Will Bleach Stop Wood Rot?

Wood can be useful for construction and is aesthetically pleasing but water is its worst enemy. Whether it’s the wooden floor or wooden structure, you don’t want water coming near it. Even if you stop the leak, the wood may start to rot.

A common treatment for stopping wood rot is bleach detergent. There’s been some debate whether this works or not. So, let’s find a certain answer. It would be great if you could solve this with a household item.

Bleach will not stop any type of wood rot. It’s only effective on impermeable surfaces. Wood rot is treated with borate solutions, except for dry rot. Dry rot can’t be treated.

Keep reading to find out more about treating wood rot.

Why does bleach not work?

Wood rot is caused by a fungus that’s using the wood as a food source. Fungi need food, adequate temperature and food to survive. Because wood quickly soaks up water, the fungi can spread deep inside the wood.

When you use bleach to kill fungi, you need to scrub after pouring it. That’s why you need an impermeable surface. The bleach will only kill what’s on the surface of the wood, the fungi inside will keep spreading.

Now, if you’re sure the wood only has just begun rotting, you can try using bleach. At your own risk though. Keep in mind that wood rot always sneaks up on homeowners. You may think only the surface is rotting, but the fungi are probably already deep enough.

So, that’s it about bleach solutions, let’s see how to actually treat that wood rot.

Types of wood rot

In order to better understand how to fix wood rot, you should know the common types of wood rot.

Brown rot

Although it’s called ‘brown rot’, it’s not necessarily recognized by its color. Wood with brown rot breaks apart and it’s crumbly. If it decays long enough, it breaks into powder. You will notice that it can’t hold weight anymore.

White rot

Recognizable by its color. It’s not a distinct white color until later in the decaying process. This type of rot will make the wood soft. The wood will look like a sponge.

Dry rot

This is not actually a different type of rot. Brown and white rot eventually become dry rot. Its name signifies a wood that has finished rotting. The decaying process is done and the wood although rotten will not rot anymore.

These were the types of rot you needed to know about, let’s move on to the treatment.

With what to treat wood rot?

Fortunately, when there is still time to act, wood rot can be stopped. It’s actually easy to get rid of wood rot, almost satisfying. You can either use borate or ethylene glycol.

Borate (affiliate link to Amazon) is a commercially available product. It’s effective because the boric acid kills the fungus but it also dissolves with water. So, when you pour it, the wood soaks it up, and it kills the fungi inside.

Ethylene glycol (affiliate link to Amazon) is essentially what antifreeze is made from. It acts the same way as borate. They work against all kinds of wood rot except dry rot. Wood with dry rot has to be removed.

Once you’ve stopped the decay, the wood needs to be restored to its original state. That means you need to add a preservative and use wood paint. Even if the rotted wood is only for structure, adding a preservative is always a good idea.

Now you know how to get rid of wood rot. Let’s see which preventive measures to take.

How to avoid wood rot?

Look at it like this, if the wood doesn’t come in contact with water, it’s safe. So, that means making sure your wood is secure from water damage.

Water leaks mainly occur in basements, showers and rooftops. Sometimes, the moisture from an affected wall can be the issue. Any wood in these places must be protected.

Add preservative to wood. This will not stop the moisture but it will prevent decay and rotting.

Use decay-resistant types of wood. Some species of wood are immune to wood rot. Although they can be expensive, decay won’t be a problem. Types of decay-resistant wood: redwood, oak, black locust, rosewood, yews, and teak.

Avoid installing wood deep in the ground. The moisture from the ground can cause wood rot, that is, if it’s deep enough. Don’t go deeper than 15 inches.

Have a dehumidifier on hand. In places like the roof and the basement, water leaks are always a possibility. Running a dehumidifier after a leak cleans up the moisture. If you’re quick enough, water won’t travel deep enough, and the dehumidifier may be enough

Keep gutters and downspouts away from outside wood. If you plan on building something with wood in your garden, avoid the gutters. The same goes when you’re installing the gutters and downspouts.

Install ventilation in moisture rich areas. Some areas are always moist, so you will need continuous ventilation. If there’s any wood structure in areas like these, vents are the way to go.

That’s it folks. Hope you found what you were looking for.

Related questions

Can I paint over wood rot?

Paint will not stop wood rot. The wood must be treated before painted over. If stopped, slightly rotted wood can be painted over. It needs to be treated with a wood hardener first.

How long does it take for wood to rot?

The approximate time for wood to rot is 7-10 days. However, the fungus may be present a long time before the wood starts to rot. So, don’t wait even for a day after noticing wood rot.