Restoration Primer: Structural Epoxy Repairs

I recently mentioned “structural epoxy repairs” as a way to repair decayed sills and posts (1/89, p. 49). Now, I’ll show you how this repair technique can be used to solve problems with damaged framing. Wood timbers lose their strength when damaged by fungus, decay, and insects. This is common when a girt is set into a masonry wall. Masonry traps moisture against the wood timber. Fungus and wood ants feed on and weaken the damp wood (see Figure 1). Sometimes a plumber who cuts into a timber joist to run a pipe can damage it as well. In either case, the timber is too weak for structural support. Traditionally, a carpenter would scarf in a new section