Wet Wood Flooring - Lichen-Like Growth

[Guest guest]

Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4”-6” white masses, spongy

to the touch, fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood, which is

over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is along the

edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There is an absence of visible

mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls (also wet). The amount of water is enough

to make the wood soaking wet, but not enough to emerge from beneath the

flooring or affect more than a few inches of the wall assembly. Suspected

water sources are a sub-slab leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

_______________________________

ESH is an

ISO-9001 company.

Customer Satisfaction is our Mission

.... Quality is our Passion.

Banks , PE,

CIH, CSP

Environment,

Safety and Health, LC

9256 Southeast Venus Street

Hobe Sound, Florida

33455

Telephone:

Facsimile:

Website: www.ESHpartnering.com

[Guest guest]

I'm checking in here with a totally non-professional comment.

This sounds exactly like an episode of " Holmes on Homes " that I saw last

fall.

A wood floor over plastic over concrete. Damp and mold problems.

They suspected leaking through the concrete or possibly a roof that was

leaking and moving down a wall and settling in the floor.

Long story short, they never discovered any problems. They suspected

that it was condensation from the plastic as it wouldn't allow the

concrete to breathe and also it created a vapour barrier so there was

condensation on both sides of the plastic.

They had torn up some of the concrete to check underneath and also

talked to a hardwood floor association to check that the plastic was

indeed the recommended way to go. It was but he reinstalled the flooring

without plastic.

I don't know if it's possible to followup on any of the programs. It'd

be interesting to learn how it worked.

I thought it was interesting because he was going against all the

recommendations of the wood flooring association.

I think this is the episode:

http://www.holmesonhomes.com/episode_show.php?sid=9 & eid=42

or possibly this one:

http://www.holmesonhomes.com/episode_show.php?sid=11 & eid=51

I'm on a slow dialup and don't have the patience to wait for all the

pics to load.

:-)

Banks wrote:

> Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4”-6” white masses, spongy to the touch,

> fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

>

>

>

> The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood, which is

> over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is

> along the edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There is

> an absence of visible mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls (also

> wet). The amount of water is enough to make the wood soaking wet, but

> not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or affect more than a few

> inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water sources are a sub-slab

> leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

--

Haynes

L'Amable, Ontario

" and so I said to myself, " What would an adult do in this situation?. "

[Guest guest]

I'm checking in here with a totally non-professional comment.

This sounds exactly like an episode of " Holmes on Homes " that I saw last

fall.

A wood floor over plastic over concrete. Damp and mold problems.

They suspected leaking through the concrete or possibly a roof that was

leaking and moving down a wall and settling in the floor.

Long story short, they never discovered any problems. They suspected

that it was condensation from the plastic as it wouldn't allow the

concrete to breathe and also it created a vapour barrier so there was

condensation on both sides of the plastic.

They had torn up some of the concrete to check underneath and also

talked to a hardwood floor association to check that the plastic was

indeed the recommended way to go. It was but he reinstalled the flooring

without plastic.

I don't know if it's possible to followup on any of the programs. It'd

be interesting to learn how it worked.

I thought it was interesting because he was going against all the

recommendations of the wood flooring association.

I think this is the episode:

http://www.holmesonhomes.com/episode_show.php?sid=9 & eid=42

or possibly this one:

http://www.holmesonhomes.com/episode_show.php?sid=11 & eid=51

I'm on a slow dialup and don't have the patience to wait for all the

pics to load.

:-)

Banks wrote:

> Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4”-6” white masses, spongy to the touch,

> fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

>

>

>

> The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood, which is

> over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is

> along the edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There is

> an absence of visible mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls (also

> wet). The amount of water is enough to make the wood soaking wet, but

> not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or affect more than a few

> inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water sources are a sub-slab

> leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

--

Haynes

L'Amable, Ontario

" and so I said to myself, " What would an adult do in this situation?. "

[Guest guest]

Crustose, fructose, or foliose?

