Repairing Rotted Wall Studs on Exterior Wall – How?

Home Renovations / By

Rot makes the wood soft and tender, and if the problem is not addressed early, it can cause structural failure of the wall stud. Therefore, it is important to repair rotted wall studs.

Wood rot is a decay caused by wood-eating fungi. The fungi grow in moist and damp places; hence the best way to stop the rot permanently is to ensure the wood remains dry and it’s not intact with moisture.

In this post, we are going to discuss the process of repairing rotted wall studs on the external walls. Importantly, you will learn the best way to prevent wood rot from recurring. But, before we dive into the topic, let’s look at the main types of wood rot and their causes.

Types of Wood Rot and The Reasons Wood Rots

Usually, to pick the most appropriate way to repair and eliminate the issues of wood rot it’s important to understand wood rot in depth. You need to know the type of rot, and the possible cause.

There are three types of wood rot:

  • Brown rot/dry rot.Brown rot, popularly known as dry rot is the most common type of wood rot. It’s one of the most destructive types of wood rot making the wood split if it’s not detected and repaired early.
  • White rot. This type of rot is caused by fungi too and makes the infected wood have white spots.
  • Soft rot. Soft rot is uncommon and it’s only found in places where brown or white rot cannot occur. The decomposition of wood infected by this type of rot is slow and begins internally.

Notably, there are many reasons for wood rot. Some of the reasons include:

  • Nature of the wood.Some wood species are prone to rotting more than others
  • Method of installation.One of the reasons wood posts rot is due to improper installation. Maybe, during the installation one did not prime or paint all the six sides of the wood post. If the back side or the ends of the wood remain unpainted, then they absorb water and begin rotting.
  • Quality wood.Poor-quality wood will rot and get damaged if it comes into contact with moisture.
  • Exposure to elements. The exposure to elements mostly happens when the wood is not sealed and rests directly on masonry.

How to Repair Rot-Infected Wall Studs

Usually rotted wood poses safety issues especially when not repaired or replaced as required. Therefore, whenever you detect wood rot, it’s important to repair and fix the entire problem promptly.

Notably, while replacing the wall studs is the best way to fix a rot problem, it can be expensive, time-consuming, and inconvenient. Also, it’s not applicable in all situations especially when the section affected by rot is small.

Sometimes, when only a tiny area is infected by rot, and to ensure the rot does not spread, you only need to repair that area only. You only need to concentrate on repairing the small section that is rotten.

Importantly, there are many benefits of repairing rot immediately after you notice it. It’s affordable, quick, and convenient, and prevents major damage from occurring. When you know how to do the repairs, you don’t have to incur exorbitant costs to replace the rotten studs all the time. Also, the repairing process is simple and you can do it as a DIY project instead of hiring an expert.

Now, to repair rotted wall studs, you need the following materials and tools:

  • Putty knife
  • Wood primer
  • Paint
  • Wood filler
  • Sandpaper

After you have gathered the materials and repair tools you can follow these easy-to-follow steps:

1) Address the moisture issue

Usually, rot is caused by fungi that grow in moist environments. Exposure of the wood to moisture over time causes rot. Therefore, before the actual repair work, you should correct the plumbing or moisture issue.

If the moisture issue is not addressed, the rot will likely recur. Notably, it’s so easy to fix moisture issues. First, identify how the moisture gets into contact with wood. Then, if it’s a leakage, fix it.

Alternatively, if you are not able to address the wall leak issue, you can install a moisture barrier to prevent the water from coming into contact with the wood.

2) Cut away the rotted area

After you have ensured there are no leakages and the wood is free from getting into contact with moisture, then proceed to repair the rotted wall stud.

Cut away the rooted section once you have identified it. Use the right tools such as a utility knife or a drywall saw to effectively dig the rot area. Notably, carefully cut away to remove the entire damaged area while ensuring you don’t damage the good wood during the process.

3) Allow the wood to dry

Usually, the wood rot is a result of moisture and the wood is likely moldy and moist. Therefore, to ensure the decay problem is fully resolved and there are no chances of recurring, you need to allow the wood to dry. Importantly, the time you should wait depends on several factors such as the weather and humidity level of the house.

4) Remove dirt

You don’t want to fill an area that already has unwanted debris and rot remains. Therefore, use sandpaper to remove any residue, dirt, or paint from the wood surface.

5) Fill the area with a suitable repair material such as softwood filler

Once the area is fully dry and free of rot residue, fill it using wood filler. You can use a putty knife to apply the filler.

Importantly, apart from filling the area, the filler material provides structural stability for the wood.

6) Treat the wood

When repairing the wood, it’s important to treat it using the recommended fungicide. The fungicide eliminates any fungi and prevents the wood from rotting in the future.

7) Prime and paint the Wood

Painting is one of the best ways you seal and protect your wood from damage. To ensure the wood is fully protected from moisture damage, prime and paint it.

How to Inspect and Identify Wood Rot

Although rot is detrimental to the wood, sometimes it’s not easy to detect it, especially in the early stages. Therefore, it’s important to carry out regular inspections and repair any damaged wood studs before they fail. Some of the common signs of rot to look out for include;

  • Off white fibers
  • Mushroom-like sprouts on the wooden surface.  
  • Deep cracks

Since the wood can rot without showing any signs of decay on the surface, to be sure the wood is damaged, you can gently push the area using a screwdriver. When you poke the rotted area with a screwdriver or a knife the wood will sink in.

Importantly, if after inspection you realize some wall studs are rotten, you shouldn’t panic. Instead, you can follow the above easy-to-follow steps to repair the studs.

How to Prevent Wood Rot

To ensure wall studs remain in good condition for many years, and serve the purpose, you should prevent them from rotting. Preventing wood rot ensures the wood lasts longer and remains structurally sound.

Notably, although there are diverse ways to prevent the wood from rotting, primarily, you have to ensure the wood remains dry and is not exposed to moisture.

The following are ways to prevent wood rot:

  1. Clean the wall studs. Clean the wood using warm soapy water and a brush to remove all the accumulated dirt and hardened caulk. Usually, the accumulated dirt on wood surfaces makes the wood retain moisture, hence becoming prone to rot. Therefore, you should clean wood surfaces to remove the dirt.
  2. Repaint your house at least once every 5 years. Painting protects the wood from fungus, termites as well as moisture damage. Also, paint protects wood from absorbing moisture. Notably, when the paint is damaged, the wood is exposed to elements and can absorb moisture. To avoid rot due to the absorbed moisture when the paint fails, it’s important to paint the wood at least once every five years. The paint protects the wood from absorbing moisture. Therefore, following the recommended paint procedure, prime and paint the wood posts before installation.
  3. Ensure the wood is not in direct contact with masonry or ground. Usually, the masonry or the earth is likely to absorb and retain moisture. If there is wood in direct contact with this surface, it will absorb moisture and begin to rot.
  4. Use high-quality wood.Using poor-quality wood is one of the reasons homeowners realize wood rot is so common in their homes. Although the wood may look great at the beginning, with time, the wood rots and gets damaged.

Conclusion

Repairing a section of rotten wood is only recommended when the wood is still stable and non-load-bearing. Sometimes you may have detected wood rot when it did not severely damage the wood. In that case, instead of replacing the entire wood trim, you can choose to only repair the damaged section.

However, if the wood shows signs of structural failure such as having deep cracks across the grain or its load bearing, then you should replace the rotted wood. Alternatively, you can reinforce the rotted wall stud.

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