Help in Identifying Purpose of Wood between Course of Bricks

[No23]

I've hacked off the plaster on my hall walls back to the bricks in order to replaster. Once it was off, I noticed that there is a length of wood between the course of bricks about two or three inches above the skirting boards. I've never seen this before (I'm not a builder or anything so it may be quite common for all I know) so does anyone know what it's for and if I should leave it? It goes back about the width of one brick.

The house is a mid terraced built in 1901.

I've taken a few photos. Thanks.

Untitled

• No23
• 3 Mar 2010
• 1

Untitled

• No23
• 3 Mar 2010
• 1

Untitled

• No23
• 3 Mar 2010
• 1

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

How high of the floor is it?
Does it lay completely over the course, through both sides?

 

[jeds]

Photos are too big so can't make them out very well. Sounds like timber 'grounds' though. Very common in Victorian houses. They were built into brickwork to allow chippies to nail skirtings. (didn't have leccy drills in those days)

 

[noseall]

Pieces of (brick course thickness) timber were frequently built into the masonry of earlier buildings to provide a fixing point for windows, doors etc.

Later this was scaled down to timber wedges that were hammered into the mortar course.

Now that we have drills, plugs and screws life is so simple.

 

[No23]

Sorry about the rather large photo's. I've edited the original post so the photo's should be easier to view now (hopefully).

Thanks for responses and to clarify, the wood is about 8-10 inches above the floor and pretty much goes back about one brick width.

What I really want to know is, should I remove it or just leave it?

 

[noseall]

the photo's are a bit small, can you make them bigger?

Only kidding.

Looks as though it may be a bell drip for rendering, no?

Has a render coat been removed from the wall?

 

[No23]

It wasn't a render coat that's just been removed although that's not to say there hasn't been one previously.

 

[tim00]

1. why did you remove the plaster, is there a damp problem?
2. is this an external wall(s)? If so is it a solid wall?
3.Carefully probe the timber for signs of rot.

 

[No23]

Tim, thanks for reply. In answer to your questions:

1. yes, plaster remove due to damp (the likely cause has been a leaking gutter above the front door. It may have been like this for some time and previous owners just left it).

2. It's an internal solid wall which is between the front door and and internal door which leads to the passage (about four feet or so).

3. The timber is very damp next to the front door, but is okay about 6 inches further along.

 

[tim00]

1. i noticed your posts of august 2007. is this the same house, and roughly speaking similar issues?
2. how has external rainwater/gutter affected an internal wall unless affected area only at the int. and extn wall junction(s).
3. what is the thickness of the int. wall?
4. it's unlikely that this section of timber was used as a kind of wall plate(s). shrinkage over the years would have caused noticeable disturbance.
5. you need to get in the sub-area and probe the joist tails where they sit in the brickwork.
6. assuming wood skirting was removed, was the back of the skirting fungus damaged?
7. check the bottom of the extn. door frame legs for water damage.

 

[mac391]

hi no23

Noseall is correct !!

2 problems arise here, The first is, if you remove them you will cause allsorts of problems and unsettle the brickwork.

The second is, by leaving them in they might attract damp related problems.

But....

Going by what you say, that the timber is dry and in good condition i imagine the rotten bit by the door is localised by some water ingress and repairable. If the remainder is dry i would leave them in and use a renovating backing plaster such as limelite or a lime based sand /cement mix before skimming.

If they're dry after 109 years i'd leave them well alone.