What to do about the wood in my stone wall :|

[Dace]

Soo the renderers ripped the old stuff out and above the window and in random gaps elsewhere, wtf?? There is wood, he didn't seem confident in trying to remove it. Also why is it there and what's the best long-term option?

Thanks.

 

[JP_]

Lintel? Probably best not to remove it if it is.

Although I have random bits of wood in some of my walls, which I assume are what they used before scaffolding.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Lintel? Probably best not to remove it if it is.

Agreed - that is a timber lintel and runs the whole way across the top of the window opening. It holds the wall above the window up, so you can't just rip it out. But if it is rotten it may need to come out and be replaced (ideally with a steel or concrete one unless the building is grade 1 listed, or the rendering is being stripped off and the lintel will become visible). This is a more major job which will involve supporting the wall above the window with either Acrow props and strongboys or Acrows and needles

The wood in the third picture is wedges which are generally hammered into gaps in the mortar to carry something or other, e.g. a light or house name board, etc. They can come out and the resulting gap(s) can be filled with (lime) mortar. You can also see what appears to be a cut nail in the wall just above the timber wedges, which can also come out.

Looks like a slate building. Is it?

 

[Dace]

 

[Dace]

Agreed - that is a timber lintel and runs the whole way across the top of the window opening. It holds the wall above the window up, so you can't just rip it out. But if it is rotten it may need to come out and be replaced (ideally with a steel or concrete one unless the building is grade 1 listed, or the rendering is being stripped off and the lintel will become visible). This is a more major job which will involve supporting the wall above the window with either Acrow props and strongboys or Acrows and needles

The wood in the third picture is wedges which are generally hammered into gaps in the mortar to carry something or other, e.g. a light or house name board, etc. They can come out and the resulting gap(s) can be filled with (lime) mortar. You can also see what appears to be a cut nail in the wall just above the timber wedges, which can also come out.

Looks like a slate building. Is it?

Agreed - that is a timber lintel and runs the whole way across the top of the window opening. It holds the wall above the window up, so you can't just rip it out. But if it is rotten it may need to come out and be replaced (ideally with a steel or concrete one unless the building is grade 1 listed, or the rendering is being stripped off and the lintel will become visible). This is a more major job which will involve supporting the wall above the window with either Acrow props and strongboys or Acrows and needles

The wood in the third picture is wedges which are generally hammered into gaps in the mortar to carry something or other, e.g. a light or house name board, etc. They can come out and the resulting gap(s) can be filled with (lime) mortar. You can also see what appears to be a cut nail in the wall just above the timber wedges, which can also come out.

Looks like a slate building. Is it?

Interesting, thanks. I was told that it's granite. The building is victorian around 1860's built possibly earlier. Replacing the wood sounds expensive, doubt I can afford it. The guys are just using wood treatment solution on it.

The bathroom has a wooden ceiling that I'm going to rip out soon, I hope there aren't any horrible surprises underneath it.

It's totally uncovered now, hopefully it's not completely rotten!

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Interesting, thanks. I was told that it's granite. The building is victorian around 1860's built possibly earlier. Replacing the wood sounds expensive, doubt I can afford it. The guys are just using wood treatment solution on it.

Providing the rot doesn't go more than 25mm or so in from the surface (tested with an awl or screwdriver) you'll be OK - the timber is likely to be 300mm or more deep, so it can take a bit of rot. From the photo that looks plenty deep and you look to have well over than 100mm bearing (i.e. supporting surface length) at each end even after the rot is removed

If they are treating it then it is better to remove any "punky" timber with a steel wire brush before treating with wood hardener (as stuff like Cuprinol wouldn't do much good IMHO)

 

[datarebal]

judging by the cleavage id say its mainly slate/ rag stone. The lintel does look in trouble with little guts left on the ends.. above the UPVC window.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

judging by the cleavage id say its mainly slate/ rag stone.

I think I'd have to agree with you - you just don't get them in granite

Replacing the wood sounds expensive, doubt I can afford it. The guys are just using wood treatment solution on it.

Wood hardener stops wet rot from progressing, but what it can't do is put any strength back into the timber, so you really need to check how far the rot has progressed rather than just slapping wood hardener on it. Remember - that lintel is holding up the wall above it. Replacement generally isn't as bad as you think - it is often done with just sawn, pressure or vacuum treated C24 softwood, or sometimes sawn untreated oak (which is more expensive). The real expense is more in the propping, etc which is required to gain access and the making good of the masonry afterwards