There's some rot in some of my roof timbers, I think they are oak.
Not unless the volume is structurally insignificant and even then not advised
If within 25% of the top of the joist (compression zone) near the bearing use two folding sliding timber wedges to fill the gap and pin it if not near the bearing it will be much less and take engineering knowledge to determine if it can be repaired with a wedge or supplementary side by side timbers Likewise for the bottom tension zone where filling it is of no use whatsoever as it is in tension
if in the tension zone the limit depends also on engineering assessment
Chris
Suggest investigate reason for rot? Could be that the loft is insufficiently ventilated? If so, warm damp air from the living portion of the building could be entering the cool loft and the moisture condensing on cool surfaces such as the timbers? Or the inner roof surface and then dripping onto other structure? Here (Easter North America) minimum attic/loft ventilation (which must include cross draught) is 3 square feet per 1000 feet of area. Unless the attic itself is vapour sealed and properly insulated etc.
Looks like typical softwood carpentry, rather than oak.
The most urgent thing is to stop the rot. Eliminate the sources of moisture and get the timbers dry.
Why do you want to use filler? Its effect would be purely cosmetic, no structural value.
If timbers are in such poor shape that their load bearing is compromised, then either replace or bolt new timbers either side.
Is this a wind up?
Yes I've been doing that, and gutters and drains.
But decades of leaks and neglect have resulted in rotten timber ends, some more severe than others.
No - it's my roof. I almost got conned by the builders who did the kitchen beam, so now I'm researching how to get timbers repaired.
[g]
Presumably there was a lath and plaster ceiling nailed up onto those joists we see in the picture and this space was not really accessible until now.
Has anything actually moved? If the structure has not moved, then why not simply stop the rot (by brushing on one of the proprietory rot treatments) and check the loft is properly ventilated.
What makes you think these timbers is oak? They don't look like oak to me.
Robert
I also would either replace the timber or replace its function with another piece.
PS wood is a lot cheaper than an acro.
NT
Yes there was a lathe and plaster ceiling.
I think the timbers are oak because plasterboard nails bend when i hammer them in, I need an impact screwdriver to get anywhere - but I may be wrong.
Should I scrape off the soft rotted wood with a knife and then paint on some rot treatment?
The ends of lots of beams are rotted, I don't want to have to rip the roof apart to replace the whole beam, surely I can clamp glue screw or bolt wood or plywood to the ends somehow...
Chris said: > use two folding sliding timber wedges to fill the gap and pin it
But googling doesnt help me understand what a folding sliding timber wedge is..
[g]
lath, lathes are too heavy
if you can keep them properly dry they wont continue rotting
yes, thats the way to go.
may be easier to just bolt another piece of timber on.
NT
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