped under the paint and will not dy out.

[@mhowze924]

George Minton km

[@truesimplicity]

Ethan, you are clear and concise in your delivery... Not forgetting truly helpful information. Thank you for your channel.

[@FIREGURU]

I'm a tile guy and often run into rot in showers, tub enclosures and toilet areas. I was going to comment on the accuracy of this post but see several comments from more knowledgeable tradespeople and engineers. Will definitely share this video with my team!! Thanks for the post!!🤙🏻

[@mattasmussen9756]

Great video. I’ve been in the termite business for over 20 yrs and you’ve nailed it. Especially the part about moisture, I spend so much time educating people about it’s bad nick name “Dry rot” and that it’s from moisture and fungi. Now I got your video for visual aide. Thank you.

[@a.b2966]

Our landlord ignored the issue for 4 years. Now the bathroom is just a hole in the floor. At least our kitchen is more open now 😅

[@petenestor1]

It is videos of this caliber as to why I have totally stopped watching all TV. This knowledge totally prepares a property owner to make sound maintenance decisions while identifying and avoiding fraudsters. Great channel.

[@Ken-yp1dg]

I've been repairing homes for 140 years...this guy is great

[@Inkd_watkins]

I would like to see how to repair the common problems areas and just general carpentry repair for wood rot. Thanks !! Keep up the good work !!!

[@pattiekeith2501]

He has a couple of videos on his site which show the repair process.

[@donreinholz8121]

That was a good video. I live in CO where it is pretty dry and we get lots of sun. However I always make to do a good job of using flex caulk in cracks in the exterior and especially where the house meets and concrete surface that might wick water up from it. People need to reseal the wood before it starts to rot.

[@JV_DC]

I'm an architect and know a great deal about single family homes. I do most of the work on my house myself, but sometimes I just don't have the time and need to hire a contractor. I can confidently say that about 9 out of 10 times I catch them trying to rip me off, sometimes by thousands of dollars. It's shocking. I feel bad for unsuspecting homeowners who don't know any better.

[@stevelong9328]

Excellent video. I've been doing carpentry for about 45 years and I agree with everything you said in this video.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you, Steve! I’m always happy to hear from long-time tradesmen. 😄

[@greggstrawbridge7718]

thank you, so helpful as I am experiencing "rot" on my window seals and have been dealing with a window salesman with a cost of $50k for a 250k house

[@JV_DC]

I would replace windows only if they are single glazed (not insulated). There are other much cheaper ways to deal with water infiltration than total window replacement. (speaking as an architect with 20 years experience)

[@JT_70]

Seals or sills?

[@bigbopete2667]

I learned residential construction from L.A. Trade Tech. They didn't teach this in class. Thanks for sharing. Just subbed.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

That’s great to hear @bigbopete. Thanks for watching! I hope you’re getting good work out there 🙂

[@maryfernando7545]

How about that. I have learnt something really useful today. Thank U. I saw this "dry rot' in my laundry and I thought it was termite damage. I can now proceed to repair the affected wall timber framing which are affected. There is not too much rot so I am going to repair it by myself. I am 80 years old and find it hard to get decent and honest contractor for all the repair jobs around my home. I now learn through watching fantastic videos produced by kind and genuine people. Thanks a bunch. From Queensland, Australia.

[@joshualindsay9849]

Thanks for this video. I appreciate the advice. 3 years ago I repaired the window sill on the weather side of the house - that had lots of rotted wood. I took out most, but not all, of the rotted wood, - (or I would have taken it all out, lol), then filled the area with builders bog, then put on a coat of Taubman's 3 in 1 primer/undercoat - a water based product that I've used a lot in the past indoors without issues. Anyway.. 3 years later, pretty much everywhere where the old, suspect timber met the bog, it has cracked. :( So, doing a bit more research, a friend suggested cutting out all the dodgy areas, and then coating any suspect wood with a product sold here as Earl's wood hardener - a thin, milky substance. I used a wire brush attachment on a drill bit to dig out all intersecting areas of wood and bog, and then applied the wood hardener to all areas. I did numerous coats, waiting 24 hours between each coat, and I am impressed with how much stronger the suspect wood is! Areas that you could poke a screwdriver into were like rock! Ideally, I would have removed the entire window, and replaced the entire sill, but, hey, who wants to do that? So, after numerous coats, I then filled the voids with an extra strong version of builders bog - it was 50% or more expensive than the standard bog, or more, but is also meant to be 4 times stronger. A dark green colour rather than the standard pink, and seems to be oil based, from the look of the unmixed state of it. I've just finished sanding, rebogging, sanding, rebogging, sanding, etc, etc,, and will now, tomorrow, weather dependant, apply a oil based primer on the entire area... Then, two further top coats. While the Taubman's all in one is great for indoor areas, I do not think its up to sustained weather, and lets water through, hence why I've gone with a oil based primer. I suspect any water based primer is inferior to oil based on exposed weather area, but I could be wrong. If this fails, then, ffs, I'll resort to using epoxy resin and fiber glass.... but I'm hoping this current fix will solve it. I'll report back in another three years. :)

[@stevedig886]

Your story sounds like mine. Cut out all that I could from a partially rotted window sill, applied several coats of fungicide to the good timber, and applied a polyester resin to fill the spaces. Will paint the entire sill with undercoat and 2 top coats (with a fungicide additive). I was recommended to use a water based undercoat (on the resin), as the oil would not stick well to the resin surface, but I do usually paint exposed timber with oil based undercoat, rather than a water based paint. Hopefully a fungicide additive will stop floating spores getting a toehold.

