how to treat woodworm

How To Treat Woodworm (and prevent it from coming back) — DIY Guide

You approach your roof timber, floorboard or beautiful solid wood furniture. You look closely, and there it is. Tiny little holes bored into the surface, the dreaded woodworm signs!

Thankfully, I’m here to show you how to treat woodworm and prevent it from returning with a vengeance!


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What is Woodworm?

The term ‘Woodworm‘ actually refers to the larvae of wood-boring beetles.

In the UK, there are several species of woodworm, but as the name suggests, the common offender is the common furniture beetle. 

When it comes to the damage inflicted on your poor home, the longhorn beetle is the worst offender.


Identifying Woodworm

The larvae of wood-boring beetles usually have a white creamy colour with curved bodies. It’s very unlikely you’ll ever see the larvae because they stay hidden within the timber, feeding on the wood until they’re full-grown adults.

Adult beetles have various appearances, depending on their species. For example, the common furniture beetle is a brown-winged beetle, normally about 3–4 mm in length. 


Woodworm’s Life Cycle

The four key stages of the woodworm life cycle are listed below in chronological order. As you’ll see, the life cycle begins with an egg and ends with a fully grown adult beetle munching away at your timber! 

  1. Egg
  2. Larva
  3. Pupa
  4. Adult beetle

Female wood-boring beetles typically lay their eggs on the surface of the timber, inside cracks, crevices and pores.  

Safely tucked inside the timber, larvae cause damage by feeding on the timber for several years before they pupate and hatch as adult beetles.

Once they’re grown up, the latest generation of wood-boring beetles leaves the safety of their timber homes to breed. Females find a suitable surface on which to lay their eggs, and the life cycle/damage continues…


How Serious is Woodworm Infestation?

The extent of woodworm damage depends on the size of the infestation, the species, and what parts of the home have been infested. 

Not all woodworm are harmful. However, if left untreated, woodworm can weaken timber, causing severe structural damage. 

The Longhorn Beetle is known as the most damaging species, but any major infestation should be checked by a qualified professional.


What Environment Attracts Woodworm?

furniture beetle damage

This depends on the species, as different types of wood-boring beetles are drawn to different types of timber. 

Some prefer hardwoods like mahogany, oak and ash, whereas others prefer softwoods like cedar, pine and spruce. Remember, they all love damp wood because it’s easier to digest. Therefore, damp proofing is a must, especially if you’ve previously suffered from damp.

Common furniture beetles are happy in both hardwoods and softwoods. Although they can be found all over wooden objects, they typically prefer damp floorboards and worn furniture with no varnish.

Female wood-boring beetles like hardwoods with around 30% or more moisture content. This environment gives their larvae the highest probability of pupating into fully grown adults.

Having said that, you can find wood-boring beetles living in wood with around 10% moisture content. Remember, the dryer your timber, the harder it becomes for them to eat and grow.

It’s worth noting that the larvae only eat the sapwood/outer section of a tree because it’s toxin-free and has more nutrients, unlike the heartwood/inner section of timbers like oak and pine. 

Therefore, if you have furniture made of high-quality heartwood, there’s a much lower risk of getting a nasty woodworm infestation. 

Pro Tip: Sapwood is typically lighter than heartwood. Knowing this helps you identify where the risky areas are


Tools & Materials

Tools

  • Bucket (if mixing insecticide powder with water)
  • Drill (if dealing with Deathwatch beetle)
  • Gloves
  • Mask
  • Goggles
  • Sprayer (for liquid solution)
  • Brush (for gel solution)
  • Applicator gun (for paste solution)
  • A second brush for paint or varnish

Materials

  • Insecticide; either boron (in powder, gel or paste form) or permethrin
  • Paint
  • Varnish

How To Treat Woodworm — Step-by-Step Instructions

IMPORTANT: Follow steps 1 to 4 regardless of what infestation you have. For step 5, only follow the instructions for the type of woodworm you have (i.e. Common Furniture Beetle, Deathwatch Beetle or Longhorn Beetle).

1. Signs of Woodworm

woodworm

Woodworm isn’t a worm, it’s a beetle. Small exit holes in the wood and crumbly edges made by larvae actually mean that the woodworm beetles are advanced, as the larvae have already turned into emerging adult beetles.

The beetle flies out of the hole but returns to lay more eggs that turn into larvae. Keep watch for frass, which looks like sawdust, as this is evidence the larvae are active and are clear signs of woodworm beetles emerging.

Pro Tip: Peter Cox suggests hanging fly strips in roof rafters to catch adult beetles and kill them.

