Message Forums

Hi Megandmog

We're doing a damp repair at the moment and we bought ourselves a B&Q damp meter when we started.

To be honest it's been left in a drawer after the first couple of days - it never really indicated much of a problem even when we stuck it into wood which (like yours) had turned to sludge. I know from Wizards site that he recommends a more 'advanced' sort of damp meter - the type that express damp as a percentage, this sort will not only tell you if you've got damp but also to what extent. 

You're right about wood having a certain amount of moisture in it anyway - the Haynes manual says that a damp reading of 16-20% means further investigation is needed (which implies to me that 0-15% 'dampness' is to be expected and is nothing to worry about)

We have a lot of wood that's rotted away to powder but which feels bone dry to the touch. It's dry because we've successfully resealed that area but once its rotten it's rotten and needs replacing. It's not a hard job, just needs patience and a bit of planning before you start.

For what it's worth, the way we're dealing with our damp problem is this - it its sludgey/powdery/crumbly it's taken out. If its stained but feels solid when stabbed (sorry, probed) with a penknife it's treated with wet wood hardener. Not scientific and probably not the correct way to do it but in the absence of a more reliable and expensive damp meter it's the best option we have.

Good Luck with the repair, Kelly