I am sorry to bother you guys but I have a wood rot problem at my home (trim boards). It is in 3 places. I would usually remove the wood boards that are decoration on my house but I screwed them in and covered the screws with NP1. I was wondering if the old product that so many of you all are familiar with Wood Polly to repair your wood rot problems... does it work? Etc.
On my cars I have never used the stuff as I always make new pieces from straight grained oak and replace that wood but after reading so much that you all have written and seemingly praising that product I am thinking this would be an ideal spot for me to become familiar with it finally.
On another note, I tried to LOOK it up for myself and not bother you all in the Forum Archives. I am not good at using the Forum Search trying to find old posts. I have tried it several times to find stuff and had to give up on it or be on the computer an hour or two of which I do not have that much time to BLOW.
Please someone E me back on either how to use the Search and I need to read where to purchase the stuff. Also, if anyone would tell me that it is not a good product I would like to know.
I do know and learned MANY years ago that any wood encapsulated in Fiberglass (all of the way around the wood) ROTS! Fixing my sail boats and outboard motor boats is where I learned this. So that is why I never used the stuff. I figured that you guys would learn on your own that it did not work. Time always tells us what worked and what didn't. Time is always the final judge.
Thanks guys
Joe in Mo.
autoworldcorp2000 @ yahoo.com
Joe, Google "mtfca kwik poly" and you'll find several threads.
Check out these older threads from 2010 where I recommend wood restoration products by Abatron:
www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/157119.html
www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/161462.html
Jim Patrick
Joe,
In addition to the above, for smaller repairs, Minwax makes a hardener and a 2 part "putty" which works pretty well - in small batches - as it cures it gets HOT.
A VERY good product which many architectural preservationists use is made by Abatron...:
http://www.abatron.com/buildingandrestorationproducts/woodrestorationmaintenance /woodrestorationkit.html
Good Luck!
Thanx Dave, Gary, and Jim
Tip of the ol hat to ya!
Joe, go to Abatron.com. They will have what you need to work on your house. They have videos showing how to repair rotted wood around windows.
Joe,
Not to make a major project out of it, but do listen to Dave D. before you punt.
If it is just bore bee holes, then slather and drag with whatever even plain old caulk. If the wood is 'punk' whatever you put over it will come back out before too long.
For the average guy around the house, the simplest solution in the min-wax 'kit' that Dave suggested. But it needs to be the three part kit and not just the two part kit.
Dig out the punk you can see, get to mostly 'white wood' and then the first step called 'consolidant' becomes your best friend. Rot starts not just by water, but the bacteria in that water, it may look clean after 'punk' removal but...are those pesty bacteria behind? (I know, thats what an antifreeze 'coat' is for ) What happens is bacteria want to get at the cellulose in the wood. The clear consolidant step absorbs into the cellulose layer and chemically changes it so that it is no long a feeding ground.
Then after that the 2 part infill mix is essentially Bondo. I've learned to save hours of sandout by not paying attention to the time on the can. As soon as it crusts, time to go at it....wait until tomorrow and you'll wish you had a deck grinder!
I live in an area that is not just colonial style homes but actual faithful true reproductions of original colonial designs done maybe 45 years ago. Nice 'character' choice, horrible on the mainteance side and like my T's, I'm too mean to go modern! I tried the 3 step as a quick stop gap before winter set in one year on exterior window sills and sill horns as this place does need constant attention or it gets ahead of you quick. Those rebuilds were done over 10 years ago...and STILL are in place without checks, open seams or further 'punk'! I'm 'sold' on the product but like I said you learn quick to watch the skin time because coming back the next day to 'finish' is an outright bear!
One of the guys in our club has a '31 Model A slant window sedan that had a problem with the "header" (my term...???) over the windshield. This wood piece which stretches all the way across the top of the windshield would have been very difficult to remove and replace, so instead, he used the Minwax products much as George just described. His attitude was,....."Well,.....what the heck; let's give it a try and see what happens....I can always tear it out if this doesn't work!" Talk about a huge success! I'll swear that that wood piece is as solid now as it was the day that car rolled out of the factory!
Thanks guys...all.
you all have been a REAL help.
