# Calif. Dry rot. Train bridge, Boat dock & etc.



## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Seems like never ending projects keep coming up. Started rebuilding a Aristo Pacific and had to have some mill work done. We were running some trains in our group get-togethers not to long ago, and one darn Aristo TM quit..had to send it in. 
Also started to build another cart to go on the back of my train cart. Had to stop do the plywood i had stored has dry rot on the corners of the sheets.
Now on top of that, one of my wooden train bridges is starting to dry rot. Needs to be replaced. So fig. ( in another post), I have to rebuild it and change the trackage but one tree is in the way. 
Ya........ our weather here around Sacramento is continued climate change and not far away from the coast we get morning moisture sometimes. Then 100 degs or etc. 
So today, I went out to the back fishpond to move the boat and darn dock on one corner fell in with me on it. Na .. I didn't get wet but ran like heck as it started to go down. Across from the dock is my Ho building and was going out to get some R.R. tools when I noticed the boat needs to be retied up and that's when this happened.
Now l rebuilt it in a smaller version to get into the boat easier, but it seems like it's one thing after another on this 5/8th of a acer back yard garden. 
Wondering if others have the same problem with dry rot. and ya stuff keep needing to be replaced. Never ending..........









Here are photos & Link. of Calif. rot. 










Other link.

Boat dock dry rotted.


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## RimfireJim (Mar 25, 2009)

5/8th of an acre is definitely enough to "keep one out of trouble". I have about that same size down here in San Diego County, and between the house, outbuildings, fences and yard and garden, there is always something that needs fixing or replacing. A fence around the vegetable garden that I built 20 years ago with heart redwood posts and construction common redwood slats has needed some of the posts replaced and now most of the slats should be replaced, and they are not even in contact with the ground! People have told me that 20 yrs is about the life expectancy of a wood deck built with the usual materials. 
"Dry rot" is a bit of a misnomer. Rot is rot, period. It all comes from bacterial action (not to be confused with termite damage, which we also have here). It's just that things that are damp frequently or constantly (and are warm) rot faster because the bacteria thrives under those conditions. Growing up in southern Idaho, I didn't even know what rot was - very dry summers and cold winters really hold the bacteria at bay. There are wooden fence posts in my dad's pasture that were put in 40 years ago.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

The best solution we have found is don't let stuff sit on the soil or in water. All of our wooden bridges sit on concrete piers up off the ground or lake. The lake piers are "coated, fired double bull nosed bricks" so water does not wick up them and make its way to the redwood. Most of our wooden buildings have rubber spacers under them to let air circulate under their bases and get them off the concrete blocks, otherwise they stay wet and rot. Even then, these measures only prolong the inevitable.


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## silverstatespecialties (Jan 2, 2008)

Our local HD & Lowes are carrying synthetic wood products for decks & patio covers (no, NOT alumawood). They are sized in 2x6, 2x4, and 4x4, and come in 8, 12, 16-foot lengths. Colors available are typically Green, Gray, and Dark Red. The price, however, is pretty prohibitive; just one 2x6 16-footer is $31.97 + tax. But the manufacturer claims that these are impervious to rot of any kind. 

Something to consider, anyway...


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By RimfireJim on 28 Oct 2010 01:37 PM 
5/8th of an acre is definitely enough to "keep one out of trouble". I have about that same size down here in San Diego County, and between the house, outbuildings, fences and yard and garden, there is always something that needs fixing or replacing. A fence around the vegetable garden that I built 20 years ago with heart redwood posts and construction common redwood slats has needed some of the posts replaced and now most of the slats should be replaced, and they are not even in contact with the ground! People have told me that 20 yrs is about the life expectancy of a wood deck built with the usual materials. 
"Dry rot" is a bit of a misnomer. Rot is rot, period. It all comes from bacterial action (not to be confused with termite damage, which we also have here). It's just that things that are damp frequently or constantly (and are warm) rot faster because the bacteria thrives under those conditions. Growing up in southern Idaho, I didn't even know what rot was - very dry summers and cold winters really hold the bacteria at bay. There are wooden fence posts in my dad's pasture that were put in 40 years ago. ...................................................................................................................................................

Yup.. Your right on just enough to keep one busy.. Seems like there is always something to work on.. This boat dock was just something extra to play with.. The back pond is my irrigation for trees on the fence line and water comes for the back yard koe pond. So it has water pumping it once or twice a day to drop off 3 to 4 inch off the 35 foot koe pond. WE have kitty fish and blue gills stocked in it plus on large turtle and crawdads. Oh and lots of Big green Bull frogs.l Good place for the mallard's and geese that fly in with our two Germen geese we still have.
One time we had about 40 or 50 Canad.geese in there. What a noise they made. So it's just a place to jump in the boat with Sassy our Sim. Kat that loves setting up front. Have a cool one and just set under a trees and read a R.R. book.
The dock was just what ever we had around at the time to build with and nothing fancy.. It has night light on it and so dose the island has alight post on it to. So many around it that the sun doesn't shine in much on the pond it self.. That why i guess everything is do damp.. 
I was looking in to that re-cyc boards that Home depot had and was told that it will sag if not supported every 2 or 3 feet or so. on there 2 X 6"s.????. Not sure thats true or not tho. 
Hey .. if it dry rots again, just throw up some more boards I guess.. I don't think our kids are going to keep the prop. when we are gone. It to easy to make it into comm. prop. Like next door and around us are now. Worth more money than Aggie prop. is around here now. 
Anyway just have to live with the dry rot and try to keep it down some. Thats nature way of recycling i guess. Just don't stand on the edge for an old dock. Might kill a bull frog. laf.


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## silverstatespecialties (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By noelw on 06 Nov 2010 12:00 AM 

I was looking in to that re-cyc boards that Home depot had and was told that it will sag if not supported every 2 or 3 feet or so. on there 2 X 6"s.????. Not sure thats true or not tho.


Yeah, they did seem a little on the "flexy" side, come to think of it...as well as pricey! Oh well...


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