>

> Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4 " -6 " white masses, spongy to the

touch,

> fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

>

>

>

> The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood,

which is

> over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is

> along the edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There

is

> an absence of visible mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls

(also

> wet). The amount of water is enough to make the wood soaking wet,

but

> not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or affect more than

a few

> inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water sources are a sub-slab

> leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

>

>

>

> _______________________________

>

> ESH is an ISO-9001 company.

>

> Customer Satisfaction is our Mission

>

> ... Quality is our Passion.

>

>

>

> Banks , PE, CIH, CSP

>

> Environment, Safety and Health, LC

>

> 9256 Southeast Venus Street

>

> Hobe Sound, Florida 33455

>

> Telephone:

>

> Facsimile:

>

> Website: www.ESHpartnering.com

>

[Guest guest]

Crustose, fructose, or foliose?

>

> Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4 " -6 " white masses, spongy to the

touch,

> fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

>

>

>

> The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood,

which is

> over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is

> along the edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There

is

> an absence of visible mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls

(also

> wet). The amount of water is enough to make the wood soaking wet,

but

> not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or affect more than

a few

> inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water sources are a sub-slab

> leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

>

>

>

> _______________________________

>

> ESH is an ISO-9001 company.

>

> Customer Satisfaction is our Mission

>

> ... Quality is our Passion.

>

>

>

> Banks , PE, CIH, CSP

>

> Environment, Safety and Health, LC

>

> 9256 Southeast Venus Street

>

> Hobe Sound, Florida 33455

>

> Telephone:

>

> Facsimile:

>

> Website: www.ESHpartnering.com

>

[Guest guest]

Banks,

Off the top of my head, in my experience the following are possible:

1. Basidiospores (may be mushroom-like)

2. Yeast

3. Effluoresence (least likely, and would be more flaky than sponge-

like, as it would be mineral deposits)

I'm certain there are other possibilities, but without more information

they're my best guesses.

Have you thought of sending a sample to a lab? That would be my

recommendation.

Chuck Reaney

Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4 " -6 " white masses, spongy to the

touch, fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood, which

is over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is

along the edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There is

an absence of visible mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls (also

wet). The amount of water is enough to make the wood soaking wet,

but

not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or affect more than a

few inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water sources are a

sub-slab leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

_______________________________

ESH is an ISO-9001 company.

Customer Satisfaction is our Mission

.... Quality is our Passion.

Banks , PE, CIH, CSP

Environment, Safety and Health, LC

9256 Southeast Venus Street

Hobe Sound, Florida 33455

Telephone:

Facsimile:

Website: www.ESHpartnering.com

[Guest guest]

Banks,

Off the top of my head, in my experience the following are possible:

1. Basidiospores (may be mushroom-like)

2. Yeast

3. Effluoresence (least likely, and would be more flaky than sponge-

like, as it would be mineral deposits)

I'm certain there are other possibilities, but without more information

they're my best guesses.

Have you thought of sending a sample to a lab? That would be my

recommendation.

Chuck Reaney

Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4 " -6 " white masses, spongy to the

touch, fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood, which

is over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is

along the edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There is

an absence of visible mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls (also

wet). The amount of water is enough to make the wood soaking wet,

but

not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or affect more than a

few inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water sources are a

sub-slab leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

_______________________________

ESH is an ISO-9001 company.

Customer Satisfaction is our Mission

.... Quality is our Passion.

Banks , PE, CIH, CSP

Environment, Safety and Health, LC

9256 Southeast Venus Street

Hobe Sound, Florida 33455

Telephone:

Facsimile:

Website: www.ESHpartnering.com

[Guest guest]

Banks,

Off the top of my head, in my experience the following are possible:

1. Basidiospores (may be mushroom-like)

2. Yeast

3. Effluoresence (least likely, and would be more flaky than sponge-

like, as it would be mineral deposits)

I'm certain there are other possibilities, but without more information

they're my best guesses.

