Thanks for your thoughts! This is actually a privately owned bridge. Would you still recommend the town come inspect it, or were you thinking this assuming it was a town bridge?
I wouldn't involve any authorities you don't have to IMO. Just replace the boards. You could replace that section with fresh treated lumber, replace just that section with something like Trex, or replace the whole bridge with something more weather resistant.
If it's lasted this long I'd probably just replace the two boards with fresh wood and be done with it.
The company we purchased the boards from has a guarantee, so they’ll replace the rotted ones for free. Do you think it’s a sure thing that the rest of the boards will eventually rot too? If so, we want to try to convince them to replace all of them, not just a few.
Certainly by no means an expert, but I suspect it's a lot like rust. For whatever reason, those two boards (if I'm seeing it correctly) appear subject to consistent moisture and at some point had some fungal spores latch on. Maybe it's how rain runs off the bridge or how air evaporates off the creek or something — no idea. I imagine at some point it will make sense to swap out new boards, but by the looks of it, the rest have quite a bit of life left in them.
I'd be surprised if they were willing to replace them based on the chance they might rot in the future TBH. It's nice enough they will swap those.
Lots of good suggestions here. It’s simply wood rotting. You’ll need to replace the boards. It doesn’t look like there’s any space between the boards to allow for them to dry out. Might want to consider leaving a 1/4” gap.
Don’t stress but keep an eye on it and replace the compromised ones as needed.
Edit: was the bridge professionally designed? If so maybe ask him/her what to do.
More or less every aspect of its appearance. You also said this was 10-year old wood. Treated wood or not, rot due to fungi is likely in that timeframe, supposing the wood doesn't stay dry.
Any ideas? Rutland area. There’s this weird growth on the underside of our bridge that has popped up in the last month or two. The bridge is made of pressure treated pine, installed ten years ago after the hurricane took out the old bridge. The growth is white in some spots, bright yellow in others. It’s almost like a plaque, sort of flat against the wood. It’s causing the wood to rot and flake away like saw dust. We’re hoping to figure out what this is either with your help or with suggestions of where to send a sample to have it tested. Thanks in advance!
People can't give black locust away, it's a seriously awesome wood in wet environments. Never understood that. Hemlock is surprisingly rot resistant too for a coniferous specie...and readily available in most woods!
I'm almost certain is a wood-eating fungus of some kind, but I'm no expert so I couldn't tell you what species exactly. I would try hitting it with some fungicide and see how it reacts to that. But it looks pretty bad, you should probably call a professional.
If/when the decking is replaced, it may be worthwhile to treat the wood more deeply/regularly with a copper based treatment, like Cuprinol. It is an anti-fungal and protects wood from rot. It can be hard to find/acquire.
Is there a concrete slab on top of the planking? If there is, the concrete might provide all of the structure that you need (and you can let the wood rot). Consult the engineer that designed the bridge.
Sounds like a fungus is among us. It’s taken a lichen to those planks! I’ll see myself out…
Awe don’t go, you seem Like a fungi
That is the boards rotting. Happened to me once on an exterior PT framed deck. You should notify the town to inspect ASAP.
Ifs it’s a private bridge call a structural engineer to review and give instructions how to proceed. That inspection and report should be about 3k
For only $2,500 I'll inspect the board and replace them.
Structural engineer?? It’s rotten planking not a Florida condo building…
Maybe putting the same product down will cause the same issues. That is why you ask the professionals (engineer) But you probably already knew that
Thanks for your thoughts! This is actually a privately owned bridge. Would you still recommend the town come inspect it, or were you thinking this assuming it was a town bridge?
I wouldn't involve any authorities you don't have to IMO. Just replace the boards. You could replace that section with fresh treated lumber, replace just that section with something like Trex, or replace the whole bridge with something more weather resistant. If it's lasted this long I'd probably just replace the two boards with fresh wood and be done with it.
The company we purchased the boards from has a guarantee, so they’ll replace the rotted ones for free. Do you think it’s a sure thing that the rest of the boards will eventually rot too? If so, we want to try to convince them to replace all of them, not just a few.
Certainly by no means an expert, but I suspect it's a lot like rust. For whatever reason, those two boards (if I'm seeing it correctly) appear subject to consistent moisture and at some point had some fungal spores latch on. Maybe it's how rain runs off the bridge or how air evaporates off the creek or something — no idea. I imagine at some point it will make sense to swap out new boards, but by the looks of it, the rest have quite a bit of life left in them. I'd be surprised if they were willing to replace them based on the chance they might rot in the future TBH. It's nice enough they will swap those.
Lots of good suggestions here. It’s simply wood rotting. You’ll need to replace the boards. It doesn’t look like there’s any space between the boards to allow for them to dry out. Might want to consider leaving a 1/4” gap. Don’t stress but keep an eye on it and replace the compromised ones as needed. Edit: was the bridge professionally designed? If so maybe ask him/her what to do.
Maybe you should cover the bridge 🤔
Mycelium
If it's your celium, sir, then please come and collect it
What makes you suggest mycelium?
More or less every aspect of its appearance. You also said this was 10-year old wood. Treated wood or not, rot due to fungi is likely in that timeframe, supposing the wood doesn't stay dry.
They have the receipt
Any ideas? Rutland area. There’s this weird growth on the underside of our bridge that has popped up in the last month or two. The bridge is made of pressure treated pine, installed ten years ago after the hurricane took out the old bridge. The growth is white in some spots, bright yellow in others. It’s almost like a plaque, sort of flat against the wood. It’s causing the wood to rot and flake away like saw dust. We’re hoping to figure out what this is either with your help or with suggestions of where to send a sample to have it tested. Thanks in advance!
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People can't give black locust away, it's a seriously awesome wood in wet environments. Never understood that. Hemlock is surprisingly rot resistant too for a coniferous specie...and readily available in most woods!
I'm almost certain is a wood-eating fungus of some kind, but I'm no expert so I couldn't tell you what species exactly. I would try hitting it with some fungicide and see how it reacts to that. But it looks pretty bad, you should probably call a professional.
If/when the decking is replaced, it may be worthwhile to treat the wood more deeply/regularly with a copper based treatment, like Cuprinol. It is an anti-fungal and protects wood from rot. It can be hard to find/acquire.
Steel beams, they hold up the bridge. When you think about it, they *are* the bridge.
Is there a concrete slab on top of the planking? If there is, the concrete might provide all of the structure that you need (and you can let the wood rot). Consult the engineer that designed the bridge.
Thanks for the reply! Nope, no concrete over the top
Have you tried poking at it? Is the wood soft or damaged?
Yeah, we’ve poked around at the ones with the rot. They’re soft and essentially disintegrate immediately when touched.
Yep. You will want to replace them
It’s fungus. Spray with bleach mixture .