On my tool shed door there is 1x4 trim.The latch is on a horizontal piece of this trim.?

Question

This board started rotting at the end where the latch is,and progressed almost to the other end.I removed it and the condition had not gotten on any other wood that it touched. A man told me that several sheds he had, had the same thing happen to them. Does anyone know what causes this?

Answer 1

Comparing the 1X4 center trim piece, the one that rotted, to the lower trim piece, They probably get roughly equal amounts of weather.  The piece with the latch, though, has more invasive holes in it than the others.  Water gets behind the latch, into the s***w holes, and there you go.

When you replace this piece, drill out the s***w holes, and then put wood preservative all over the area and into the holes.  Also do the end grain of the wood, and even the back side that does not show.