Damage diagnosis of wood begins with a thorough wood rot investigation. Wood is a fantastic, renewable building material, whether it concerns a modern CLT building, wooden trusses in a sports hall, or the roof structure of a church tower. To maximize the lifespan and stability of any timber structure, everything revolves around the correct diagnosis, analysis, and design of suitable protection or reinforcement . Sanacon maps the extent of the damage through visual inspection and resistographic testing, recalculates the remaining load-bearing capacity, and based on this, proposes targeted reinforcement or advises which parts need to be replaced.
Wood rot testing is essential when the moisture content in the wood has been too high for an extended period (above 20%), as this provides a breeding ground for molds and fungi.
Another major culprit is wood-boring insects (such as the house longhorn beetle, woodworm, and death watch beetle). Their larvae spend years eating through the wood fibers. This can completely reduce the internal structure to powder and lose its load-bearing capacity, while the beam still appears intact on the outside.
In addition, physical and mechanical damage occurs because wood “works” under the influence of moisture. Uneven drying leads to longitudinal shrinkage cracks and deformations (such as warping). Although shrinkage cracks often look alarming, they rarely have a significant impact on stability. Extreme deformations can, however, weaken connections.
Finally, untreated exterior wood suffers from weathering and aesthetic damage. UV light and rain cause the familiar silver-gray discoloration. This is merely a natural, superficial process that does not affect the wood’s structural strength.
