If you have ever opened a wall or crawled under a floor and found wood that looks like shredded wheat, you know the particular mix of dread and urgency that termite damage brings. Framing members carry load, keep walls plumb, and transfer forces through a building like bones in a body. Termites do not care about any of that. They hollow, channel, and soften the very parts that make a house stand. When you remove the insects and start putting the structure back together, the difference between a quick patch and a proper splice shows up in how the house feels later - doors that close cleanly, floors that do not bounce, no fresh cracks in the drywall after a season of weather.
I have repaired termite framing in crawlspace bungalows, slab-on-grade ranches, and two-story homes with tall basements. The specific details change with each building, but the underlying principles hold steady. Splices are not just about reconnecting wood. They are about restoring the load path, matching stiffness, and respecting how the material behaves. Do that, and your termite damage restoration will outlast the memory of the swarm that triggered it.
Kill, then cure: sequencing the work so repairs last
No one wants to rebuild framing only to feed a still-active colony. Termite repair services start with elimination. A licensed pest control operator should inspect, identify the species, and treat. Subterranean termites often need soil termiticides, bait stations, or both. Drywood termites call for localized treatments or whole-structure fumigation. Only when live activity is halted do you get reliable repairs. If you are searching phrases like termite repair near me or local termite damage repair, make sure the provider coordinates with a pest pro. The two trades need to talk.
Once activity is stopped, document all affected zones. Probing with an awl, you will feel the difference between sound wood and honeycombed fiber. A moisture meter tells you if the area is still wet - anything over roughly 16 percent in framing demands drying before structural adhesive or new fasteners go in, or you risk loose joints later. In walls that were treated with foam or liquid injections, let everything cure. Only after the structure is stable, dry, and accessible do you start cutting and splicing.
Expect a little mess around finishes. Termite drywall repair after termite treatment is often part of the sequence. Open what you must to reach the framing, get the structure right, then close the finishes on your schedule. Trying to splice through tiny access holes usually backfires.
What a correct splice actually does
Think about a floor joist that spans between supports. The top fibers compress, the bottom fibers stretch, and the middle carries shear. A splice reconnects those forces across a damaged zone. For a stud, the main demand is axial compression, with a dash of buckling resistance. A sill plate spreads loads into the foundation and anchors the wall against lateral forces. Each member imposes a different requirement on the splice. That is why a one-size-fits-all patch rarely works.
A solid splice accomplishes three things:
- Transfers the same or greater capacity than the original wood, in bending, shear, and axial load, as needed for the member’s role. Maintains or matches stiffness so the repaired piece deflects with its neighbors. Too flexible or too rigid both cause problems. Protects the joint from future moisture or insect intrusion. End grain left open to damp air is a future failure.
To get there, you manage overlap length, fastening pattern, material choice, and contact. Long overlaps spread stress. Fasteners arranged in staggered rows resist both slip and peel. Material that matches species and grade performs predictably. Tight bearing without humps or gaps prevents joints from working loose.
Splicing options, and when to use them
In residential framing, we lean on a few reliable methods. The right choice depends on how much damage there is, how accessible the member is, and whether the piece is part of a system that can tolerate a little practical adjustment.
Sistering is often the first pick for termite wood repair along joists, rafters, and even studs. You run a new, full-length member alongside the damaged one from support to support, then tie the pair together with nails or structural screws in a staggered pattern. This bypasses rot tunnels because the new member carries the load across the entire span. For moderate damage, you can sometimes cut out just the compromised segment and sister past it far enough in each direction to fully develop strength.
Scabbing, or adding side plates, is a shorter variant. Instead of a full new member, you apply full-depth side pieces to each face of the damaged area, extending past the bad section by a calculated distance. Done correctly with long overlaps, scabs create a strong splice when a full sister is not feasible because of plumbing, ductwork, or built-ins blocking length.
Butt splices work when you remove a section and reinsert new wood, joining end to end with side plates or plywood gussets, plus high-quality adhesive. Think of a rim joist you want to repair in segments because the siding limits access. The plates do the heavy lifting, not the butt joint between the ends. A simple butt joint without plates has nearly no bending strength and belongs only where the member is purely in compression and fully supported.
Traditional carpentry joints like scarf cuts look elegant, but in modern termite structural repair they bring more complexity than benefit. A long, true scarf requires precision you often cannot achieve in a crawl or attic, and fasteners still have to do the real work. I reserve scarfs for exposed timber work, not hidden framing.
