Types of Wood Rot
Decay fungi fall into three major groups: brown rots, white
rots, and soft rots.
Brown
rots are so-named because infected wood turns dark brown. When
dried, wood previously infested will turn to powder when
crushed. Many times, old infestations of brown rot which have
dried out are labeled as "dry rot." This is really
a deceiving term since wood will not decay when dry.
White rots show a white, gray-white, yellow-white, or bleached
appearance to wood. Most often infecting hardwoods. In advanced
stages of decay, white-rotted wood is spongy, has a stringy texture,
and lacks the checking of brown-rotted wood. A thin black line
often marks the advancing edge of white rot in hardwoods.
Soft Rots
Most decay fungi are unable to conduct water very far and can
only attack moist wood. However, Poria incrassata, called dry
rot or the water-conducting fungus, will decay wood which would
not be attacked by typical decay fungi. Poria infested wood
is often mistakenly identified as subterranean termite damage.
This type of fungus can transport water for several feet through
large root-like structures called rhizomorphs. Once established,
it can quickly spread through a building and destroy large
areas of flooring and walls in as little as a year or two.
|
Rot examples
|
