How To Repair Timber Frame Home

The Rotten Timber Frame, and the House Itself

The house is of grade mine, and is one of the reasons that I am associated with Smiths Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer (CPES)™ in the start identify, having been a user of it over many years now. Old houses, lots of wood, a bit of inquiry, y'all end up using CPES (Or Lignu as it was called when I imported it from Sweden). The house was built around 1880, and is of a mock Tudor construction. In 1880 that meant a timber frame which is in softwood in my instance. The business firm has had many additions, virtually worse congenital than the original part, and has suffered from some neglect in the past. In particular it has a very rotten timber frame at the dorsum under a leaky bathroom.

This particular beam measures seven″ by v″ and spans the back wall of my firm. Replacement of it would have posed something of a serious result as it functions as a lintel over some door and window frames. In the rotten area, which was over two feet long, it but supports joists, and the stud and brick on cease structure that was a (presumed later) addition to the house that is the bathroom where the leaks came from.

Annotation: Click on any picture show to see information technology total size, and so use the back button to return to the article.

The Rotten Timber Frame and The Causes of the Rot

The timber on the bottom of the hole is the primary affected timber. It looks OK from the outside, but closer inspection revealed the truth. The sawn off cast iron waste pipe was continued (or rather wasn't continued) to the bathroom inside, through pipes that ran through the hole.

A close look at the timber reveals extensive decay. The top face is soft plenty that a screwdriver can be pushed through with negligible force per unit area. A finger can be pushed through in the worst areas.

This harm has been acquired by a bath drain that has leaked for at to the lowest degree 15 years, and a leaking window above that has also failed many decades ago.

The view from the inside confirms the moving-picture show. There is one joist completely missing from this photo, and the joist on the right has lost the cease of itself to rot. The pes for the Studs has completely rotted in the afflicted area and the base of the studs are also affected. The Lath and cement ceiling now sports some serious ventilation for the toilet below, and affords rather less privacy than information technology should…

The finish of the next structural timber, that runs towards the front of the business firm, is also affected by rot, merely not enough to cause worry, just stop the rot from recurring.

 The Repair Must Deport Joists and a Bath, and the Rot Must Be Stopped

At that place is a solid wall beneath the rotten timber, so my aim here is to consolidate the timber to the point where it volition comport the joists, with a LARGE bath on them, without being crushed.

This photo shows the same corner of the finished bathroom. That bath is 1800 * 800mm, so will contain approximately a quarter of a tonne of water (250kg) when filled.

This degree of consolidation tin easily be achieved by using Smiths CPES™, which will furthermore protect the wood from rot in the future. As this timber is now inside, and the new bath volition have a proper bleed, and the new window volition be fitted properly, there will be no leaks to worry nearly, so more rot should non exist an issue.

Smiths CPES will penetrate securely into all of the rotten timber, the stuff that we can run across, and the stuff that is less rotten that nosotros can't, by running forth the fibres of the wood, and through all rotten areas. It volition leave those fibres coated in, and consolidated by, the Epoxy resin in CPES, which will add the forcefulness to the wood to carry the joists, and prevent further rot.

Repairing the Rotten Timber Frame With Smiths Articulate Penetrating Epoxy Sealer™ (CPES)

Initially holes are drilled through the timber to aid penetration of the CPES into the timber.

These holes tin can be fairly large, and should penetrate securely into the timber, but NOT pass through the timber. Nosotros want the CPES to saturate the rotten wood, not pour downwards the wall below!

Many holes are drilled in all afflicted timbers.

Mix CPES, LOTS of CPES. Rotten timbers tin can easily consume their book of CPES.

Like shooting fish in a barrel mixing past marker a straight jar with marks at viii and 16cm, and filling to the first with Part A, the 2d with Function B.

Please wear rubber gloves ever, all epoxy products can crusade sensitisation, safe gloves is the sure..

A funnel pushed into the drilled hole makes it even easier to add the CPES.

Go along pouring till it stops absorbing.

Work around the holes till the wood is saturated, and will absorb no more. Employ multiple funnels if you have them.

Once the solvents have evaporated, which takes from a few hours to a few days if the timbers are equally large as these, you then repeat the process. This will business firm the timber upward even more every bit more resin consolidates the woods farther. Acquit on until the rotten timber frame does not absorb farther significant CPES.

The Finished Product, Toughened Timber, Resistant to Rot and H2o, Capable of Carrying Joists.

The rotten timber frame took nigh 1 week to evaporate its solvents after each saturation with CPES. In one case the final saturation with CPES had been performed and the resin had hardened the joists were reinstated / repaired every bit advisable.

The joist on the left is held upright with the minor brace to the stud, equally it just rests on a brick wall at its other end. The repaired rotten timber frame carries all of the load of the joist, which has the large bathroom on information technology.

The close upwards shows the consolidated timber, which has been thoroughly saturated with CPES. In full I used around 5 or 6 litres of CPES to bear upon this repair, a lot, and not cheap, but far cheaper than replacing that timber with a wall and joists on top of information technology!

 What If The Rotten Timber Frame Was More Structural, a Lintel for a Door Possibly?

At that place are many possibilities for structural repair using Smiths CPES, but it is of class very hard to offering blanket assessments and generic 'How To' guides. Please contact us for more information or if y'all have any doubt well-nigh the suitability for a specific repair.

So What Is Smiths CPES™?

Steve Smith, an American Scientist, invented Articulate Penetrating Epoxy Sealer in the 70's. Every bit a production it is utterly unique, and has been proven over more than 40 years in the marine and house restoration markets. This product is now available to the European market through MakeWoodGood. It'due south capabilities and operation are well documented on the net, including at www.woodrestoration.com/.

Please telephone us with any problems you lot may take, and nosotros will be only too happy to aid.

Source: https://www.makewoodgood.co.uk/repair-rotten-timber-frame-house/

Posted by: jacksonexected.blogspot.com

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