The biggest single drawback to wood is its susceptibility to damage by water. Believe it or not, it's easier to build a termite-proof home than one that is water-proof.

All wood contains some moisture. It absorbs it from the air. Under normal conditions, wood exposed to air will contain some water, usually, 7 percent to 15 percent. However, when the moisture content rises to between 20 and 30 percent, bad things start to happen. Fungi begin to grow. Fungus spores are inherent in the wood and can multiply only when fed enough water. Once growth begins the fungi destroy the wood's fibers, leaving pockets of softness. This is not a good thing as structural integrity often is compromised. One can actually fall through a floor that has been damaged by fungus. Even though water itself doesn't really harm wood, the net result is damage.

The amount of damage that is done determines the type of repair that will be needed. When structural members have been affected, replacement is always suggested. On the other hand, replacement is not necessary when non-structural parts of your home have been damaged. Non-structural parts are those that don't hold anything up. Doors, windows, their frames and trim, and exterior siding and trim are just a few examples of non-structural things on the exterior of the home.

Fungus damage can ruin the appearance of a wood surface and yet not be damaging in any other way. This problem is reasonably simple to remedy, although a certain amount of patience is required because the repair takes time.

A window frame that has peeling paint and cracks in it should be checked for fungus damage. The tool: a sharp pointed knife or an ice pick. Using the tool of your choice, take several pokes at the surface of the suspect material. When you come to a soft spot, you have found the fungus damage. Finding the damage is half the battle. The rest is time consuming, but easy.

First, you will need to mix phase one of a two-part epoxy, two-phase repair kit (each of the two phases thin phase, thick phase is in two parts). The first part to mix is the thin, liquid material. The liquid will penetrate and seal the surface of the damaged pocket created when you excavated and removed the soft, damaged wood. It is important to let this phase cure, that is, dry or set-up. Next, mix the two-part putty. This will be used to fill the void.

What is nice is that, once dry, the putty can be sanded, planed and milled exactly as if it were wood.

One of San Francisco's most noted restoration and painting companies frequently uses the technique we recommend to bring that city's most famous painted ladies back to life. You can have similar success.