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

2 жыл бұрын

Who wants their termites repaired?

@harwoods11

2 жыл бұрын

@@ianmoon1103 Sounds like fun.

@robbinbarrett617

2 жыл бұрын

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

2 жыл бұрын

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

@MuahMan

Жыл бұрын

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

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

2 жыл бұрын

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

2 жыл бұрын

@@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 KZread 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

2 жыл бұрын

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

2 жыл бұрын

@@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 KZread. 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

2 жыл бұрын

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

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

3 жыл бұрын

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

2 жыл бұрын

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

2 жыл бұрын

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

2 жыл бұрын

@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

2 жыл бұрын

@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

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

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

@nancyferguson4420

4 жыл бұрын

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

@tombennett1893

3 жыл бұрын

Agree

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

@TheHonestCarpenter

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Eric!

@ericrotsinger9729

4 жыл бұрын

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

@bobleclair5665

4 жыл бұрын

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

4 жыл бұрын

Bob Le Clair .

@brianslocum6823

3 жыл бұрын

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

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!

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

3 жыл бұрын

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

Жыл бұрын

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

@louiselowe1568

Жыл бұрын

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

Жыл бұрын

@@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 .

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.

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

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

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

2 жыл бұрын

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

@seinundzeiten

3 ай бұрын

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

@user-pu9xo2xu9v

2 ай бұрын

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.

I'm so happy KZread 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

Жыл бұрын

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

@SonOfAdolf

Жыл бұрын

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

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!

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.

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.

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).

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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!

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

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

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

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! 👏🏻

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 !!

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

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.

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

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.

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

4 жыл бұрын

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

@baldguy5985

3 жыл бұрын

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

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

11 ай бұрын

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

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

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!

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

@TheHonestCarpenter

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Bryan! I appreciate the feedback 😀

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 KZread which began with watching home improvement videos.

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.

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!!!

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!

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.

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!

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

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

Thank you for the straight forward honest information. Too many people are frightened into unnecessary costly repairs. Again thank you.

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

Жыл бұрын

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

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

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. :)

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.

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.

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 😅

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

4 жыл бұрын

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

@liveitlikeitloveall2746

4 жыл бұрын

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

@Bigshoots86

3 жыл бұрын

We need an update,!

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

Thank you! I have wood rot in my bathroom. The termite inspector told me it was wood rot but a google search brought up confusing results.

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

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

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.

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

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

4 жыл бұрын

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 🙂

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

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome, Ali! Thanks for watching 🙂

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

3 жыл бұрын

Yes!

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.

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

@TheHonestCarpenter

4 жыл бұрын

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

Really excellent video. I’m a lot more comfortable with my observations and plans to address issues that I have and may arise in the future. Thank you!

Possibly the most useful video I have ever watched. Thanks for putting wood rot into perspective👍

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

3 жыл бұрын

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 🙂

thank you so much for the simple direct explanation of 'dry rot'!

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

4 жыл бұрын

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

3 жыл бұрын

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

3 жыл бұрын

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.

What prevents water accumulating is air. So ventilation is key. Using chalk, silicone and putty to seal everything, only closes the damp in and the rot keeps going. Condensation happens in sealed places, not open or ventilated. A small dill hole here and there can help with ventilation and letting joints be free of putty. Some paint has the ability to “breathe”, so chose those for exteriors. Metal trimming does not prevent water for example because metal condenses water by heat difference, so paint or seal the wood under those trimmings with paint or oil. Never let the end timber touch the ground. It sucks up water like a dringing straw. Leave a gap.

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!!🤙🏻

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 KZread videos for how to do things you will not need that contractor.

@TheHonestCarpenter

4 жыл бұрын

@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

4 жыл бұрын

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

4 жыл бұрын

George Minton km

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

3 жыл бұрын

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

I recently purchased property with my father. My parents are in their late 70’s and have always wanted to end their days with family. The opportunity presented itself and we purchased 13.2 acres with two homes in Greeley Hill, ca. I am semi-retired and my parents are retired. Here is where the challenge came in, in 2021 the housing market was red hot and two homes near the Yosemite mountains on one parcel is a rare find. We tried to sell my parents house at the same time as well! Stress may not be the best word to describe the ordeal! To the point! We purchased a beauty property at a bargain even and we just love it! Here is the problem, it was a vacation home and previous owners got old and maintenance was not done. I’m semi-retired, so time I have, a lot of extra cash I do not! I found brown rot in the lower bathroom wall, after detecting a leak, further inspection I found it is a support wall and there is an actual sag in the upper floor. As well it was wet and mushy, but the thing is there has already been a repair to this area and the moved the support to surround the rot. I can’t afford $60,000 in repairs and that’s what I am being quoted, to be quite Frank the house is still gorgeous and it’s hardly noticeable. Why can’t I fix this myself? Why is it $60,000 to make this repair? I say 60k, one bid 72k the other 55k. I hardly work, I have the time and I have a credit line, I feel I can do this repair!!!! Can you guide me to the right place to learn and get the knowledge I need to make a successful repair?

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.

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

3 жыл бұрын

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

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.

@SonOfAdolf

Жыл бұрын

How the heck do mice get on the roof?

@davidelliott5843

Жыл бұрын

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

@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823

Жыл бұрын

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

@sharronwaszkiewicz763

11 ай бұрын

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

@sharronwaszkiewicz763

11 ай бұрын

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

As an adjuster, I’m glad you brought this up, definitely hard work to make this video and I greatly appreciate it!

This is VERY helpful. Thank you. I just bought a wooden cabin in the mountains. There are lots of areas I have questions about. I will be much better informed now about repairs.

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

4 жыл бұрын

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

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.

I just learned so much...thanks for your honesty and helping us avoid dishonest carpenters

Very good to know. And has drastically reduced my worry level. Thanks! 👍👍👍

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).

That actually was pretty useful, I'm glad I watched.

Great video! This really helped me confirm my suspicions about some wood rot I have. Thank you for your great explanations! Keep up the great work of helping others!

CONGRATS! A truly honest and professional carpenter. GREAT CHANNEL!

Great Vid! Clear, honest, to the point! Thanks!

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

4 жыл бұрын

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 :(

I feel like a bit of a cheat watching this video. Or at least I did for a second. Then realized the truth is I just didn’t know any better. Lots of value in your videos man; gonna watch them all!

This is the best video on KZread regarding this subject. Excellent work!! 👏👏👍

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

3 жыл бұрын

Also tires

@hosslane320

2 жыл бұрын

@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 .

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

@chrisknoblock

2 жыл бұрын

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.

Thanks for this video. Just what I needed for my current project.

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 ***********

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.

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

@TheHonestCarpenter

4 жыл бұрын

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

It’s a good thing you’re the “honest” carpenter!

Brilliant!!! Helpful and generous with advice! Subscribed! I had the same problem and everyone tried to con me during lockdown when I was struggling financially! Forced me to do all my own stuff now and your video has been excellent help!