How to Treat Lumber to Prevent Termites

18 Apr How to Treat Lumber to Prevent Termites

Termites can cause significant damage on the framework and foundation of one’s home making them one of the many pest kinds every homeowner should address seriously. There may be available soil treatments but their effectiveness is limited and it does tend to deplete through soil changes and weather shifts. If your house is mostly made of wood, to make it termite proof or to at least lessen the chance of termite infestation, using chemically treated lumbers during renovations or repair is highly advisable. The good news is chemically treated lumbers are already widely available in the market nowadays and the application process does not take too long to complete.

Should you plan of treating your lumbers to prevent termite infestation, below are a few options you might want to consider:

1.      Go for lumbers that are naturally termite resistant especially if you have to put them at ground level. Amazingly, there are wood variants whose natural components do well in deterring termites. For example, redwood and cedar are being used nowadays especially for furniture designed to be displayed outdoors because of their natural insect repelling components. Another example of naturally termite resistant wood is teak because of it being dense and difficult to chew through.
2.   Go for lumbers that are pressure treated. For any outdoor furniture or building that you plan to add to your property like your fence, it is best to use a lumber that is pretreated. Pressure treated pine is a great option to consider. The treatment does likely contain a chemical preservative that acts as an insecticide, hence it is safe to say pressure treated lumbers are really worth a try. Chemicals most commonly used for this treatment are alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) and copper boron azole (CBA). Note, though, that pressure treated lumbers do not guarantee a 100% termite proof building or furniture but in terms of reducing the risk, it works very well.
3.   Seal existing lumbers. You can also keep termites from feasting by sealing your lumbers using a sealer. Not only does it drive the termites away, it also prevents water damage that weakens the lumber which makes it more inviting to termites.
4.   Treat existing lumbers. In treating your lumbers, go for a spray solution that treats raw wood; something that is usable before you start staining or painting your woods. To assist you, below are steps you should follow:

Step 1 – Buy a chemical treatment solution that is borax-based. One great example of this is Boracare (generic name is Borada LP) or you can also use Timbor (generic name is Borada D). You can buy these solutions usually at home and garden supply stores and establishments.

Step 2 – While it is understandable how you can get overly excited to put an end to your termite problems with these simple termites control at home, it pays to carry every step out with caution. Before you use the chemical solution you have purchased, make sure you are already familiar with the instructions indicated on the labels that it comes with. Also, make sure you are wearing appropriate outfit as you do so. As much as possible, wear gloves, safety glasses, and masks.

Step 3 – Once you have read the instructions carefully and thoroughly, you can then start applying the solution over the entire surface of your lumber. You can do this either with a paintbrush or a garden hose spray adapter if you have bought a type of solution that can be diluted with water.

Step 4 – As soon as you are done spraying or painting the solution out, allow the lumber to dry for 24 hours.

Step 5 – Apply a second layer of solution to the entire surface for added termites treatment and protection.