[richdraws]

Hello you

Does anyone have any top tips for minimising; damp, rot, fungus, mushrooms, slugs and general stinkiness that my poor cellar board is struggling with.
I feel like the poor thing is developing a complex, it wants to be shiny and odour free. Does it need a makeover? It looks shit naked, the board is covered in mouldy bits.

Eagerly awaiting your beauty advice.

Rich

[Paul B]

perhaps a rebuild with marine ply?

[richdraws]

oooh sailor!

The problems are surface problems for now. I would like to avoid a rebuild. Does anyone use a wood treatment on theirs?

[dave]

cellars are generally damp so theres only a certain amount of stuff you can do. Firstly, when you build it you should really seperate the board from any masonry by laying plastic sheeting down under the woddy and behind it to an extent - this should stop the wood rotting directly. you can attempt to stop mould and fungus by painting the board in some kinda fungicide but it'll need redoing periodically and it probably won't work 100% (i.e. you're addressing the symptom not the cause). maying your entire board out of marine ply (and marine 2x4s for the frame, and also sealing any cut joints yourself) woudl cost a bomb and for all I know might not even stop surface mildew etc.

The key to keeping it at a manageable level is to maintain ventilation. if you're in a terraced house make sure the coal chute is open to the air (i.e. don't do what many do and block it off with plastic, your board, and floorboards, will rot). you could also try using a dehumidifier but its not really going to touch the sides.

[Johnny Brown]

We all know your coal chute is open to the air Dave, it stinks.

[SA Chris]

You can get various proprietary anti fungal treatments for wood, Ronseal for example (apparently it performs in a way that it is purported to do on the container). But be careful, they some do really pen and ink (and may contain solvents).

[richdraws]

I will try the coal chute, for starters. Thanks folks.