You’re decorating.
You pull back the sofa.
And you notice it.
Cracked skirting boards.
Maybe the paint is lifting.
Maybe the timber looks slightly distorted.
Maybe there’s a faint musty smell.
The question most homeowners in Crewe ask at this point is:
“Is this just old wood — or is it rot?”
The answer depends on one key factor:
Moisture.
At Weather Wise Solutions — your local family-run damp and timber specialists — we don’t guess. We investigate properly before recommending repairs.
🪵 Not All Cracks Mean Decay
Timber naturally moves.
Skirting boards can crack due to:
-
Seasonal shrinkage
-
Heating cycles
-
Minor settlement
-
Age-related drying
Small surface splits without softness are often harmless.
However, cracking combined with softness, distortion, or staining may indicate elevated moisture levels — and that’s where decay risk begins.
💧 The Critical Moisture Threshold
For timber decay to occur, moisture content typically needs to remain above 20% for a sustained period.
Below this level:
Fungal decay cannot establish.
Above this level:
Wet rot fungi can begin to break down timber fibres.
That’s why moisture testing is essential.
A visual inspection alone is not enough.
🦠 What Wet Rot in Skirting Boards Looks Like
If skirting boards in a Crewe property are affected by wet rot, you may notice:
-
Soft or spongy timber
-
Darkened areas
-
Cracking with cuboidal patterning
-
Surface fungal growth in advanced cases
-
Timber that breaks apart easily under pressure
Wet rot remains localised to the moisture source.
It does not spread through masonry like dry rot.
So identifying and eliminating the source of moisture is the priority.
🧱 Where Is the Moisture Coming From?
Common causes include:
-
Bridging plaster touching the floor
-
Raised external ground levels
-
Leaking radiators or pipework
-
Condensation pooling at floor level
-
Inadequate subfloor ventilation
In many cases, the skirting is the symptom — not the root cause.
Replacing timber without correcting moisture simply leads to recurrence.
🔍 How We Diagnose Timber Decay in Crewe
Our approach includes:
-
Moisture content testing
-
Inspection of adjacent masonry
-
Assessment of subfloor ventilation
-
External ground level checks
-
Identifying bridging issues
Modern damp diagnosis prioritises investigation before specification.
Sometimes the skirting only needs replacing.
Sometimes we need to address airflow or external bridging.
Very rarely is full structural replacement required when caught early.
👷 Professional Standards & Timber Expertise
Weather Wise Solutions are members of:
🔗 Federation of Damp – https://federationofdamp.co.uk/
🔗 Damp Proofing Association – https://www.dampproofingassociation.co.uk/
All our specialists hold CPD qualifications in Dampness in Buildings and follow best-practice timber inspection principles.
You can view our independent reviews here:
🔗 TrustATrader – https://www.trustatrader.com/traders/weather-wise-solutions-limited-damp-surveyor-newcastle-under-lyme
🔗 Checkatrade – https://www.checkatrade.com/trades/weatherwisesolutionslimited
If you’ve noticed cracked skirting boards in your Crewe home, don’t panic — but don’t ignore it either.
Timber decay only develops when moisture is present long-term.
Identify the moisture.
Remove the cause.
Protect the structure.
📍 Book a Free Survey for your home here:
https://weatherwiseuk.co.uk/pages/contact