[@MrBillmedhurst]

Thanks for your explanation of "dry rot". I've wondered about that for years.

[@chrisknoblock]

I've never heard of this before. We used to call it dry rot because it was dried out and crumbling, but we had always assumed it was water exposure. I've never heard of brown rot. Fascinating.

[@dagneytaggart7707]

You're one of the best Subs I've made on YT. SO much education. SO much skill acquired. SO much money saved. Quality of life level stuff. Thanks.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you Karen!

[@barrys.1824]

I have been practicing architecture for 30 yrs. Follow this advice. It will serve you well and most likely save you $.

[@alwaysgrateful6337]

Great video! You have saved me lots of money and from getting ripped off. Thank you!!!!

[@alliphil1]

Best damn video on wood rot EVER! Thank you sir!! 🙏🏼🙂

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

You’re welcome, Ali! Thanks for watching 🙂

[@JW77]

Thanks for clearing things up. I've always found the term "dry rot" confusing too.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

@EJ Wu You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful 🙂

[@cynthiamoon372]

It is wet rot that has dried out. Very common to check for rot in the warmer months when repair projects are done. I have a sill plate that was subjected to intrusive moisture then it became soggy. In the winter the area would freeze and further damage the sill due to rupturing. Come summer, the whole area was dry as a desert and the wood turned to dust. As in the video, the only thing holding the crumbled wood together was heavy paint.

[@johnclements6614]

@@cynthiamoon372 Dry rot is not Wet rot that has dried, they are different fungi. You start getting dry rot at 20% water content whilst wet rot needs a lot more water. Air dried timber will get down to about 15%. Wet rot is easier to treat, once you have removed the water source, as it does not spread through the timber much.Dry rot can spread through the timber and transport water a yard from the source. After you have removed the water source you need to investigate and treat with preservatives over a larger area.

[@bobbarron6969]

Thanks for putting this vid together. Repairing wood rot has allowed me to live the lifestyle that I currently enjoy and I love helping clients better understand how to care for their homes. With the advent of MDF exterior trim, I'll have plenty of work as long as I want it. Talk about a ripoff. We have subdivisions around here trimmed out in MDF that look like Mayberry USA but are better thought of as movie sets. The slightest entry point for moisture often leads to disaster.

Fungus. Without it vegetation does not rot, it simply gets crushed over millennia into oil. Whala, black gold...but never again. Fungus effectively rots all trees, fallen or not. Superb video. My 1870 estate had way lots of rot that I mediated with 100 feet of aluminum soffit, gutters, drainage, siding, and six steel roofs...then a dozen new windows and associated trim. No More Leaks! Yaaay!! Wood Hardener creates a solid foundation for plastic wood rebuilding, and it works perfectly.

[@jamiejones7222]

Sorry on someone else's account, but had to chime in... There is such a thing as dry riot, but I do concur it has nothing to do with wood... It is a term used to describe rubber gaskets that have been left in the sun to long and have dried out and cracked (no longer able to be used as a gaskets)... Hope this helps the misunderstanding and misused term...

[@shleepydragyn8940]

Also tires

[@hosslane320]

@Bluewolfe a product called 303 protector helps put oils back into rubber, plastic, vinyls . On tires spray all over outside, let soak for a couple of days. Do this about every 3 to 4 months . In the sun is fine .

[@holylandfan3275]

New subscriber. I love honest people. :) What people don't think of is God always see the dishonest people. They may be ahead on one thing, but a sudden, expensive repair on a car, or something else is probably the result of them ripping someone off. I have even taken things back to a grocery store that weren't rang up. When I walk in, they are like "Did we overcharge you?", and I say, "No, I'm here to pay because you overlooked it.". They have told me they never have people do that. Haha. I tell them that I am honest and have to pay, but also, I don't want God's wrath to come down on me. :)

[@KermitRice]

A truly outstanding video. If I could give 5 stars, I wouldn't hesitate. Great info.

[@carlaengel4864]

I am going to be honest. I live in a high humidity area. And this video is awsome. So true. Very educational. Thank you !!!!! 10 ***********

[@danielwenske1107]

Thank you for this video! Makes me feel comfortable working on my house.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

You’re welcome, Daniel! I really glad it was helpful. Good luck with your projects, and be safe

[@muppelmuh1445]

I think paint often helps wood rot by sealing water inside. The paint is meant to protect against water from the outside by putting a seal, but it also does seals in water. Don't paint your house in humid conditions when you can expect the wood to contain humidity. Or use paint that allows water through, some of the linseed oil & pigment paints do that.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Isn't linseed kind of flammable just on its own?

