Woodworm - can I treat it?

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Woodworm - can I treat it?

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cherrybanana

Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 36
Location: North Cornwall

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 09 5:16 pm Post subject: Woodworm - can I treat it?
I've been given a wooden chest of drawers which my partner spent several hours sanding to take the varnish off. It's now ready for staining or painting but we've now spotted signs of woodworm. Is there anything we can treat it with before painting which will stop this spreading? Can anyone speak from experience in dealing successfully with woodworm infestation? Thanks, Sarah

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 09 5:26 pm Post subject:
Deffinately treat it first. They do a product over here called xylophene (SP?) It is used here for everything wooden as woodworm is rife. They do furnture polish with it in even. We sprayed all the timbers of this place when we moved in before we did anything else. Woodworm dust everywhere. No sign of them since.

Went

Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 6968

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 09 5:31 pm Post subject:

We also restore old furniture and many pieces have some woodworm but is not always active - in fact rarely active and could be an old infestation - tap it and if dust comes out of the holes then it is likely to be ongoing. I would treat it anyhow with general woodworm treatment bought at most DIY shops - painted on and left for a few days - we also inject it into the holes.

Alternatively you can see if there is an autoclave service at a woodyard - this will zap anything that has taken up residence - cost here about 7 euros.

Andrew Morris

Joined: 20 Oct 2010
Posts: 1

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 10 3:31 pm Post subject: Xylophene polish
Looking for a replacement for Rentokil Classix Wax polish, which was discontinued about three years ago, and seems to have been unique as a woodworm preventative polish, if Google is anything to go by ... searching for polish with Xylophene in it has returned zero ... do you have any details of products and availability?

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 10 6:11 pm Post subject:
Yes - go to Tragos and get a tin of woodworm treater - its in the bit where the decking display bit is......

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15446
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 10 6:29 pm Post subject:
The best way (I am told) of killing woodworm in a small item is to put it in the freezer. I don't suppose that helps you very much, but I thought I'd throw it in.

cherrybanana

Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 36
Location: North Cornwall

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 10 9:02 am Post subject:

Thanks for replying Lorraine - I'd forgotten I'd asked this question! OH went ahead and painted it anyway 'oh, it'll be fine'. And then we found the tell-tale dust, black specks........

At which point I hightailed it to Trago and found just what you've suggested. Liberally applied to all unpainted areas and left outside to dry/smell to wear off - that was a couple of months ago and all seems to be well.

Why is it everyone groans at the thought of going to Trago, and yet they have everything you ever need, and often at a good price?

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 10 1:36 pm Post subject:
I love Trago....just wish it was nearer......

Dave NE

Joined: 08 Sep 2010
Posts: 18

Posted: Sun Oct 31, 10 5:37 pm Post subject:
20+ years ago i used to use paraffin but it does take time for the smell to die down, Dave NE

bridget and peter

Joined: 14 Sep 2010
Posts: 26

Posted: Sun Oct 31, 10 8:53 pm Post subject:
We have been advised by a surveyor with an interest in sustainability that boron is a more environmentally pleasant thing to treat woodworm with.

alice

Joined: 18 Feb 2006
Posts: 2820

Posted: Sun Oct 31, 10 9:10 pm Post subject:
We try to keep ours at an acceptable level. We and our woodworm have a sort of Jack Lemmon/Walter Matthau thing going on.

Green Man

Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5272
Location: Rural Scotland.

Posted: Mon Nov 01, 10 8:33 am Post subject:
Anything small with woodworm can be killed in the freezer.

bodrighy

Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 2159
Location: Near Devizes

Posted: Mon Nov 01, 10 9:13 am Post subject:

Lorrainelovesplants wrote:

I love Trago....just wish it was nearer......

You aren't that far from the one at Liskeard are you? You come down to Truro occasionally and the Liskeard one (the best IMHO) is a lot closer

Pete

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