I have about 2000 board feet of oak, pine and poplar that were cut from the trees when we cleared our lot. Now, I find powder post beetles have been munching on my wood. Any treatment suggestions? I want to use some of the oak for the mantle and some furniture projects.
Exterminator says he would have to soak the boards with some kind borated solution every year. Concerned about cupping when all this water is to be sprayed on the board.
Thanks,
Bob
Replies
Bob,
I don't know how long you intend to live there but the idea of knowingly bringing some powderpost eggs into the home wouuldn't let me sleep at nights.. when I found the holes of some deathwatch beetles I took a forstner bit and drilled them out untill I came to the ends of the holes.. then I soaked the timbers in a solution that was promised to prevent eggs from hatching. (this after I fully removed all infected wood) then and only then did I allow one timber in my house, the others I've cut up and turned into forewood..
Thanks. I have not used any of this in the house yet. I was looking for a "do it once" solution.Bob
Bob: I had some of those buggers in my crawl space and they were sprayed with a dry powder of borate-something or other. Supposed to last for years and be more or less not toxic.
KDM
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Bob:
You have two choices if indeed you have PPB and not ambrosia beetles or what I call "bark borers", grubs under the bark. Heat as in kiln that will heat-up the core of the lumber to something like 140*F for a few hours, most solar kilns won't do this BTW.
Borate treatment reportedly works, I'd strip stack as in air drying for several days until the moisture has evaporated.
Dale
I had some dried in a solar kiln - couldn't find a real kiln in the area.Thanks,Bob
Dale:Using a MK I magnifying glass, they appear to be True Powderpost Beetles(Lyctidae). I'm not a bug pro, but fumigation seems like the way to go. Can anyone buy the chemicals required for fumigating?
Bob:
Fumigation will work, I forgot about that method. The chemcial of choice is Methal Bromide (sp), a restricted use. You don't even want to mess with MB, hire it done. MB reportedly can go through cinder block walls and have you growing flowers! MB will not keep PPB from coming back. Some folks talk about using a tent and bug bombs(??) I personally would not waste my time.
I would still check out a Boarate product such as Bor-a-care(sp) or Timbor.
Dale
Dale:Thanks for your post. I appreciatr any info.Bob
Methyl Bromide is what they use when they "tent fumigate" for termites (usually dry-wall termites, IIRC). It is extremely dangerous, but very effective and it doesn't leave any residue. You might be able to find a licensed exterminator to tent your wood for a pretty reasonable price. I had a very small house done decades ago. There was a covered patio that got tented too. The earwigs boiled up out from under the cement, DADN (Dead as Door Nails).
Once you get them dead, you might want to treat the surrounding area with the Borax stuff to keep anything that wanders in at bay. Keep any cats or dogs (or guinea pigs) away from it though.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Edited 6/12/2005 1:01 pm ET by forestgirl
Bob,
Just checking, what's your location, as there are different kinds of borers, with different habits?
One solution is to wrap and seal with plastic sheet and fumigate inside this "tent". Then just let it sit for a month or two.
Edited 6/11/2005 12:09 pm ET by Jellyrug
Williamsburg, VA.Thanks,Bob
wrap and seal with plastic sheet and fumigate inside this "tent". Then just let it sit for a month or two.Dont plan on working the wood afterward. You will be breathing, touching and living with the poison. Borate solutions work very well. Aloha, Mike
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