how to best sand/treat foul-smelling ceiling beams (that cannot be easily replaced)
Hello!
I am in the process of replacing a kitchen after a malicious moisture/mold damage in the exterior wall. For a couple of months, the smells from the wall have basically "smoked into" the wooden parts of the kitchen that were against the wall (there was an opening in the wall), so the whole kitchen has been thrown out (it was going to be replaced anyway). The exterior wall is also fixed and de-moldified. What remains still smelling now are 2 ceiling frames/beams that passed through the exposed part of the kitchen frames (attic kitchen), and these smell quite bad now. However, they are not damp and never have been, so I don't think anything is growing in them.
What do you recommend doing with these poor ceiling beams? They are not visible, so it doesn't matter what they look like afterwards but I can't remove them because they are probably load-bearing. Should I sand down a few mm, treat with some good product? Then paint with sealant paint or varnish in some way?
The thing is, I don't want to have to tear up the new kitchen in a year if the smell seeps through a half-hearted surface treatment. It's quite unlikely because they don't smell THAT much, but I am extremely sensitive to that smell now, you could say
I am in the process of replacing a kitchen after a malicious moisture/mold damage in the exterior wall. For a couple of months, the smells from the wall have basically "smoked into" the wooden parts of the kitchen that were against the wall (there was an opening in the wall), so the whole kitchen has been thrown out (it was going to be replaced anyway). The exterior wall is also fixed and de-moldified. What remains still smelling now are 2 ceiling frames/beams that passed through the exposed part of the kitchen frames (attic kitchen), and these smell quite bad now. However, they are not damp and never have been, so I don't think anything is growing in them.
What do you recommend doing with these poor ceiling beams? They are not visible, so it doesn't matter what they look like afterwards but I can't remove them because they are probably load-bearing. Should I sand down a few mm, treat with some good product? Then paint with sealant paint or varnish in some way?
The thing is, I don't want to have to tear up the new kitchen in a year if the smell seeps through a half-hearted surface treatment. It's quite unlikely because they don't smell THAT much, but I am extremely sensitive to that smell now, you could say
Ventilate to remove any smell I think is best... If you shut it in, you might be trapping moisture as well (natural moisture migration over the year, etc.)
Ozone generator removes odors otherwise...
Ozone generator removes odors otherwise...
I'm quite skeptical about ozone as it can, if unlucky, leave other permanent odors and it's only two beams that need to be treated... There are certain other reactive substances that might be applied, like some hydrogen peroxide-stuff, but maybe that's only meant to kill biological activity.
I understand your thought about trapping any moisture - the right strategy might then be to sand off the surface layer, clean the remainder as best as possible, and then let it air out for a while to see if it dissipates...
I understand your thought about trapping any moisture - the right strategy might then be to sand off the surface layer, clean the remainder as best as possible, and then let it air out for a while to see if it dissipates...
Building conservationist
· 3 509 posts
Have you tried just scrubbing thoroughly with soap water?