Steel has a place. A flitch plate, meaning a steel plate sandwiched between wood members, creates a compact, strong splice in beams or heavily loaded joists. In tight basements where you cannot slide in a full-length LVL, a bolted steel plate bridging a cut can solve a specific problem. Just watch corrosion protection, especially near treated lumber.
On fasteners, I learned long ago to ditch generic deck screws. Use nails sized for framing, like 10d or 16d, or better, use code-listed structural screws that meet ICC-ES reports for shear and tension. Self-drilling screws with large heads and robust shanks draw pieces tight, do not snap under load, and keep inspectors happy. Construction adhesive between faces improves stiffness and reduces squeaks, but do not treat glue as a substitute for metal. Wood creeps over time. Fasteners lock things down.
Studs, plates, and how walls get their strength back
Termite wall repair starts simply enough. If a stud is chewed through at mid-height but still catches the top and bottom plates, you can sister a new stud snug between the plates, glue and fasten it to the old termite repair services bay area stud with a staggered pattern, and call it a day. I like to run at least 24 inches of overlap where feasible, more if the old stud lost a big percentage of section. Around doors and windows, take a beat and think about load paths. King studs and jack studs do more than hold drywall. Replace chewed jacks outright, shoring the header so you can slide new members in tight to bearing.
When multiple studs in a row show damage, pause and evaluate the wall as a unit. A shear wall with let-in bracing or structural sheathing deserves extra care. Do not chop and splice haphazardly, then cover with new gypsum. Replace continuous sections of sheathing, maintain nailing edge distances, and if you change the framing layout even slightly, match the nailing pattern prescribed for the sheathing type so lateral resistance remains intact.
Termite sill plate repair is common in crawlspaces. Subterranean termites love that first piece of wood atop the foundation. If you can, fully replace the plate with pressure-treated lumber, new sill gasket, and corrosion-resistant anchors. That fix beats any splice. Where a short segment must be replaced, cut back to sound wood with clean square ends, apply a liquid borate to adjacent members, then splice in a new treated piece. Hardware matters here. Expansion anchors or adhesive anchors should be laid out per code spacing. If you are reusing old bolt holes, inject approved epoxy and set new rods rather than relying on loose, ovalized holes. Tight bearing is everything - plane or shim with steel shims only. Do not pack composite shims under structural members.
Rim or band joists often show hidden damage behind brick veneer or siding. For termite rim repair in accessible basements, remove the damaged length, sister the floor joists to a new rim, and stitch the assembly together with hangers where joists end there. On framed walls above, make sure the new rim reestablishes the nailing base for sheathing and ties corner returns properly.
Floors that feel solid again
Termite floor joist repair follows a rhythm. First, shore the floor from below with posts and a beam so you can unload the joists you will cut or sister. When joists are rotten at the ends, where they bear on a sill or beam, you rarely get away with partial fixes. Replace the end bearing or add a hanger on fresh wood that is fully supported. For mid-span damage, long sistering solves most problems. A repair that works in a dozen older homes uses a pair of sisters - one on each side of the damaged joist - running at least one-third of the span beyond the compromised area each way, often more. Glue and fasten on a 6 to 8 inch grid, staggered. If utilities block a full-length sister, notch the new pieces around them only within code limits, or route wires and pipes temporarily. Do not destroy the new member’s section to avoid moving an old cable.
Subfloors get their share of harm when termites snack on the underside of panel edges. Termite subfloor repair should be surgical. Cut back to the center of a joist where you can land a clean joint, add blocking where seams will fall, and stagger seams between adjacent panels. A bead of subfloor adhesive on joists and blocking reduces future squeaks. In bathrooms and kitchens, consider tongue and groove panels rated for wet areas. Once you replace compromised decking, the bounce underfoot usually disappears.
Beams and girders deserve respect. Termite beam repair needs planned shoring and sometimes engineer input. If a central girder lost significant section, sistering with LVLs on one or both faces is a clean approach. Bolts at a rational spacing - for example, pairs at 16 to 24 inches, with edge distances around 1.5 inches and staggered rows - pull the package into a single unit. In crawlspaces where you cannot get long LVLs in, segment the sisters with well designed overlaps and steel side plates at joints, but only if you can maintain bearing and fastener patterns. When posts are compromised too, reset them on concrete footings and swap for treated, properly sized posts or steel columns with adjustable caps.
