Dry rot?

[tomcart]

Hi,
I have some builders working on my kitchen which is below a bathroom. They have pulled down the ceiling and found that some of the joists are a bit soft and there are weird stains on the bottom of the floorboards. We are wondering if it's dry rot or not. Could it be treated with a wood preserver?

The bottom of the floor boards look like they have been stained from a leak but if it was a leak - it would not have dried with this sort of colouring surely? And if it was dry rot, would we not see a bunch of spores and mould? Also - it's pretty solid to touch. Some of the whiter areas are softer than other, but in most of the stains, you can scrape back to the wood.

Attached are a few photos. Any thoughts greatly appreciated - would really like to avoid replacing all the beams, but would also like to avoid the bathroom falling in!

 

[John D v2.0]

Unless you can poke a screwdriver in anywhere, it's fine.

 

[cwhaley]

They just look like water stains to me - identical to the ones under the tiles in my bathroom and most other bathroom floorboarding I've seen.

Controlling water spillage in bathrooms is often a nightmare unless it's tanked

 

[endecotp]

While the ceiling is down, insulate the pipes.

 

[bobasd]

tomcart, what do you think cased the staining/leaking?
have you probed evrywhere the boards meets the joists? which joists are a bit soft?
why is the staining so all over the floor? you dont show under the bath/shower or WC?
what cover is or was on the bathroom floor, tile or vinyl an such?

theres some joists in photo 420.6 have come short an seem to be lightly fixedto sistering joists..

the rats nest of cables needs sorting. run all cables through joist holes and fix all junction boxes to joistsafter opening them upand tightening up all terminals.

 

[tomcart]

Thanks for the help all.

bobasd - the joinsts are bit short because their used to be a chimney breast in that area. The stains are all over the underside of the floor - probably a bit worst under the bath.

ndecotp - wish the builders had done that but they had put the ceiling boards up before I saw your reply.