Dry rot of the wood in your home or any wooden structure is caused by a fungus and can do an extensive amount of damage if left untreated. Since it is a fungus it thrives on any amount of moisture that could be trapped inside the wood that is exposed to the elements. This is why you will typically find dry rot in the wood around doors, windows, shutters, and roofs.

If any signs of dry rot are found they should immediately be repaired in order to prevent the spread of the fungus to any uninfected wood. Once all areas that were identified and repaired, you should ensure that you discover the source of the moisture and eliminate the cause. Below is a 5-step process for removing the dry rot and restoring the original sturdiness of the wood.

5 Step Wood Dry Rot Removal Process

Preparation for the project

Preparation is very important and since most of the time you will be outdoors working with dry rot it is best to choose a day that is warm and dry. If it is too humid the filler may have a hard time curing and drying quick enough. Since dry rot is a fungus and the chemicals you will be using (wood stabilizer and wood filler) can be toxic you want to be sure you are wearing protective gear; gloves, mask, and glasses.

Identify the areas of dry rot

After finding all of the areas of the wood that are infected with dry rot it is important that you remove all of the rotten wood. Using a saw, chisel, and hammer carefully remove as much as necessary, be sure not to remove any good wood at the same time. Evaluate the soundness of the remaining wood to be sure that it can continue to carry the load if necessary. If the destruction was too much you will need to consider replacing a section of the wood.

Use a good wood stabilizer to treat uninfected wood

After you have removed all of the signs of the fungus and you are left with the good part of the wood. You then need to go back and using a good wood stabilizer to coat the remaining area to ensure that the fungus does not continue to spread to the uninfected areas. Using a clean, but old paintbrush to apply the chemical stabilizer to the wood. Be sure to use an old brush as the stabilizer will most definitely destroy the brush.

Use a wood filler where necessary

Now that you have treated all of the areas that you removed the dry rot from it is time to fill in all the areas of the wood that are left as holes. It is important that you use a good wood filler that can be sanded easily and be sure to apply it carefully. Use a form on the edges so that you preserve the squared and natural look to all of the edges. The larger the areas the harder it is to make them look natural without destroying the pattern of the wood grain.

Sand and seal or stain  

The final step is to sand down all of the areas that you apply the wood filler to flat. Be sure to avoid swirl marks and ripples on the surface of the filler, but these situations will show up prominently through the sealer or stain that you choose. Depending on the size of the repairs and where the rot occurred you will most likely be using a heavy coat of paint. Sealers and many stains are transparent or semi-transparent so they won’t hide too much in the way of large areas of wood filler.