December 29, 2010

Even on a small scale, fire damaged structures can pose a real threat to the inhabitants of the building. Fire can be particularly destructive on the wooden elements of a building. Dry wood is especially flammable and burns readily because of the air-filled voids of the wood. Here we will observe how wood becomes fire damaged, the danger it poses and ways of restoring it.

How Fire Affects Wood

Fire affects wood in three steps: firstly it browns the wood, then it blacken, and thirdly, it chars. The wood begins to lose its structural strength when it chars – however, the clear wood beneath does not unless it is exposed to prolonged heat.

The Threat Posed

Here lays the real danger of fire damaged wood. Fire damaged wood can have serious implications other than aesthetic on a building. Even when fire damaged wood appears to have retained its structural strength, this can only be a mask for the real damage. Even flooring can have masked damage, particularly damage to support beams and subflooring.

If left alone, fire damaged wood can have serious repercussions. If the charred wood is left t rot then it can cause serious damage to the structure of the building.

Restoration

The strength left in the fire exposed wood can be determined by removing the char from the wood and estimating the size and strength of the new cross section. The remaining wood can then be reinforced by bolting additional support to return it to its original design strength. The wood should be carefully probed to determine the extent of the charring.

Fire damaged wood needs to be dealt with correctly in order to ensure the safety of a building’s inhabitants. Consulting with fire restoration specialists is essential in ensuring this safety is maintained.