Purlin repair - Do I need to do anything?

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Hi,

I noticed my 7x3" purlin has some old rot in it, this is from a roof leak in the past which also caused some rot to a rafter. I (sistered) the rafter. But didn't notice the purlin. The rot is on top side of purlin where the rafter sits. I scraped out rot back to what I believe to be hard wood (Screw driver doesnt go in very far anymore), removed about a 1.5 cm depth of rot from the 7" deep purlin. Doesnt sound alot right? Can I ignore this? I would provide pictures but not sure how you do this
 
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It depends on the span, and also whereabouts along the beam the defect is.
 
The beam is about 110 years old. So i take it to be oak? The span is around 4 metres. Supported either end on brickwork which petrudes from wall. Rot is about a metre in and appears to be solid after the rot was scraped off
 
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This purlin failed several years ago yet at left hand edge of the picture the timber seems quite sound on the outside. It would appear that the purlin failed from rot that had spread unseen along the core of the purlin.
purlin 61A.jpg
 
Right ok.....is there any diy repair I can do? without cutting the existing purlin?
 
It really doesn't appear to be majorly rotten. But obviously I can't see inside the wood. No sagging etc and its unsupported for the entire length
 
Additional supports either side of the damaged area might be the solution if there is any deflection / bending in the purlin.
 
Problem is its a terraced house, and there is no load supporting walls near the purlin...as I was going to sister a length to it if needed but that would also need supporting - right? ahh help.
 
Is there a load bearing wall down the centre? Normal method of support would be a diagonal brace back to this
 
Hi chappers,

Yes there is a load bearing wall down the centre, we removed the wall on the ground floor though and its rs'jd do I need to put supports in? my neighbours have the same. Think its how they built them
 
The rafters are bird mouthed over the purlin -The purlin itself sits vertical if you get what i mean
 
Can I sister a length to the purlin, using big bolts & washers ? The rot is about a metre from the end of the purlin so say I used a 2 metre length of new timber the same size? Thanks
 
Sistering should work OK but take care that the bolts are in the centre of good timber, Look at the drill shavings as you drill as these will provide information about the condition of the wood in the centre of the purlin
 

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