Just received a delivery of materials for a shed I’m buildling, including some white cedar shingles (Maibec). A bunch of the bundles show a white fungus-like growth on the butt ends, and a quick peek in random spots shows more of the stuff on the face of some of the shingles. This is the type of fungus or mold that appears like cottony fuzz on the wood surface, not embedded in the wood itself.
Shingles were obviously damp for some period of time (there was still some dampness evident).
I’ve never seen that type of thing on cedar before. I’m inclined to return them and ask for another delivery. That seem reasonable? My guess is that they’d probably be fine once they dried out, and I could scrape off any fungus, but if you’re paying over $120/square that seems kind of wrong.
The outfit providing these materials is a totally professional, locally-owned company with decent management and staff. I’ve done probably $15-20K of business with them in the past few years (not bad for a homeowner, although I realize I’m small potatoes compared to their contractor customers).
To be honest, I’m kind of surprised somebody didn’t catch that before it got on the truck.
Can I run one other thing by you? I ordered ACQ pressure-treated wood, and they delivered CA instead. Probably not a big deal, but don’t you think they should have called and said something about the change if they were out of stock or couldn’t get ACQ? I know I’m being kind of fussy, but still. . .
Anybody have any experience with the CA stuff (the stuff I got is a product called “Natural Select,” http://www.wolmanizedwood.com/wolmanizedoutdoor.shtml)?
Finally, the shingles were supposed to be FSC-certified cedar (as in sustainably harvested) but they just shipped regular (Maibec will get you certified if you ask for it). Most people in the retail end of things think the whole certification thing is a bunch of b.s., and they may be right, but again, wouldn’t a phone call have been in order?
Thanks for sharing your perspectives.
Replies
Fungus is never really just on the surface. That is why it is so hard to eliminate. If the conditions are right then it will come back. It has mycelia spreading underneath.
I'd be happy if I got CCA instead of ACQ. Follow other threads on the subject. There is big problem with ACQ and fasteners other than SS.
So you agree, send back the shingles?By the way, CA stands for Copper azole, which is totally different from CCA. I'd never seen it before, that's why I was wondering if anybody had any experience with it.
There are fungi, and then there are fungi. The white fluffy stuff is the mycelium of a fungus that is consuming organic compounds leaching out of the cedar. It is almost certainly not consuming the cedar itself -- wood rotting fungi are a different proposition. The fluffy stuff is more related to bread and dairy molds. Once the shingles dry, it will stop growing.
"Megunticook" implies that you are a neighbor! (We are on Vinalhaven)
So your vote is keep the shingles and don't worry about it?I'm just across the water in Camden on the southeast shoulder of Bald Mountain. You can actually see my neighbor's green metal roof from the west end of the Thoroughfare.
Howdy, neighbor!
Yeah, I'd keep the shingles. A lot of my lumber is wet from the rain (my lumber yard stores everything bigger than 2X6 outdoors, and that type of fungus is very common. It disappears as soon as the wood dries. It's opportunistic and is digesting simple organic compounds, not having the enzymes that will allow it to digest cellulose+lignin=wood. In other words, it is on the cells, and not in them.
Go lost on Mt. Megunticook once. Thought we were climbing Mt. Battie, took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up on Mt. Megunticook. A tedious hike back down, especially with kids 4 and 7 years old.