Possible woodworm

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Possible woodworm
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tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 3:03 pm Post subject: Possible woodworm

We bought a cherry tree about 7 years ago, it was planked into 2" thick planks and has been in our barn ever since. It's supposed to be our new dining table, we've started trimming it/squaring it up with a view to starting work on the table this winter, however we've noticed that some pieces have what looks like woodworm holes in them.

I don't really want to be treating the timber unnecessarily, is there any way of telling whether it's an active infestation or whether anything that was in there has departed?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 3:05 pm Post subject:
This is a random piece Click to see full size image

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 3:31 pm Post subject:
If I do need to treat I'm a bit worried about wetting the timber, and then bringing it back into our well vented house (which dries timber out v quickly). All advice gratefully received

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 4:10 pm Post subject:
You would normally see tell-tale signs of dust at the holes if there is a live infestation. I'm not able to download the image to see if that is the case.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 4:15 pm Post subject:
Problem is there was still sawdust from the original sawing on the timber which I brushed off before getting the timber out of the barn. No way of telling now whether the holes (there are a few) are fresh or not

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 4:24 pm Post subject:
Woodworm holes are usually quite circular and a 2mm or so in diameter. Not sure how to test whether they are live but if you suspect they are you could try some boron treatment which is available either in water or glycol. Last edited by vegplot on Thu May 26, 16 4:27 pm; edited 1 time in total

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 4:26 pm Post subject:

vegplot wrote:

Woodworm holes are usually quite circular and a 2mm or so in diameter.

Sounds about right, will pop in to Screwfix on my way home tonight.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 4:41 pm Post subject:

looking at the photo i would say yes,as vegplot mentions fresh dust is a good indication they are recent but does not gnt active and a lack of dust does not gnt worm free .

it looks like emergence holes rather than "burrows" that were exposed when the timber was planked,if they layed,lived in then emerged from the timber when it was still greenish you might not have any active ones as the timber should be too dry for them after 7 yrs.

that said i would err on the side of caution and treat/redry it all before machining up into a table.

as you say the house dries timber rapidly it is wise to dry it as planks before machining/cabinet making even if not treating it.

it does not look as though they have eaten enough to void the timber for use and the holes can either be fully filled with a matching shade of filler (self dust and rabbitskin glue and or joiners wax are traditional) or left to add "character"(bad in a dining table as the holes will get mucky)before the final polish coats

im not sure what the current regs/products are for timber to be used in furniture but if it is going to be a dining table i would go for a non persistant fugitive method such as a big plastic bag full of hcn (pro job) or perhaps even heat treating them (i recon vac packed and steamed for a while would do for any live larvae so long as warping did not become an issue ,that could be a scrapheap challenge job)
another option would be to finish the drying by kiln which will kill any beasts and once machined/made use french polishing,oil and waxing or 2 part mix to finish the piece as though nowt had happened to the plankwood.(fp/wax is a bad idea if owt will ever get spilled on it)

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 4:49 pm Post subject:
The holes are always exit holes, but they exit, mate and lay eggs in the nearest suitable piece of wood so the fact that they've exited means not a lot. If you've a freezer you can fit the wood in then that'll kill them, but I'm guessing those bits are a bit big...

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 4:50 pm Post subject:
The bits are indeed a bit big, there's lots of em too.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 4:51 pm Post subject:
dpack, I'm guessing this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/sika-sikagard-woodworm-killer-clear-5ltr/56214 will do the job, active ingredient is pirethrim

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 6:39 pm Post subject:

permethrinis fairly safe(unless you are a cat or a fish) but i would avoid breathing sanding dust (always a good idea anyway) and wash my paws after handling treated timber .
once the table is sealed and polished i would expect it to be a very low risk to humans

im old school and stuff like lindane ,tri butyl tin etc were normal woodworm treatments hence my full nbc kit approach ,the modern stuff seems quite tame

mousjoos

Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 1986
Location: VERY Sunny SW France

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 8:52 pm Post subject:
assuming no-one's already mentioned it, a needle & syringe is a good approach ie flush the galleries with a worm killer & try to keep the surface as dry as poss. I imagine also that maching the boards will include removing any wany edge, & therefore the sapwood...this should go a long way toward solving the problem

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu May 26, 16 9:49 pm Post subject:
Thanks guys

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri May 27, 16 6:31 am Post subject:
Where do I get a syringe?

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