Cutting Bad Section of Joist Away or Leave it?

[StevenUK]

Hi,

After a leak from the shower in our on suite (extension), our builder has cutting away a section on the ceiling in the kitchen below to assess the damage properly.

On first viewing it does not look too bad, and the builder also said the same, that it is OK, and we were lucky.

When I stood on the ladder for a closer look, the main joist which sits on a steel support looks a bit rotten, about an inch of it is rotten at the bottom of the hoist, although dry now, as we ripped the shower out a week ago.

Putting a screwdriver in goes in about an 3/4 inch before good wood is found. The length of the rot is about 20 cms, and like I said a 3/4 inch high, and the rest of the wood is good.

I have taken a picture below, and the section I refer to is sat on the downward steel support, and you can see it is darker brown at the bottom where it has rotted.

Now, the builder says that because it is now dry, and the rest of the joist is good ( only an inch of rot at the bottom ), he said to leave it, and that he will spray all the wood with treatment, and fix the floor in the shower with new boarding, etc.

All sounded fine, but I wondered what you guys think? As we are fitting a new leakproof shower pod when the floor is fixed, and want to ensure all is fixed and solid enough. Here is the picture:

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• StevenUK
• 10 Apr 2014
• 1

Thanks.

 

[StevenUK]

Nobody? 38 views and not a single reply of help?

Come on guys

 

[tony1851]

In an ideal world you would just prop the joist, chisel out the rotted section, and slip a new, thinner piece of wood under the joist, and then let it down back onto the steel. This is because you don't know the bearing strength of rotted wood.

But it is clearly still working, and as long as the source of the damp is erradicated, why bother?.

 

[StevenUK]

Thanks Tony,

Much appreciated.

Ironically, that is exactly what I suggested to the builder, but he said if there is room (after taking the floor boarding off above) that he may 'sister' a piece of timber to the joist to sure it up, and take any load should the rotten bit not bear weight to well.

Thanks.