Got this top home from a sale and I see now it has tiny 1/16" holes in spots, saw some small sawdust volcanos and a 1/32" beetle the next morning. I Put the table outside in the sun with some black trash can liners covering it and it got to 147 degrees for a few hours, but when I took the bags off the next morning I killed 4 crawling on it. It has polyurethane on all 6 sides. Should I do that again for a few days, use another method, or what?
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Powder post beetles in butcher block maple benchtop
- Thread starter tomjelly
- Start date
- Replies 41
- Views 4,672
reggie_obe
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2004
- Location
- Reddington, N.J., U.S.A.
Suggestions from a pest control website:
Freeze Small Wood Items
To treat small wood items, place the item in the freezer at zero degrees Fahrenheit for at least 72 hours.
This will get rid of the larvae and adults, but some eggs might still survive.
So, occasionally, check the item for damage over the next year.
Do you know someone with a walk in freezer?
Use Fumigation
For an infestation that hasn’t responded to several applications of common borate pesticides, fumigation is the next step.
This process involves powerful pesticides available only to professionals.
It’s highly effective and won’t damage antique furniture or other delicate wood items.
In fact, it doesn’t even leave a residue.
Smaller items can be placed in a fumigation chamber.
Freeze Small Wood Items
To treat small wood items, place the item in the freezer at zero degrees Fahrenheit for at least 72 hours.
This will get rid of the larvae and adults, but some eggs might still survive.
So, occasionally, check the item for damage over the next year.
Do you know someone with a walk in freezer?
Use Fumigation
For an infestation that hasn’t responded to several applications of common borate pesticides, fumigation is the next step.
This process involves powerful pesticides available only to professionals.
It’s highly effective and won’t damage antique furniture or other delicate wood items.
In fact, it doesn’t even leave a residue.
Smaller items can be placed in a fumigation chamber.
Dieseldoc
Plastic
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
- Location
- Centtral Mississippi
Spray it with Bengal.
Larry Dickman
Titanium
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2014
- Location
- Temecula, Ca
i would soak it in lighter fluid. Then light it.
Wow !
You doo understand there is a "woodhacking" section just a few doors down ?....
scsmith42
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2020
- Location
- New Hill, NC
Tom, I’m a sawmill and kiln operator.
The only method that is 100% effective against lyctid powder post beetles is heat sterilization. You need to heat all portions of the butcher block to 133f or higher.
Due to the fact that a big chunk of wood is a giant heat sink, most kiln operators would run a 24 hour sterilization cycle at 160f.
I have some plans for a simple homemade wood sterilization chamber made from foam board, duct tape, saw horses and a space heater. If you would like a copy, send me a PM with your email address.
Scott
The only method that is 100% effective against lyctid powder post beetles is heat sterilization. You need to heat all portions of the butcher block to 133f or higher.
Due to the fact that a big chunk of wood is a giant heat sink, most kiln operators would run a 24 hour sterilization cycle at 160f.
I have some plans for a simple homemade wood sterilization chamber made from foam board, duct tape, saw horses and a space heater. If you would like a copy, send me a PM with your email address.
Scott
reggie_obe
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2004
- Location
- Reddington, N.J., U.S.A.
Chemical treatments don't work once the wood has been sealed.
reggie_obe
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2004
- Location
- Reddington, N.J., U.S.A.
Wow !
You doo understand there is a "woodhacking" section just a few doors down ?....
Why yes! Yes, there is.
Even they are unable to devise a treatment that will rid this "board" of Termite.
kustomizer
Diamond
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2007
- Location
- North Fork Idaho
It likely wont get hot enough in the core from the sunlight hours. Try some co2 in your bag
During the treatment process, carbon dioxide gas (CO2) is used to displace oxygen within a sealed enclosure to a percentage low enough to kill all stages of the insect life-cycle: adults, larvae, pupae and eggs.
During the treatment process, carbon dioxide gas (CO2) is used to displace oxygen within a sealed enclosure to a percentage low enough to kill all stages of the insect life-cycle: adults, larvae, pupae and eggs.
Bill D
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Location
- Modesto, CA USA
If you do not have co2 any gas other then oxygen will work. This includes Helium, nitrogen, argon and argon mix. I Have heard of folks using car exhaust gas.
Bill D
Bill D
1yesca
Stainless
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2004
i would soak it in lighter fluid. Then light it.
don't forget the hot dogs and beer
rimcanyon
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- Location
- Salinas, CA USA
Spray it with a solution of TimBor. I use it on green lumber I am air drying. At least it will stop the adults from boring new holes once they emerge. It is not dangerous to humans, it is just a borate salt.
Joe Gwinn
Stainless
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
- Location
- Boston, MA area
As others have said, only heat is reliable, and sunlight isn't enough. Got to kill eggs.
How big is this benchtop? Do you know what kind of glue was used to assemble blocks of wood into the benchtop?
Bob-J-H
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2006
- Location
- Camarillo Ca
I had powder post beetles. The termite man told me it takes about 10 times the gas to kill beetles compared to termites. If you go the fumigation route, keep that in mind. You may not have powder post beetles, they usually like the more open pored woods.
Bill D
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Location
- Modesto, CA USA
Ask at a furniture or appliance store for a big plastic bag to seal it in. Inside a van parked in the sun can get hot. But not hot enough or long enough to kill them all. Put in an electric heater and let it cook for 24 hours with a thermometer inside you can see.
Bill D
Bill D
Superbowl
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2020
Do it again but add an additional heat source to get the temperature higher. Maybe make a plywood oven.
I can make the hot box with space heater, but I think for now I'll go the bag in the sun route for a few days, inject any open holes with the same poly used to coat the top, then see if any emerge. Its been 96 degrees for the last week and I'm getting surface temps in excess of 140F; I guess I need to measure the bottom surface to see how much cooler that is, though I have turned it over and let the other side cook too. The top is 72x30x2. I wonder what the life cycle (how often are eggs laid?) and incubation time on the eggs is so I know when they all must have hatched, as I can leave this bagged in my shop, pull most of the air out of the bag with a shop vac, then let a little argon in I guess and just let it sit for a few weeks as I really don't need it any time soon.
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