Dry rot
Revision as of 12:18, 27 April 2013 by (username removed)
Description
A fungus, usually Serpula lacrymans (formerly known as Merulius lacrymans), that attacks the cellulose portion of softwood. The dry rot fungus leaves behind the lignin, resulting in a brown color region that is brittle, weak, and powdery. Although originally thought to occur in the absence of moisture, dry rot fungus will only grow in wood that has a minimum of 20% moisture and grows best in wood kept in stagnant air with 30-40% moisture.
Synonyms and Related Terms
Serpula lacrymans (formerly known as Merulius lacrymans); brown rot; mrule (Fr.); podrio seca (Port.)
Additional Information
Janice Carey and Colin Grant, "The Treatment of Dry Rot in Historic Buildings" Building Conservation Directory 1999: Link