How to Prevent Wood From Rotting: 6 Tips

Wood is a popular building material in homes, in large part because it can last a lifetime and beyond in the proper conditions. However, wood can rot quickly if it is constantly exposed to moisture or if it comes in contact with infected wood. Use these tips on how to prevent wood from rotting to ensure you don’t end up with property damage.

1. Reduce Moisture

The best thing you can do to prevent wood from rotting is to limit its exposure to moisture. Moisture will promote mold growth, which can eat away at the material over time, but it can also make the wood a breeding ground for different fungi that can cause wet rot and dry rot.

For exterior wood, you can slope surfaces to help them shed rain and snow better. For wood inside your home, like in the basement or crawl space, install a dehumidifier to reduce the amount of moisture in the air. An exhaust fan in a bathroom or laundry room is a good idea to reduce interior humidity. Reducing moisture has the added benefit of reducing your risk of pest infestation and related damage.

2. Avoid Ground Contact

For outdoor projects, much of the moisture wood will see will come from the ground, so avoid ground contact whenever possible. You can lay down a bed of gravel under any wood that will need to rest on the soil or grass. If you’re installing a concrete pad for the wood to rest on, use a moisture barrier between the materials to prevent water from wicking up to the wood. 

3. Seal the Wood

Sometimes, it’s not possible to avoid exposing wood to water and moisture, as in the case of a wooden deck or exterior trim. In these cases, sealing the wood is the best treatment option for wood rot. Wait until the wood is entirely dry, and then add a coat of lacquer, polyurethane, or another type of exterior sealant. Plan to reapply every one to two years, depending on your climate.

4. Avoid Contact With Contaminated Wood

Wet rot and dry rot occur when wood comes into contact with spores from a variety of fungi that grow on wood. Since trees, stumps, and stacked firewood can be sources of these spores, you may not be able to protect exterior wood completely. However, grinding down tree stumps and keeping firewood covered and dry can help. For interior wood, like studs and floor joists, avoid bringing potentially contaminated wood into your home.

5. Choose the Right Wood for the Job

If you’re completing a DIY project and want to prevent the wood you’re using from rotting, choosing the right type of wood can do wonders. Generally speaking, softwoods are more likely to rot than hardwoods, but your best option is pressure-treated wood if you know your project will see a lot of moisture. This type of wood has chemicals in it that deter fungi from infecting it, so it stands up much better to exposure. Opt for ground-contact pressure-treated wood, specifically if your project will be in contact with soil.

6. Trim Plant Growth Away

Finally, trim plant growth away from wood surfaces on outdoor wood projects. Bushes, shrubs, and tree limbs can direct moisture toward things like exterior trim and decking materials and then hold the moisture against them, promoting rot.

What Causes Wood to Rot

All wood rot is caused by fungal growth, and the type of wood rot you’re experiencing depends on the specific fungus that is eating away at your wood. While fungus is what actually causes the rot, moisture is what allows the fungus to thrive. Fungus won’t grow on dry wood, so moisture is always the underlying issue. As such, a reputable professional who fixes wood rot will begin by addressing the moisture problem.

What to Do About Wood Rot

Once fungus begins consuming wood, it can spread to connecting pieces and nearby lumber, so you should act quickly. First, try to identify the type of wood rot you have. Dry rot fungus can spread through dry wood, so it can persist even if you address the underlying moisture issue. As such, dry rot repair costs tend to be higher. Wet rot will only grow on moist wood, so you can stop wet rot in its tracks by eliminating moisture in the wood.

If you notice any signs of dry rot, call in a local water damage restoration company immediately. They can help treat the wood, remove damaged portions, and solve the source of the problem to prevent the damage from returning. For minor issues with wet rot, you could opt to solve the moisture issue yourself and then hire a local handyman service to carry out cosmetic repairs using wood filler and sealant.