Completely remove the wooden sponge

Background to the wooden sponge

The wooden sponge is a fungus that you probably also know from walks in the forest. The brownish sponge body settles on the surface of dead wood and withdraws from it wood Water, which gradually completely destroys it.

• The sponge manifests itself in a soft growth of brown color. A white, felt-like coating often grows around the edges. In the case of high water resources, small water droplets can form on the surface of the sponge, which is why the sponge was nicknamed the watery wooden sponge.
• The wood sponge develops what is known as aerial mycelium as it grows. You can recognize this by the cotton-like threads that disintegrate when touched.
• If the dry rot can develop over a certain period of time, it will completely destroy the affected wood. The wood dries out and turns into dust when touched.
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• In order to thrive, the wood sponge needs a wood humidity between 30 and 50 percent and an air temperature between 17 and 22 degrees. Sometimes the wooden sponge also grows on very dry wood and is supplied with water via the aerial mycelium.


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• The problem with an infestation with the wooden sponge is not only the destructive effect, but also that the fungus can remain in a dry state for years without any problems to die off.
• Wood infected by the wooden sponge shows cube-shaped signs of destruction. Softwood in particular is at risk. Since this is often used in the basement, basements are particularly often infested with dry rot.
• Oak wood contains a tannin that prevents infestation.
• In addition to wood, the dry rot attacks all materials that are based on cellulose. Chipboard, paper and fiberboard can therefore also fall victim to the sponge and must be stored in a dry place.
• A particular disadvantage of the dry rot is that it can spread through the masonry.

Remove the wooden sponge

If you discover a sponge in your house and suspect it may be dry rot, you should seek professional help right away. Removal by yourself is neither recommended nor completely possible.

• Fighting the wooden sponge is very time-consuming. First of all, the extent of the infestation should be assessed by a specialist.
• In order to completely remove the wooden sponge from the masonry and the wooden beams, renovation measures are necessary. Especially old and relatively neglected houses are demolished when there is severe infestation, as the renovation costs exceed the value of the house. If you visit an old house, you should therefore pay attention to the infestation of the wooden sponge in order not to experience any loss through the purchase of the house.
• The removal of the wooden sponge means that the infected wooden beams are removed. Often the masonry is also pried open and replaced for this purpose.
• If the masonry can be preserved, it is worth flaming it. The heat destroys the fibers of the fungus.
• A renovation is not possible without knowing the background for the formation of dry rot. Moist areas must be uncovered in any case and removed in the course of the work.
• Please note in any case that the wooden sponge is notifiable. The responsible building authority will also give you information about specialist companies that will remove the sponge.
• The infestation with a wooden sponge must be reported to interested parties when the house is sold. The wooden sponge is one of the construction defects, so that the purchase price drops drastically.

While it is possible to completely remove the dry rot, you will face a major remedial effort. If you want to buy such a house, you should hire an appraiser who will realistically assess the damage before buying it. If your house has been infected by the wooden sponge, you should seek professional help at the slightest sign of the infestation. The earlier the infestation is detected, the lower the damage and costs.