The answer to this question is not as simple as it may seem. Several different factors come into play when determining the best course of action for a specific situation. The following blog post will discuss how to know if you have rotted wood, what treatment options are available, and give some examples of each option.
This article will break down what can cause rot in wood and provide insight into spotting it before it gets out of hand. We’ll also look at the different types of treatments you might want or need for your project, including painting over rotten wood! You should be able to find exactly what you’re looking for here!
Sometimes, rotten wood isn’t entirely bad…
If you’re trying to decide whether or not to paint over wood that has rotted, but the wood underneath looks like it could be used for something else (maybe as a trellis?), then you should probably go ahead and discard the wood with rot. If, however, the wood under the rotted wood is still good, allow me to give you some reasons why you should leave it there.
The wood under the rotted wood may be more stable than the wood with rot.
When wood has rotted, it’s more likely to break or fall apart when cut and put back together than wood that doesn’t have decay. So if you’re trying to decide whether or not to paint over rotten wood and you’ve found a few pieces of sturdier-looking pieces in your pile of “rotten” wood, then go ahead and keep them! It’s easier to use something already in chunks instead of cutting new pieces from a larger piece of wood.
Termites
Termites are a big problem for homeowners. They can destroy timbers on your home or around it, which is terrible news if you rely heavily upon the structure of that area to keep all else intact and sturdy during severe weather events like hurricanes. The best way to tackle termite problems before they become significant issues is to find their epicenter (usually where most activity is spotted) and remove them entirely. By doing this, nothing more gets damaged in any other areas surrounding the site of infestation; and it will ensure no future damage occurs. If you’re noticing cracked or damaged wood on or around your house, including fences gate, this could be a sign that termites have started to infest your wood.
Painting over termite damage isn’t just ineffective. It can also be a legal problem. For example, suppose you are planning on selling your home eventually. In that case, an inspector will be able to tell that you have covered the damage with paint – this could make the home ineligible for sale until fixed, which may be incredibly expensive.
Mold
Moisture sitting in one place for a long time can eventually grow into mold. If not properly removed, this will cause serious health problems such as lung irritation and allergies. In addition, painting over the mold might agitate spores that grow elsewhere in your house, so it’s best to take care of them instead! These mold and spores are known causes of lung diseases and irritations that are a considerable health hazard which is why you should never re-paint old wood that has mold in it.
Mold can be challenging for regular homeowners to identify. That’s why if you have a vast stock of old wood that you want to reuse. We recommend hiring professional painters to inspect them at least to see if they’re still a candidate for re-painting. This will ensure that no harmful contaminants such as mold will get past the rigid inspection that only professionals can do.
Moisture
The moisture in wood can cause it to swell and rot, which is why painting over the problem will not fix anything. It’s like putting a cover on top of rotting vegetables: you still see them underneath. Also, the paint won’t stick because the wet surface means that new paint would make things better; instead, everything might look worse when painted onto damaged surfaces.
While paint can help protect your home from wet weather, it won’t fix the problem if the moisture has already soaked into the wood. If you have moisture rot in the wood of your house and there’s a leak somewhere that caused this, then the odds are good that more leaks will occur later on until all issues surrounding the leaks are resolved. Before painting an area where water damage occurred, make sure first to repair any problems as well as ensure they don’t contribute to future ones before doing so
Important reasons why you should reconsider
The Damage Will Still Show Even if it looks fine at the time, damages like rot or rust on a painted surface can show through and ruin your perfect finish. You cannot just paint over damage to achieve an even coat of color. You need first to repair the damaged area for a flawless finish. Professionals know that painting directly onto rotted wood will not work well nor yield the desired results, so they recommend getting rid of any existing rot before making repairs with new lumber as needed.
The Damage Can Be More Severe Than It Looks
While painting over small areas of wood rot may seem like an easy, short-term solution to the problem, it is just that – a temporary fix. You cannot assume that something more serious is not going on beneath the surface by simply looking at some paint peeling off in one area. The root cause and the extent of the damage must be investigated before any repair can happen. This is why patching over visible damage will never provide a long-term solution.
Painting Damaged Wood Will Make It Worse
If you thought “sealing” wood rot in place with a few coats of paint was your solution, think again. Paints will soak into the compromised wooden surface like sponges and ultimately leave you dealing with more severe issues than before.
Issues Like Mold And Moisture Can’t Be Fixed Through Painting Over Them.
Though many would paint over or ignore the problem, it is essential to remember that mold and mildew can cause severe damage. In addition to compromising the structural integrity of materials, they pose a significant threat to human health.
Mold tends to grow in hidden places such as between walls where moisture accumulates during winter months, causing water leaks from pipes to burst due to the frost heave freeze-thaw cycle. It could be difficult for untrained persons to know how long the damage was there before discovery because the wall may look clean on the surface. Still, black stains indicate the presence of active growth, which penetrated drywall paper, sheetrock, etc. A trained eye will easily spot locations where there are signs like discoloration, wet, musty odor, bubbling texture patchiness & other indicators beyond superficial appearance.
New Wood Sill Save You Money In The Long Run
A major problem with wood rot is that if it isn’t treated in time and the longer you let it go without repairing or replacing what needs to be fixed, the more damage will occur.
Last but not least, a big issue about wood rot is when people wait too long before they fix things up. If this happens and goes unaddressed for months, severe consequences could further destroy your property.
At the end of the day, it’s always best to use new wood rather than wood with rot. Call us today, and we’ll help you find out if this option would work for you or not. Before deciding whether to cover up or replace rotten wood, remember to ask yourself three questions: How much does the rot extend into the wall? Is there any damage from water leaking through cracks at all? What are my priorities when considering what needs to be done with my home? Painting over rotted wood will take extra time and money on top of whatever other repairs need to be done.
