Exposed mouldy timber/lath - what next?

[CArthur]

Untitled

• CArthur
• 14 Jan 2013
• 1

See picture... Had a lot of leaking through this bit of wall in bad weather. Old house and had dodgy gutters (now fixed). Started to chip away the plaster from a crack thinking could patch up easily, but came away and exposed wet and mouldy timber. I thought it was lath, but it's set into the brickwork and seems more like part of the original window framing...

Not sure what to do next. For now am trying to encourage it to dry out (still damp to touch). Is still very sturdy - can bash with a screwdriver and it's solid enough, but the outer 1-2mm v soft so maybe starting to rot?

Any advice welcome. I'm hoping I'd get away with drying it, cleaning the mould off and plastering over...

 

[Alastairreid]

Thats a 13mm plaster corner bead.

Remove the plaster from the wooden lintel and allow to dry out, you will then have to fix expamet lath to the beam before replastering.

http://www.building-supplies-online.co.uk/expamet-standard-angle-bead-550-1013mm-30m-3012-p.asp

http://www.wickes.co.uk/exmet-mesh-coil-175mmx20m-765-20/invt/220381/

 

[gregers]

i would leave it as long as possible to dry out,the trouble with timber lintels is any rot you find on the face tends to be a hell of a lot worse on the back.
even then once you know for sure its bone dry i still would do a series of holes at an angle and carefully fill these hole with some kind of preservative over a few days,let it permeate into the back of the timber,then do as above.

 

[roy c]

I think you should dig out all around it and make a hole above it right back and put a strong boy in and take the lintel out and put a concrete lintel in. I wouldn't be lettin' it dry out and waiting to see if there is any strength in it get it out and be done with it,,, Have a look in my "forming doorways " album and it will give you an idea of what I mean...

 

[Alastairreid]

Way to go Roy! Easy enough for us, Maybe the op will bite the bullet.

 

[roy c]

Way to go Roy! Easy enough for us, Maybe the op will bite the bullet.

Hi alastair A belated "Happy New Year " to you...I think he should be able to do it and "us lot on here" can help him thru it,,,

 

[Alastairreid]

Happy belated new year to you as well Roy.

 

[CArthur]

Thanks for all the advice so far. Really useful. I didn't know what a lintel was til I googled it after the posts above - pretty new to bigger DIY jobs (anything more than putting up shelves is big in my book!), so this forum is a great find now I've bought my first house.

Think I need to mull it over a bit while it's drying out... Big job for someone with not a lot of experience.