A Down and Dirty Visual Guide To Dry Rot in Roof Beams
Look for these signs of dry rot in roof beams:
paint that is peeling, wrinkled, or bubbled
cracking (especially the beam ends), sloughing, or divots in the wood
any discoloration, mold, or mildew
changes to the normal shape of the timber
anything growing on or out of the beam
Not all of these indicators will necessarily be present, but the more there are, the more likely there is significant decay.
Breaking It Down
One telltale sign of dry rot is often bubbled, distorted, wrinkled, or peeling paint:
Cracking on the end of the beam with a checked appearance is an indicator of significant rot (usually a brown rot):
Deep radial cracking is not only an indicator of dry rot, it is an avenue for spreading the problem. It can take on a variety of forms as seen in this slideshow (use the arrows or swipe):
Any change in the typical rectangular shape of a roof beam is a clear sign of dry rot affecting the structural integrity of the wood:
Sloughing and divots also are telltale signs of extensive dry rot:
Discoloration can be the fruiting body of a dry rot fungus:
Nothing should ever be growing from your beam:
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