My problem is that I bought French doors from Home Depot. The wood they are made out of is a white pine and soft. The doors are metal covered. They only had them for 2X4 walls and I built my house with 2X6 walls so I had to extend them 2" added to the front. I primed them all the way around before assembly 3 years ago. On my balcony facing the lake on the 3rd floor at the bottom the wood just Shrunk inwards like a deflating balloon in the jamb exterior! It did this for about 6 inches up the jamb where the door on one side is hinged. I do not think it is into the hinge area yet. I poked at it and it fell thru as a rather large hole! Not a fun thing to see nor have happen to one's home. So George I think I need to KILL something somewhere before I try the epoxy fill. The hole size will probably end up being about 16" tall and 3-4" wide. ??? Haven't started into it yet as I am still trying to figure it out. I had the termite fellas there 4 different co.s and they told me Wood Rot. So I am not wanting to remove my jambs, facing and door unit to fix it. If I have to then yeah I'll do it but would like an easier way first!!! I have two other less sized places on the house but they are elsewhere and I hope easier to fix. One of my problems is that I screwed my doors trim and jambs in place with torx headed screws and then filled over the tops with NP1 so they will be harder to find. I hope this stuff you all are recommending will work out ok. How to stop (kill) the spores????? I do not want this thing to get out of hand (any more than it has now). 417- 300----5990. Is my land line.
Thanks a Bunch Guys!!!!!
Joe in Mo.
Also George my home is like yours and is a maintenance nightmare. I used the best products I could get but I built it 25 years ago and about every 5 years it seems it needs a repaint. I am 60 feet from the lake and it is over a mile wide behind my house. The house is an English Tudor with all of the cross boards and rails on top of the Stucco Board siding 4'X 8' type. 5 balconies on the back side looking at the lake. Sounds great BUT I am no spring chicken any more! I get worn out easily. Depression comes even sooner at my age. I would rather be getting to work on a few of MY cars someday soon. I thought retirement was supposed to be fun! ???????????
I had very good results with this on a few spots on the wood frame inside the body. http://kwikpolyllc.com
I've been told of folks wiring up the body to hold it all tight and in proper position and then using the kwik poly.
As for the house (built in 1918) I used some of these products. I used the lighter stuff for some small spots in window casings, and the heavy stuff on a couple of structural members. I've not tried it on a T body but it is I think similar to the kwix poly.
http://conservepoxy.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PLST
Jo,
I would suggest Pent-a-seal to kill the spores--let it flow in liberally. The rot was probably already in the wood when you bought it, so treat any new wood before installing it.
As for the screws, use a small, but powerful permanent magnet & find them! Dental pick will clean out the torx holes. I know, no fun. next time put the addition on the inside! )I know, won't fit--I had to do the same thing on my front door, but it's under a large porch overhang--so far, so good & I don't have a large body of water next to the house.
T'
David D.
Dave and Steve Thank you!!!
Guys I loved the responses. Great to know we all care about the same stuff in life!
Thank you
It took me 15 years to build this house. I worked in Florida. 1100 miles away. 10 month teaching contracts at a time. Two week Christmas Vacations. Guess where I was all summer long listening to the boats and people having fun while I toiled away everyday. Maybe THAT'S why I am CRAZY!!!!! (Today)
Joe in Mo.
Joe, You weren't crazy before?? Remember, everything is relative--especially if there's a will!
PS (I have a Bay Window to put in this summer--but first I have to put in a header over the existing 8' window without a header & it's on a load bearing wall! I think the sheet rock is substituting for it.)
Rot needs water to exist and grow. You have a humidity problem of some sort you need to figure out and fix.
Ted, I think the only fix for his humidity problem is to move the house to Arizona or New Mexico!
Location, location, location!
Joseph,
forgot to mention. You'll find some stuff on the conserve epoxy site that is to be used for preparation. You spray it on a day or two before you apply the epoxy. USE LATEX GLOVES WHEN WORKING WITH THE EPOXY!!!!!!! A respirator isn't a bad idea either.
Thanks guys. Ted yeah I figured it out its Tablerock Lake's fault! It's about 50' away from my back deck. It has over 58 miles of shoreline. One of the hazards of liking to look at the water. It seems to be the only way to calm me down after a day's work. No, in all seriousness it is the way the corners do trap water I guess. I have finally learned about 7-8 years ago to bevel the tops and bottoms of the horizontal trim boards. 15 degrees is all that is needed to drain off after a rain.
Also Wood Peckers love my house. They like to make mating noises and MARK territory one of the Rangers told me. Oh well we all got to have some excuses it seems. I am sure you guys have your problems and quarks with your houses too. Steve thanks and I am NOW on reading up on you all's suggestions!
Thanks ever so much.
Joe in Mo.
PS Next time you all come thru Springfield somebody E me so I'll be there to meet you all and cheer you on! I have never gone there even though some of the locals have called me and told me that you guys in T's are in town. It is usually too late as I am working on my shop when someone calls. If I know ahead I'll be there!