The Dreaded Woodworm

[Woodythepecker]

I have about 3 cubic feet of American black walnut in my wood store, and while looking for a suitable piece for a job i have undertaken from SWMBO, i noticed 4 little round holes about the size a dart would make in one length, and 2 in another.

I buy my timber in the sawn state and machine it up myself. I also try and sort each board by hand so that i can look for this sort of thing before i buy it. So although with the timber being rough i cannot be 100% sure that it did not come from the timber merchant this way, i am almost certain it did not.

Unlike the rest, these 2 lengths are offcuts from a previous job and so they have been planed and thicknessed.

I have checked the other wood in the store and these appear to be ok.

Obviously by the title i think that these holes were made by woodworm, so i am looking for advice on what to do next?
As i have done in the past, I could burn the 2 pieces or to make sure i rid the store of these beasties i could burn the lot, but this seems such a waste.
So what other options have i got?

When they find woodworm in old pieces of furniture they treat it, but what do they use? Is it the same sort of product the pro's would use if the interior of your house had woodworm?

If i did use the above could it effect any finish i put on the timber at a later date?

Cheers

Woody

 

[Waka]

When they find woodworm in old pieces of furniture they treat it, but what do they use? Is it the same sort of product the pro's would use if the interior of your house had woodworm?

Woody, I think you'll find that itas the same product but the mixture might be slightly different.

A couple o years ago I gave all the joist etc a good going over with the WW treatment, i didn't actually see any evidence of the beasties, but i wanted to make sure. I now do this operation every 3 years just to be on the safe side.

Regarding the wood you have that shows a little evidence of WW, I'd just treat it, you can get the applicators in B&Q, once the problem is solved, just fill in the hole.

Not to sure if spraying all the wood in the store will effect the finish at a later date.

 

[dickm]

I've not found any problems in finishing over any spills of woodworm treatment (Cuprinol, usually) on raw timber. But it does seem to react with some existing furniture finishes when treating them.

For our loft, I've used some sort of insecticidal smoke generator (looks like a small conical firework) every few years, and had no problems. Maybe if you could seal the timber into some sort of enclosure, you could use one of these?

 

[JFC]

If you can see the holes they are flight holes , the larva has formed and flown the timber .... into the next bit of timber to lay its eggs/larva .
But hopefully out of your shop ! Pro treatment sinks 3mm into the timber but then so will anything so cuprinol 5 star will do just as well .

 

[Alf]

Sooner than repeat myself; here's what I gather about woodworm. I also read somewhere that woodworm treatment is one of those things that makes us feel better, but actually as the critters have already gone, it's a bit redundant. Dunno if that's fact or opinion, but fwiw.

Cheers, Alf

 

[devonwoody]

I have a pile of wood dust in my workshop there must be millions of them around

 

[Woodythepecker]

Thanks everyone.

One thing that is confusing me. If the all holes i have found are flight holes, how did mummy worm get in there in the first place to lay the eggs?

I have been reading up on what fluid to use (probably 5 Star), but i am having a great deal of trouble finding out what type of mask to use while applying the treatment. I even contacted Cupinol the makers of 5 star and surprisingly the person i spoke to could not come up with the answer either.
While treating the walnut i am also going to treat the whole of my sons workshop. So i really do need to find out. Does anyone have an idea what i need to buy?

Regards

Woody

 

[devonwoody]

Woodythe pecker,

I find masks uncomfortble, I recommend holding your breath

Gloves should be worn, I usually get them from the diesel pump at garage forecourts. :wink:

 

[Scrit]

When we had our house treated 10 or so years back (with Pemethrin - since banned?) the guy wore an impervious nylon "romper suit" (rather like a car sprayer's), rubber boots, disposable nitrile gloves, goggles and a dual filter mask - probably P2 carbon with a particulate over filter - the sort of thing I don when spraying solvent-based finishes. As Cuprinol is oil-based or oil-carried this might be the way to go.

As a point of interest a number of small commercial kilns (such as the Braun) raise the temperature at the end of the cycle to kill infestation. Anyone know the temperature/duration?

Scrit

 

[Alf]

If the all holes i have found are flight holes, how did mummy worm get in there in the first place to lay the eggs?

Ah, you didn't follow the link in the link then...

Mummy beetle lays her eggs on the surface of the wood, and her little darlings hatch out and burrow in for din-dins. Presumably her little darlings are teeny-weeny when they first open their wondering eyes on the outside world, so the entry holes are too small to see.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Chris Knight]

Woody,

For a mask filter, I reckon the 3M triple filter (type 6057 plus particulate filter) will provide good protection (organic, inorganic and particulate filters suitable for the half-mask type.

 

[Rob_H]

I work with reclaimed timber a lot (oak and elm usually) and I'm used to finding woodworm holes. I was worried at first and went through the 'treating my whole workshop' phase, but it passed. Now I use Cuprinol to treat any reclaimed timber that comes to my wood store. Everyone is right though - by the time you can see the flight holes, they've usually all moved on. I've had actually few clients ask for some pieces I've made to come from timber with woodworm wholes as it gave it charcter!!! Incidentally, I've had quite a bit of "new" timber from a timber yard come with woodworm holes, including a piece of zebrano that I saw was riddled once I ran it through the P/T. Be very careful where you treat timber though, as a lot of the treatmets are very harmful to pets.

 

[JFC]

If your going to treat the workshops then id suggest using a pressure pot and spraying a fine mist over everything two or three times . Mask wise youd be best off with a respirator mask thats a chemical / fume resistant filter on the outside and a second filter on the inside . Expect to pay around £30 + I got my last one from a hire shop that sold them because they hire floor sanders and sell the sealant so i expect most hire shops will sell the chemical mask . The packaging on the mask will tell you if its suitable for what you want .
You may want to buy a paper suit to cover your self and pull the hood over your forehead if your spraying and wear goggles as in the past i've come out in very bad rashes on my face from chemicals ( not cuprinol )
The chemical may not burn your hard hands but on non wear and tear parts of your body it burns like hell ! Reminds me of my apprentership days when i got a blowback of dry rot chemical right on my nuts :shock:

 

[Scrit]

And exactly how were you dressed to achieve that? :shock:

 

[JFC]

not well enough ! :lol:
No really pro chemical will burn you just wearing normal clothing .

 

[Woodythepecker]

Cheers Chris, everyone, thanks for your advice, i have just orderd a 3M mask and disposible suit.

Regards

Yvonne