What is this in attic?

[John Gromkoski]

Hey guys. Happy Memorial Day Weekend. Working on a couple of reports of course this weekend and need some help, direction.

Inspected an attic yesterday with an unusual substance on the rafters. Don't know what to make of it. Not sure if it's some sort of mold although it almost looks like old mud. I touched it with my hand and it was very dry and came off. Anyone see anything like this before. Not sure how to write comment in my report on this.

Thanks.

[mnahrgang]

I think you are right. I think it's dirt. You can see muddy fingerprints on the top of the rafter in the first picture. Picture 3 shows some water staining and damage on the sheeting.

[Jeffrey R. Jonas]

Originally Posted by mnahrgang

I think you are right. I think it's dirt. You can see muddy fingerprints on the top of the rafter in the first picture. Picture 3 shows some water staining and damage on the sheeting.

And in the first picture, looks like boot prints.

[Keith R. Braun]

In my years of framing, when we would run short of stock we would sometimes use lumber that had previously been used for concrete forms. Might that be it?

[John Gromkoski]

Thanks guys for the support. I do see the boot prints and fingerprints now. Just wanted to confirm what I thought and you guys pointed out some things that helped. Now I can close the report.

Have a good rest of the Memorial Day weekend.

[Ben J. Gromicko]

I was a custom-home builder in SE PA for years. I would sometimes get my rafter boards, floor joists, 2x4 studs etc. muddy on the construction site. I also would use boards that were used in framing out the concrete walks or pads. Boards used in forming the concrete footers would often end up as components (joists) in the floor system.

[ROBERT W. NEWLAND, JR.]

Originally Posted by bgromicko

I was a custom-home builder in SE PA for years. I would sometimes get my rafter boards, floor joists, 2x4 studs etc. muddy on the construction site. I also would use boards that were used in framing out the concrete walks or pads. Boards used in forming the concrete footers would often end up as components (joists) in the floor system.

That's why you WAS a custom-home builder Just kidding. I often run into attics with muddy rafters and boot prints on the underside of sheathing.... now I know