Replies

1. 
   mapleman | Jan 18, 2008 03:21am | #1

   You will need to kiln dry the lumber. Once you dry the lumber it will kill any larvae in the wood. After that, you could spray the lumber with a borate soulution to prevent re-infestation.

   http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/powderpost_beetle.htm

    http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=33198.9

   Lee

2. 
   skewbit | Jan 18, 2008 03:41am | #2

   thanks so much. which do you recommend; Timbor or Boracare?  On hard to find lumber i often buy the whole log and have it sawn into planking then I Air Dry the lumber. My sawer told me to use Sevin but I'm not sure that it has worked that well.

   
   

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   Edited 1/17/2008 7:45 pm ET by skewbit

1. 
   mapleman | Jan 18, 2008 04:56am | #3

   From the powderpostbeetles.com website:

   Boracare has the ability to penetrate 2-4 inchesof wood and will be lethal to eating larva.  It lasts a longtime and acts as a stomach poison to feeding larva.  It willquickly stop the chewing, but adults may still be seen fora while until all developing pupa have hatched.  Boracareneeds untreated surfaces in order to penetrate. If the wood has a polyurethane finish, don't waste your time trying to treat.  Nothing will get through such a finish.  However, stain by itself will not stop Boracare from penetrating and if it has weathered for a year or two, than applying Boracare before you stain again is always best.  Even though it may penetrate up to 4 inches, it will help if you are able to treat on both sides of the logs. This will insure maximum coverage and penetration.  Boracare is absorbed quickly into the wood, so it only takes 24-48hours to cure. This means that it doesn't prove to bea major inconvenience in the home waiting for it to dry.But if the home has a strong finish on the outside and nothing on the inside, you may have to treat the inside several times and hope that you can get deep penetration.

   Another product worth mentioning is called Timbor.Many professional applicators like to use this materialwhen treating for borers and powderpost beetles. It costs less to use than Boracare and I expect this isthe main reason why it is the product of choice. If are having your home treated by a company and theywant to use Timbor, insist on having them use Boracare.It will cost you more, but you will get a lot moreprotection for your money. Timbor is fine for preventionand provides a surface protection that most wooddestroying organisms will not be able to penetrate.However, it does not absorb as well as Boracare andtherefore may not kill off eating larva. To kill theinfestation as quickly as you can, use Boracare.  If you have logs you want to protect that do not haveinsect activity, you can use Timbor effectively. Theonly difference between the two is that Boracare willpenetrate better and Timbor is more likely to leavea white residue. Boracare dries invisible but becauseTimbor is a wettable powder, it can be seen on manywood surfaces after it dries. In finishing this discussion about these products, it should be noted that both use boron based active ingredients. They are relatively safe compared to many household cleansers and detergents. Neither product has an odor and cleanup is easy when working with them.  They both can beapplied with a standard pump sprayer, but be sureto use one which has a spray pattern which isflat and sprays a swath that is similar to usinga paint brush. This insures uniform coverage andequal distribution. Many spray tips are not as fineand the application is rough and splattered. Formost standard insecticide applications, this isacceptable. For Boracare or Timbor, you need equaldistribution.

    

2. 
   mapleman | Jan 18, 2008 04:59am | #4

   Skew,

   I have used Timbor before and I can attest to the fact that it does leave a white residue. Not really an issue if you will eventually plane the lumber. I haven't used Boracare, however, with the recommendations above I would lean towards that because it seems to penetrate better and go on/dry invisible.

   I also do not think sevin would be effective, but Bob Smalser may know about that better than I.

   Good luck,

   Lee

1. 
   skewbit | Jan 18, 2008 04:40pm | #5

   thanks so much. i'll give it a try. I do plan on planing the lumber. it's all Ash and White Oak.

3. 
   ted | Jan 19, 2008 04:56am | #6

   I've had good results with Termite Pruf made by U.S. Borax. It comes in powder form and is mixed with water. It is a topical solution and doesn't penetrate like Timbor or Boracare.
   It sits on the surface and prevents an infestation from occuring in the first place. If you have an infestation going it helps control the reinfestation of your wood by killing the adult bugs as they surface from there tunnels and any new critters will dye as the eggs hatch and they munch their way through the borate residue on the surface.
   I like Termite Pruf because it is inexpensive and doesn't penetrate and can be planed off. I've heard that Timbor and Boracare penetrate quite deeply and is incompatible with shellac.

1. 
   skewbit | Jan 19, 2008 05:05am | #7

   so where do i find this product? Internet, specialty company. thanks for your assistance.

1. 
   ted | Jan 19, 2008 08:16pm | #8

   I get it from my local Ace Hardware store. If they don't have it in stock they should be able to order it in for you. You can also go to their website and maybe that will help you locate a dealer.http://www.copperbrite.com/I originally thought it was made by U.S. Borax but the company that packages the stuff is Copper Brite.

1. 
   skewbit | Jan 20, 2008 03:01am | #9

   thanks so much. i'll "check it out" .