Wood Repairs & Addressing Wood Rot

 

Wood Repairs: A Short-Term Fix For A Long-Term Issue

If you search for “Wood Repair in San Diego” many of the search results will probably direct you to a painting company or handyman who offers “Wood Repair in San Diego” as a service.  Termite and other pest control companies may or may not offer “Wood Repair” in a minimal capacity if you sign up for a long-term pest control service plan or treatment with their company.  Unfortunately, these “Wood Repair in San Diego” services generally do not offer long-term solutions, only addressing the cosmetic aspect of the damage. These repairs are generally not performed by qualified carpenters.  These “Wood Repair” solutions consist of cosmetic repairs using a product such as 3M Bondo or Evercoat HomeFix 2 Part Epoxy, or filling and shaping with caulking.

The issues with these products that lead to failure include poor or incorrect surface preparation. Also an incompatibility between materials, and failure to address the root cause of the water infiltration as well.  While products such as 3M Bondo are good for certain applications, it was a product initially designed for body filler in automotive repairs.  It was used as a substitute for wood filler or wood replacement in the 70’s and 80’s. A practice still continued to this day by painters offering “wood repair” services.  These two-part epoxies are not compatible with wood as they dry extremely hard, and don’t expand and contract in the same manner as wood.

While these “wood repairs in San Diego” initially look good as they can be sanded smooth and painted. The repairs generally only hold up for a year or two due to the material incompatibility.  In addition, not eliminating the moisture in the wood prior to application, and not using a wood hardener or primer these “repairs” are doomed from the start.

 

 

Reasons For Failures On Wood Repairs in San Diego:

The primary causes for wood deterioration are UV exposure, old age, water damage, and bug damage. Common pests locally are termites and carpenter bees. Sometimes incorrect flashing or waterproofing, leaks, and failure to follow routine maintenance and upkeep of protective coatings contribute to long term issues.  UV exposure can cause graying of wood, damaging wood fibers to weaken the wood over a period of time. “Checking” or cracking of the wood due to expansion and contraction is a natural result of wood drying.  While “checking” in some applications does not affect the structural integrity or strength of the lumber, it creates an area for water to intrude deep into the wood, which could cause rot from the inside of the wood member.

The age of wood is unavoidable, especially in historic homes.  While some of the older growth wood is denser than modern lumber, it still has a limited lifespan when exposed.  Water and termite damage are somewhat causative of each other in San Diego.  Moisture softens or weakens the wood fiber making it easier for wood destroying pests such as termites or carpenter bees to eat.  In many instances once bugs get into the wood, their destruction of the wood is often not realized until it is too late.  The bug damage creates larger areas for running water to penetrate deep inside the wood. As a result causing deeper water damage, and creating safe havens for the pests to thrive.

Termite damage can be difficult to spot. Termites usually leave a protective veneer often only a few fingernails thick along the outside of the wood to conceal their survival inside the wood. Damage can only be discovered if the wood surface is properly assessed via probe or discovered through routine maintenance.

 

Tips To Protect Your Outdoor Wood Longer

Routine maintenance and preventative maintenance are the best tactics for keeping your wood not only looking great, but ensuring longevity.  Generally, wood on the exterior of a home needs to be repainted every 5 years.  Although areas with limited moisture and UV exposure may retain their effectiveness longer.

Repairs to damaged or defective coatings is a crucial first step to keeping your wood looking great, and protected.  Installing gutters or foundation drainage are helpful in shedding rain water away from your home.  Water runoff from a roof onto an uncovered deck or pergola can contribute to water damage also.  We also recommend utilizing metal caps or self-healing butyl tape to help produce the tops of beams or rafters. This area is where water intrusion is very common and often costly to repair or replace.

Wood Repairs in San Diego: When Wood Replacement Is Not An Option

Sometimes wood replacement is not an option. Whether for repair budgets or timelines, eventual replacement, complexity of repairs, or historical renovations replacement of wood may not be an option.  In these circumstances we recommend using only this product for your wood repairs in San Diego.  As mentioned above, proper surface prep is key to a successful finished product.  First, ensure the wood is thoroughly dry by using a moisture meter, and removing all damaged wood fibers.  Prepping the surface with a wood hardener and primer, and following the mixing instructions (Very important!!). These steps are crucial for completing “wood repairs” properly.  We also recommend capping the wood with either a butyl style flashing product as well as a decorative metal cap. Methods to help reduce or eliminate ponding or intruding water on the surface.