How do I Repair Old Beams?

Preparation

• Look for the solid wood by removing the crumbling and decayed wood from the surface. If the wood has been gloss varnished or painted, it will require sandblasting. The wood must then be washed with detergent water.

Treatment

• The damage is usually located around the surface of the wood. Two to three coats of wood treatment should be sprayed and brushed onto the wood. More intensive treatment requires drilling holes into the beams and injecting treatment at high pressure into the heart of the wood.

Termite Infestation

• In some cases, wood damage is the result of termite infestation. In this case, a professional exterminator should inspect and and diagnose the damage. The exterminator may spray chemicals around the wood, or the beams may have to be replaced entirely.