WET ROTS
Wet Rot is a general term, used to cover the vast majority of fungal species responsible for timber decay.
Wood is composed of cellulose and lignin, the wet rot fungi which can only attack the cellulose, but not the lignin, are called “brown rots.”
These rots leave the wood cross-cracked in cube-like shapes and brown in colour.
Those wet rots which attack both cellulose and lignin are called “white rots” and leave the wood fibrous and pale in colour.
All wet rot fungi require higher moisture content at least 30% (fibre saturation point) and many will achieve optimum growth and decay rates at between 45 and 60% moisture content.
Coniophora Puteana (cellar fungus) is generally the commonest cause of rot in timbers that have become soaked with water leakage.
FRUIT BODY – Thin fruit bodies which lie flat on the substrate, olive-green to olive-brown with a cream margin, paler when young, and its surface is covered with small irregular lumps.
STRANDS – Cream when young. But mature to become a characteristic brown to blackish colour, they are commonly seen on the surface of decayed wood and occasionally spread across the wall surface.
MYCELIUM – The normally cream mycelium is produced only under conditions of high humidity.
DAMAGE TO WOOD – Is typical of brown rots, the wood darkens and cracks both along and across the grain, where conditions cause drying of the wood surface an apparently sound skin of wood remains may crack longitudinally as decay progresses beneath.
The other fungus commonly found causing wet rot of softwoods is Fibroporia Vaillantii. Like Coniophora this fungus causes brown rot.
The cracking of decayed timber may sometimes be in the form of large cubes. Scanty white mycelium may be found on attached wood and white strands are sometimes present. It may form a white fruiting body on the surface of the decayed timber, consisting of a white layer of pores. From which white spores are produced. To find out more about how we can help or to contact us CLICK HERE.