Example workflow: a joist splice that does not sag
Here is a compact, field-tested approach to mid-span joist repair that avoids future dips.
- Shore the area with a temporary beam and posts, then remove finishes or insulation blocking access. Measure moisture in the joists. If over roughly 16 percent, set up fans or dehumidify for a day or two. Cut back loose or punky wood until a solid substrate remains. Treat adjacent wood with a borate solution on all faces you can reach. Let it dry. Rip two sisters of matching species and depth. Plane any crowns so all three members bear well together. Pre-drill for structural screws if the wood is very dry to avoid splitting near edges. Butter contact faces with a continuous line of construction adhesive, then clamp or screw the assembly together with staggered rows every 6 to 8 inches through the damaged region and 12 inches elsewhere. Extend at least one-third span past the bad zone both directions. Add solid blocking at supports if needed, remove the shoring slowly, and watch for movement. If the sisters slipped at all, back up, reclamp, and refasten before you close the cavity.
Roof and attic members, where access is tricky
Termite attic wood repair feels like crawling across a sandbox in summer. It is hot, dusty, and easy to rush. Roof rafters, unlike floor joists, are often part of a web with purlins, collar ties, and struts. Cut one without shoring and the roof can sag in an afternoon of heat. For rafters, long sistering is again the go-to. From bearing at the wall to near the ridge, set a new rafter against the old and tie them together. At the heel where rafters seat on walls, any crush or termite tunneling calls for a new birdsmouth on the sister or a hanger at a new seat, never a sliver of shim that only touches at one corner.
Collar ties and ceiling joists that resist rafter thrust can be spliced with laps that double the depth of the member in overlap, glued and screwed. Where sheathing was eaten from the underside, replace from above if roofing is due anyway. Patching from below works for small areas, but getting nails or screws into existing rafters or trusses requires planning so you do not pepper the roof with fastener tips.
Fasteners, spacing, and keeping inspectors smiling
Details matter. A common failure in poor termite framing repair is a glorious new piece of wood barely attached to anything. I like to think in patterns. Along a splice, fasteners should be dense enough to prevent slip, but not so close to edges that they split the members. As a practical rule:
- Keep nails and screws at least 1.5 inches from edges and 2 inches from ends of members when possible. Stagger rows to avoid a straight line of weakness. Two rows about one third in from each edge distribute load better than a single row down the center. Choose length so the fastener penetrates the far member by at least 10 to 12 times its diameter for screws, or achieves full clinching for nails where appropriate. For a 1/4 inch structural screw, that means at least 2.5 inches of thread in the far piece, not counting the head. In high-load areas or where you are bridging a cut, tighten spacing to every 6 to 8 inches. Outside that zone, 12 inches often suffices.
Use metal connectors where the original design relied on them. Hangers at ends, straps across cuts, and post caps at columns all add capacity beyond what wood and screws alone deliver. With pressure-treated lumber near anchors and connectors, use hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel so you do not trade termite damage for corrosion in three years.
Adhesives help, but keep expectations grounded. A continuous, thin bond line between clean wood faces stiffens an assembly, cuts down on noise, and spreads load. It does not replace the job of steel fasteners or connectors.
Permits, engineers, and when to call a pro
Small patches inside non-load-bearing partitions can be homeowner territory. The second you are touching floor joists, sills, beams, or anything that carries real load, bring in experience. Many jurisdictions require permits for structural termite repair. An inspector appreciates a clear plan: shoring layout, member sizes, splice method, and fastener schedule. For beams and girders, or where multiple structural elements interact, a stamped detail from a structural engineer makes life easier and can save materials by optimizing the solution.
If you are searching for termite damage contractor near me or structural termite repair near me, interview the candidates like you would a surgeon. Ask for photos of past work, not just finished drywall. A good wood repair contractor termite damage near me should be able to explain why a particular splice length or fastener pattern is right for your house, and willing to coordinate with the pest company to schedule after-treatment and reinspection.
Moisture, chemistry, and keeping termites disinterested
Termites need moisture, and framing needs it only in controlled, small amounts. After you rebuild, make the environment unfriendly to both bugs and decay. In crawlspaces, grade soil so water flows to a drain, lay a continuous vapor barrier, and ventilate or condition the space to keep humidity in check. Where sills meet concrete, add a capillary break with a sill gasket or membrane. Termite shields - a formed metal flashing on top of the foundation - do not stop termites completely, but they force visible mud tubes and help with inspection.
