Dry Rot Under a Living Room Floor in Chingford, E4
A corner of a living room floor in Chingford had collapsed. When our surveyor lifted the laminate, dry rot was found in the timber beneath, alongside high damp readings on the party wall.
Project at a Glance
The Brief
The owner reported a floor in the corner of the living room that had given way, with damp and staining on the party wall. The inspection was partly restricted by fitted floor coverings.
The Survey
Our surveyor took moisture readings across the ground floor and found extremely high levels of damp at low level, and where staining was visible on the party wall. There was evidence of a leak penetrating from the neighbouring kitchen on the party wall side.
In the corner of the living room the floor had lost its integrity. Beneath the laminate, dry rot was present: the timber snapped under gentle pressure in the hand, and mycelium could be seen through the gaps between the wall and the floor. The report noted that adjacent timbers should be treated as at risk of fungal decay, and that the full extent of the rot would only be known once the floor was fully lifted.
The Solution
The specification dealt with both the dry rot and the damp in the walls.
- Lift the affected floor, inspect the subfloor and remove and dispose of decayed timber and affected masonry.
- Treat the walls and the remaining sound timbers.
- Fit new joists and floorboards.
- Remove plaster back to brick and block in the marked areas, inject a DPC cream and apply salt neutraliser.
- Apply tanking at low level where needed, followed by a waterproof render with a high strength sand and cement mix and a plaster finish.
The Work
Because the extent of dry rot is never fully known until a floor is opened up, the team were briefed to lift the floor with the right protective equipment and check the subfloor carefully before removing any timber, then report back on the areas of concern.
The Result
The decayed floor timbers were cut out and replaced, the surrounding walls and timbers treated, and the damp walls given a new DPC and a waterproof render system. Read more about dry rot treatment and our work across East London.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the signs of dry rot in a floor?
Floors that feel soft or give way, timber that cracks into cube shaped pieces and snaps easily, a musty smell, and white or grey cotton wool like growth, called mycelium, in gaps around the floor and skirting.
What causes dry rot?
Dry rot needs damp timber to start. Leaks, rising damp and poor subfloor ventilation that keep timber wet over a long period are common causes, which is why the moisture source has to be dealt with as well as the rot.
Why lift the floor before quoting the full repair?
Dry rot can spread well beyond the area you can see. Lifting the floor shows how far it has gone, so all decayed timber can be removed and the surrounding timber and masonry treated.
Worried about rot in your floor?
Our CSSW and CSRT trained surveyors find the real cause before recommending any work. Non-invasive survey with a clear written report. No obligation.
Project completed in Chingford, E4.
Sam Fitzgerald is the founder of Advanced Damp and a working damp and structural waterproofing surveyor diagnosing and treating moisture problems in residential and commercial properties across London and the South East. He is FODCS certified (a Federation of Damp Certified Surveyor) and a member of the Federation of Damp. His hands-on work covers rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation, basement waterproofing to BS 8102, and thermal imaging surveys, and he has personally completed over 400 damp surveys across properties of every type and age. Everything he writes draws directly from jobs he has carried out. He does not write about treatments, products or causes he has not dealt with first-hand in the field.
