Char
Burned organic material left on structural surfaces after a fire.
Char is the blackened, structurally altered layer left on wood and other organic building materials that actually burned. Unlike soot, which is deposited on top of a surface, char is the surface. The material itself has been consumed to some depth.
Why char matters more than soot
Char is a structural question before it is a cleaning question. On exposed framing, joists, and roof decking, the depth of char tells you how much sound wood is left. Light surface char on a stud is often cleaned and sealed. Deep char that crumbles under a screwdriver means the member is compromised and gets replaced, and that call belongs to a structural engineer or the local building official, not to the estimator.
What a tech actually does
- Media blasting with soda, dry ice, or crushed glass to take the char layer off framing back to clean wood. This is the common approach on an open, gutted structure.
- Wire brushing and sanding for smaller or more delicate areas where blasting is impractical.
- Sealing after cleaning, usually a pigmented shellac or specialty sealer, to lock down residual odor in the wood.
How it shows up on an estimate
Char work usually sits after demolition and before rebuild. Expect line items for blasting or brushing by square foot of framing, HEPA vacuuming and debris removal, sealer application, and any structural members flagged for replacement. Photos of char depth are the documentation adjusters ask for most, since they justify the difference between clean-and-seal and tear-out.
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