Have you thought of sending a sample to a lab? That would be my

recommendation.

Chuck Reaney

Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4 " -6 " white masses, spongy to the

touch, fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood, which

is over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is

along the edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There is

an absence of visible mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls (also

wet). The amount of water is enough to make the wood soaking wet,

but

not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or affect more than a

few inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water sources are a

sub-slab leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

_______________________________

ESH is an ISO-9001 company.

Customer Satisfaction is our Mission

.... Quality is our Passion.

Banks , PE, CIH, CSP

Environment, Safety and Health, LC

9256 Southeast Venus Street

Hobe Sound, Florida 33455

Telephone:

Facsimile:

Website: www.ESHpartnering.com

[Guest guest]

Banks

I have seen that several times in old basements. it occurred only when the wood was saturated and did not progress to damper areas that had high, but not saturated, water activities.

I suggested removal of all such materials rather than treatment and did not get funding for fungal identification.

Jim H. white SSC

Wet Wood Flooring - Lichen-Like Growth

Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4”-6” white masses, spongy to the touch, fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood, which is over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is along the edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There is an absence of visible mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls (also wet). The amount of water is enough to make the wood soaking wet, but not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or affect more than a few inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water sources are a sub-slab leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

_______________________________

ESH is an ISO-9001 company.

Customer Satisfaction is our Mission

.... Quality is our Passion.

Banks , PE, CIH, CSP

Environment, Safety and Health, LC

9256 Southeast Venus Street

Hobe Sound, Florida 33455

Telephone:

Facsimile:

Website: www.ESHpartnering.com

[Guest guest]

Banks

I have seen that several times in old basements. it occurred only when the wood was saturated and did not progress to damper areas that had high, but not saturated, water activities.

I suggested removal of all such materials rather than treatment and did not get funding for fungal identification.

Jim H. white SSC

Wet Wood Flooring - Lichen-Like Growth

Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4”-6” white masses, spongy to the touch, fibrous underside) growth associated with wet wood flooring?

The flooring consists of stained oak planks nailed to plywood, which is over plastic sheeting and fastened to a cement slab. The growth is along the edges of the flooring adjacent to wall baseboards. There is an absence of visible mold growth on the adjoining gypsum walls (also wet). The amount of water is enough to make the wood soaking wet, but not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or affect more than a few inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water sources are a sub-slab leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

_______________________________

ESH is an ISO-9001 company.

Customer Satisfaction is our Mission

.... Quality is our Passion.

Banks , PE, CIH, CSP

Environment, Safety and Health, LC

9256 Southeast Venus Street

Hobe Sound, Florida 33455

Telephone:

Facsimile:

Website: www.ESHpartnering.com

[Guest guest]

Have

you considered Poria Incrassata? If it is, good luck. This fungus can eat a

house in no time and it doesn’t need a water source. It brings in its

own.

Ken Duvall

Wet Wood

Flooring - Lichen-Like Growth

Has anyone seen a lichen-like (4”-6”

white masses, spongy to the touch, fibrous underside) growth associated with

wet wood flooring?

The flooring consists of stained oak

planks nailed to plywood, which is over plastic sheeting and fastened to a

cement slab. The growth is along the edges of the flooring adjacent to

wall baseboards. There is an absence of visible mold growth on the

adjoining gypsum walls (also wet). The amount of water is enough to make

the wood soaking wet, but not enough to emerge from beneath the flooring or

affect more than a few inches of the wall assembly. Suspected water

sources are a sub-slab leak (likely) or inner wall piping leak (possible).

_______________________________

ESH is an

ISO-9001 company.

Customer Satisfaction is our Mission

.... Quality is our Passion.

Banks ,

PE, CIH, CSP

Environment,

Safety and Health, LC

9256 Southeast Venus Street

Hobe Sound, Florida 33455

Telephone:

Facsimile:

Website: www.ESHpartnering.com