# Oak Timberworm



## mcola (Jan 13, 2018)

Hi everyone,

When building our house we incorporated some wood beam shelving from an wood mill. A couple months after installing them we noticed some wood shavings on the floor and shelves. I have finally found out that the culprit is the oak timberworm. Does anyone know how I should go about getting rid of these wood borers?

Any information would be appreciated,

Matt


----------



## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

It is the Larva that is making the sawdust by cleaning out the burrow. If you plan to stain, I would suggest using a deep penetrating solvent stain and especially flood the small holes. Heat will kill them also but I wouldn't use an open flame. 

If I were doing this, I would flood the area with lacquer thinner. I don't know if the wood is large or small but it would help to wrap the wood with plastic right after putting lacquer thinner on it to seal the fumes in for a while. If your wood is already finished, I wouldn't try anything I have suggested, it will ruin the finish.

An added word of caution, lacquer thinner is flammable so keep flames and sparks away from it.


----------



## mcola (Jan 13, 2018)

The wood is already finished. Would it be safer to just replace the wood? If I do, do I have to worry about the timberworm getting into the walls or studs. I have a vapour barrier, but will they burrow through it?

Thanks for the response.


----------

