Client: Railway Infrastructure Operator
Our client, a railway infrastructure operator in Coalville, tasked Timberwise with performing specialist timber repairs after a case of wet rot fungal decay. This property was a signal box of historic timber-frame construction, and was both unoccupied and unfurnished at the time of our inspection. The weather conditions were overcast but dry.
Challenges
Unlike a typical site visit, the signal box was also situated close to an active railway line. This isn’t a typical challenge for our team, and it would be necessary to not only assess the risks of the site itself, but also the additional risk of working with the potential for rail activity nearby. Our technicians and surveyor coordinated their regular health and safety assessments alongside the client’s representatives to ensure any additional requirements were understood and met prior to remedial work taking place.
As the signal box formed part of an operational railway environment, it also required sensitive repair solutions that balanced structural integrity, heritage considerations, and site safety requirements. The signal box itself also had a confined layout, as well as being built in an elevated position, making access difficult to certain areas of the property.
Observations
Our surveyor, accompanied by our client, completed a survey of the property to assess its condition. During this inspection, our surveyor noted several areas of wet rot fungal decay in both the external timber framework. The decay was identified on posts, rails, panelling, and structural elements underneath the property.
Wet Rot is the natural decay of timber due to the presence of high levels of moisture. Often, this moisture is directed to the timber through a defect such as a plumbing leak or a hole in the external framework of a building. If left untreated, this persistent moisture can feed a fungal outbreak, reducing the structural integrity of the timber and, in severe cases, cause a structure to collapse.
After assessing the guttering from ground level, our surveyor found some areas of damp staining on the exterior of the building, indicating that there was likely a leak causing water to consistently leak onto the timber surface of the building.
In addition, our surveyor believed that prolonged exposure to weathering over many years had also affected the property. Our surveyor identified several areas where the external paint had failed, causing wet rot to form in the structural timbers and wood panelling. Our surveyor also noted that the ground levels beside the property were particularly high, which would restrict the ability of the timber to dry fully.
Moving internally, our surveyor identified the same concerns as outside the property. The defective rainwater goods had likely allowed moisture to ingress, causing pockets of wet rot decay within the property.
Solutions
With the property assessed, our surveyor created a treatment plan that would not only remediate the areas affected by wet rot, but would prevent future recurrence while being mindful of heritage concerns within the property.
Our technicians began by providing additional structural support for the building. They achieved this by installing steel props beneath the structure. Installing these props would allow for the careful removal of the worst affected areas of decay, including the large corner post and several timber struts supporting the signal box building above.
Conservation is an integral part of our work, especially in heritage buildings such as this. Great care is taken to ensure that we retain as much original material as possible during remedial work. However, our surveyor believed that some of the timbers were too well rotted and were not structurally sound, and leaving them in place would risk structural collapse.
Once removed, our technicians began to repair the damaged areas. They used timber splicing, a method where new timbers are cut to size and then installed alongside the original timbers. This method aims to preserve the look and materials used in the original construction as closely as possible.
In this case, our technicians used traditional hand tools to craft new oak sections to size, replicating the methods used in the original construction of the signal box. In addition, our technicians also used resin-bonded steel rods within the timber joins to increase the load-bearing capacity of the timber frame. While not a traditional repair method, our surveyor believed that this would result in a sturdier construction, significantly extended the service life of the building.
Our surveyor also believed that additional structural bracing could provide improved support in certain areas of the property. With the approval of our client, our technicians formed new concrete pad footings with steel pegs around the replacement posts. This would provide additional support to the structure above. In addition, they also installed a new timber framework around the external steel staircase, providing additional support to the most used area of the property.
Our technicians continued the remedial work on the internal and external timber panelling. They assessed each panel, replacing any that were significantly rotted, while conducting localised resin repairs on any sections that were salvageable. Resin repairs are often used in our conservation work, as they will fill any holes created by fungal decay while retaining the original timber materials of a building.
Our technicians finished the remedial work by recreating 75 bespoke timber finials to match original decayed designs. Once installed, the timber framework was sanded and stained, ensuring the newly installed repairs matched the colour and character of the original timbers, as well as providing additional protection against future weathering.
Results
Our client was delighted with the finished results of our work. They highlighted our team’s efforts, not only in repairing the extensive damage to the signal box, but also providing additional strength to the property’s structure to ensure its longevity. They also praised our team’s willingness to work alongside their own staff to ensure the safety of everyone while working alongside the active railway line close by.
Do You Want Help with a Wet Rot Solution?
Our dedicated and experienced team in Leicester are ready to talk to you about your options for property preservation. Don’t hesitate to call us on 0116 201 8017, or you can request a survey online.