Treat adjacent wood with borate solutions where the chemical will remain protected from weather. Borates do not do well when leached by rain, so keep them inside the envelope or under the house. Around plumbing penetrations and at grade transitions, seal gaps. A neat bead of high-quality sealant at the siding to foundation joint keeps splashback from soaking the rim.
Pressure-treated wood is your friend at sills, exposed plates, and any repair that touches masonry. Remember the metal fastener compatibility noted earlier. Copper azole and ACQ treatments are corrosive to plain steel. Use the correct hardware and you will not see that white, fluffy corrosion on connectors a few seasons later.
Three real-world snapshots
A 1940s bungalow came to us with a sponge for a sill plate under the kitchen. We supported the floor with a temporary 4x6 on screw jacks, cut the old plate in 5 foot segments, and slid in new 2x6 pressure-treated pieces bedded on sill gasket. New 1/2 inch epoxy-set anchor bolts at 4 foot spacing and steel shims tuned the bearing. The studs got a shave on their ends to remove rot and then were resat with metal tie-downs. Six months later, the homeowner reported cabinet doors finally stayed shut.
In a split-level, the band joist behind a leaky deck ledger had been munched for years. We removed two courses of siding, replaced 16 feet of rim in segments with overlapping butt splices and double 3/4 inch plywood scabs, then ran new sisters to pick up the joists where the ledger once hung. A peel and stick membrane over the new rim and a properly flashed ledger went back. The ceiling cracks from seasonal movement did not return the next winter.
An attic repair in a 1970s ranch taught a lesson about patience. Two rafters near a gable had interior tunneling but looked sound from outside. We shored with 2x4 posts under a temporary ridge prop, then ran full-length sisters from top plate to one foot shy of the ridge. A previous owner had tried a half-hearted patch with 2 foot scabs and deck screws. Once we opened it, the old scabs fell away in our hands. The new sisters, glued and screwed, restored stiffness. We added collar ties at every other rafter pair for good measure. The repair sailed through inspection.
Finishes, fit, and the last 10 percent
Once the structure is right, close the wounds. Termite drywall repair after termite treatment is more than taping and mudding. Insulate correctly where you opened cavities, use proper vapor control for your climate, and reinstall gypsum with full fastener schedules. On floors, replace any underlayment you removed and glue the seams where the manufacturer recommends. If you sanded or planed sisters to line up with old members, check surfaces from a distance for dips. A long straightedge will show problems before they telegraph into finishes.
Before you button up, snap a few photos. Future you - or a future buyer, appraiser, or inspector - will appreciate seeing that termite framing repair was not only done, but done thoughtfully. Keep receipts for materials and any engineered details. If you sell the house, having a tidy packet that documents termite damage repair near me searches that led to licensed pros, treatment certificates, and permits can calm nervous buyers and their lenders.
A short pre-splice checklist
- Verify termite treatment is complete and active moisture problems are addressed. Shore any member that carries load before you cut or pry. Mark cut lines back to unquestionably sound wood and confirm grain orientation for inserts. Choose a splice method that matches the member’s demands - sister, scab, or plated butt - with adequate overlap. Lay out fasteners and connectors on the bench first, then install with adhesive and proper edge distances.
The judgment calls that separate good from great
Two homes can look identical, yet the smarter repair in each differs. Matching stiffness might mean using the same species and grade as the original, even if a stronger LVL is tempting. In a long floor, mixing one very stiff sister among old, springy joists can create a hump. Spreading load across two slightly smaller sisters on either side often yields a flatter result.
Where an engineer specifies a detail, follow it precisely. Where the field throws you a curve - a pipe right through where a sister should go, or a knot the size of your fist in a critical spot - adapt, but keep the principles in view. Do not shorten overlaps or cheat on fasteners to save a half hour. Shift the splice past the obstruction, add a steel strap, or reroute the pipe under a short soffit. The nicest drywall job in the world cannot compensate for a structural shortcut that creaks with every step.
The point of termite framing repair is not to make the house as good as it was. It is to make it better, so the next time a storm loads the roof or a party fills the living room, the building responds with calm. Tackle splices with that in mind, and you will take a problem that started with insects and end with a home that feels stronger under your feet.