2. Identify Woodworm

Now you know you have woodworm, check which type it is, as the woodworm treatment methods are different.

The common furniture beetle is, unsurprisingly, the most common type. The deathwatch beetle sounds scary but is reasonably easy to treat, while the longhorn beetle requires a professional bug killer.

Exit holes about 1–2mm across, surrounded by fine sawdust (a waste product called ‘frass’), indicate the furniture beetle. In contrast, larger exit holes and large pellets mean you’ve got the deathwatch beetle (not as scary as it sounds). Tiny exit holes and sticky frass suggest the longhorn beetle.

3. Choose Your Insecticide

For common furniture and deathwatch beetles, I recommend Boron instead of Permethrin. The latter is a man-made chemical that harms the environment and can kill animals or cause severe allergic reactions. Therefore, do NOT use Permethrin in a house with pets.

If you have Longhorn Beetles, contact a professional (see below for more details).

4. Protect Yourself

Insecticides are dangerous, so put on a mask and goggles to prevent irritation.

5. Apply Treatment

Only follow the steps below for the type of infestation you have. I.e. Common Furniture Beetle, Deathwatch Beetle or Longhorn Beetle. Ignore all steps that do NOT match your type of infestation.

Common Furniture Beetle

Indicated by exit holes 1–2mm across. Frass will be very fine.

I. Dilute Powder

If using a boron-based solution, dilute according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This will likely be 1kg of boron powder to 25 litres of water. You can buy a ready-made solution.

II. Apply First Coat

Spray the solution onto the wood, giving a thorough coating. Pre-made solutions often come with a sprayer attachment. Leave to dry.

III. Apply the Second Coat

Spray a second coating when the first is dry, usually after a couple of hours, but check the manufacturer’s instructions to be sure.

IV. Apply Gel

For heavy patches of infestation, apply the boron solution in a pre-mixed gel. 1 litre of gel provides coverage for 4 square metres.

Deathwatch Beetle

Indicated by exit holes 3mm across or larger and pellets of frass.

I. Locate the Woodworm Infestation

Tap the infected wood to see which areas sound hollow. Woodworm infestations live in these hollow areas.

II. Drill test Holes
drill test holes

Drill holes around the edge of the infested areas to accurately work out how big a patch you are dealing with.

III. Drill More Holes

Drill 10mm wide holes in a diagonal polka dot pattern across the area. Drill down until 15mm from the other side of the wood.

IV. Fill Holes

Fill holes to the top with boron paste using an applicator gun. 

Pro Tip: The DIY Doctor recommends attaching small plastic tubing over the nozzle of the paste container for greater accuracy.

V. Insert Dowels

Push dowel inserts into filled holes to trap boron paste. Use a cloth to wipe away excess.

VI. Apply Gel

Coat the outside of the wood with boron gel, allow it to dry and apply a second coat.

Longhorn Beetle

Indicated by very small exit holes and frass that appear sticky (as though it has been mixed with wood sap).

I. Check Hole Size

Commonly found in roof timbers, longhorn beetle exit holes are larger than the 1–2mm made by the furniture beetle.

II. Do Your Research

Check the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to see if your area has reported longhorn activity.

III. Contact A Professional

If you think you have a longhorn infestation, you need to contact a professional for removal. The chemicals involved are unsafe and will result in many dead beetles!


Preventing Woodworm from Returning

Having gotten rid of woodworm, you don’t want it coming back, so here are a few tips to help you stay woodworm free:

  • Keep your house well-ventilated and invest in damp proofing to fight rising damp. Woodworm loves the damp, so keep a close eye on any timber that is in a damp environment.
  • Adding to the point above, basements are notorious damp hot spots, especially basements without cavity walls (a cavity wall is crucial in damp defence). Therefore, basement waterproofing and condensation control are a must. Remember, when fighting damp, along with dry rot and wet rot, property care is your most powerful weapon.
  • It is easier for beetles to bore into timber that doesn’t have paint or varnish, so maintain these items regularly and follow basic rot treatment guidelines.

Don’t fancy doing this job yourself? Find top-rated Woodworm Specialists in your area by clicking the button below:


How To Treat Woodworm — Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you’re on your way to being woodworm-free using the woodworm treatment methods in this article. Woodworm isn’t difficult to tackle and doesn’t need to be the end of your home or furniture. 

Being infected one time doesn’t mean you will have a second infestation, especially if you take the proper property care precautions like dampproofing your property.

To learn more about dampproofing, check out our damp proofing cost guide.