[@muppelmuh1445]

@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 yes! It is. But to my knowledge it's only self-combusting in certain conditions like when it's fresh and when the fumes can't go anywhere and concentrate. The cloth you apply it with can self combust when you leave it crumbled

[@carinvon3898]

Thank you so much for this! I recently got ripped off from a complete incompetent of a contractor who “attempted” to fix my rot with BONDO. That is Bondo for cars! He told me it was his little secret, as I nervously listened. He did a HORRIBLE job, didn’t even remove or flake away any of the loose debris and his Bondo job FELL OFF after three days. I fired him, lost a bunch of money, and fixed it myself. You have a new subscriber in me! Thank you so much for the clear and concise information! I look forward to learning more.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Sorry to hear about that, Carin! Bondo is most definitely an overused, often misused product in construction. And while I do occasionally use their wood formulas for small things, it definitely has to be well-prepped. I’m glad you got it fixed though. And thank you for subscribing and watching!

[@chrisgraham2904]

BONDO is a great and economical product for making repairs to wood, but the wood surface MUST be properly prepared and structurally sound to anchor to. In your case, the crap base continued to fail, not the BONDO. BONDO is formulated to adhere to smooth metal surfaces, but bonds even better to the fibers of solid wood. It's made to perform in all temperatures, can be sanded, screwed and painted and handle the knocks and vibrations of travelling down the road. Any expensive epoxy compound designed specifically for wood rot repairs would have failed without proper preparation of the substrate. I have BONDO wood rot repairs that are close to 30 years old that have not re-occured because the original moisture problem has been eliminated.

[@billyblackie9417]

Very good video a lot of people need to see. My drain shoot was full of clay and grass and Before that the wooden facia beside the shoot was rotten but When I cleared the drain shoot I realised it was because the water couldn't run along and down the drain pipe so it obviously was spilling onto the wooden facia. I also had sever dampness on my walls upstairs so I got the higher shoots cleaned out. Now I think I will be in a better situation to scrub the dampness of the walls and leave for a couple of weeks so I can see if it is appearing again and scrub the walls again if needed and I have dampness spray for the walls when I'm sure they are ready and then I can paint them you gave me great ideas on identifying rot and also knowing if it is paint crumbling but wood I'd perfect. You gave a great lesson especially for ordinary house holders you are right most but not all contractors will try to make money unnecessarily out of innocent people thanks a million for your great knowledgeable video stay safe and keep smiling

[@blessedwithchallenges9917]

Reason why it's called Dry Rot is a good one, and interesting. If wood stays I'm water and doesn't dry out - it will not rot! It rots by getting dry after being wet. There are logs (example: Crater Lake) that float straight up and down for hundreds of years and only rot on top where they can get dry/wet/dry/wet. Fungus is part of it, but also simple cleaning theory (like how a sponge degrades as it gets wet/dry/wet/dry and the cells get bigger) as water pulls loose particles away. I like explanations, and I love this channel, but often when putting down a common term for one reason, there is another equally important reason not to put it down. That said, any contractor that sounds "alarmist", get a third opinion and likely stay away from that guy...

[@chrissy1088]

Thank you so much, I have just started repainting my front steps as the paint was beginning to peel (the 'experts' I had paint the front and back porch, last fall, don't seem to have used primer on the unpainted wood!) and I found quite a bit of rot along one of the steps at the bottom of a riser where it meets the tread (probably water accumulates there) I poked it and a lot of mushy wood came out even though the paint hadn't gone from that area. This video was very helpful and I will go round the outside of the house and try and repair what I find. I am a senior and can't afford to pay people who sometimes don't even do as good a job as I could have; I wish I had saved my money and painted the decks and steps myself. I also thought that dry rot spread even without water but that's because I was told that about 50 years ago and never questioned it; now I feel silly.

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you for watching, Chris! I’m really glad it was helpful. Don’t feel too bad-the dry rot issue is widely misunderstood from my experience. Our new video also addresses how rot issues can arise from high humidity levels in houses. Good luck with your repairs, and be safe!!

[@ooohlaa13]

me too everything you said applies to me especially the part that even as a 78 year old woman, I often do better work than some of the much younger "handy men" I have hired, who scratched my floor and my new washer and dryer with their tools. Having grown up with meticulous conscientious DIY parents I picked up a lot of "can do", but these days I often need help and it is very disappointing to find mediocre tradespeople who don't have a clue about quality and work ethics. Think its okay to be paid by the hour and take extensive personal calls and cigarette breaks!!! Geez!.

[@georgegonzalez-rivas3787]

As usual, this is a short, to-the-point, and USEFUL video on an important topic. Thanks!

[@jodilea144]

This was one of the most helpful videos I’ve watched lately. Thank you for your honesty and tips. 🙂

[@TheHonestCarpenter]

Thank you, Jodi! 🙂