Weatherboarded and timber-framed cottages are part of the character of Essex villages, from the Epping Forest area to the countryside around Chelmsford. Timber-clad buildings are durable when looked after, but vulnerable wherever water gets in and stays.
Where wet rot starts
- The bottom boards and sole plates, close to the ground
- Around windows and doors where water runs behind the cladding
- Where paint or stain has failed and boards stay wet
- Below leaking gutters and downpipes
- Where soil, planting or paths have built up against the walls
Signs to look for
- Soft, spongy or crumbling timber, especially at low level
- Boards that have split, warped or come away
- Paint that blisters or flakes repeatedly in one area
- Damp patches inside behind the cladding
Prevention
- Keep paint and stain systems in good condition
- Keep ground levels well below the bottom of the cladding
- Maintain gutters and downpipes
- Keep ventilation gaps behind cladding clear
Repair
Once the moisture source is fixed, decayed boards and frame timbers are cut out and replaced or spliced, and new and adjacent timber treated where appropriate. On older and listed buildings, repairs should match the original as closely as possible.
See timber treatment in Essex and our property maintenance service.
