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Powder post beetles

Started by stumpy, January 02, 2005, 05:28:35 AM

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stumpy

I have a log cabin that was built in 1979. It is in great shape except for the signs of powder post beetles. There are tiny holes with little piles of sawdust on the log. My obvious questions are, 1) How much damage are they going to do? 2) how do I get rid of them?
They are only on the outside. The cabin was stained when built.
Woodmizer LT30, NHL785 skidsteer, IH 444 tractor

pappy

Stumpy,

Check out this link. These folks got just about anything you would need for caring for a log home.  If you don't see what ya need give them a call they're great people.  8)




http://www.permachink.com/armorguard.html
"And if we live, we shall go again, for the enchantment which falls upon those who have gone into the woodland is never broken."

"Down the Allagash."  by; Henry Withee

Don P

Borates diffuse in with moisture, they need a fair amount of time at a relatively high moisture content to move. Glycols evaporate slowly, so a carrier with glycol keeps the wood wetter longer and lets the borates penetrate deeper. Florists sometimes use glycerine to keep flowers bulked up and looking fresh longer.

This one uses PEG for the glycol. Non toxic and reportedly helps reduce checking by bulking the log shell during curing (not an issue on your cabin, the checking is done)

http://www.permachink.com/shellguard.html

This one uses Ethylene Glycol and borates. It is toxic while wet, don't lick the logs. (there is a MSDS on that site)
http://www.nisuscorp.com/boracare.html

I've been using Solubor, a wettable soil boron ammendment and anti-freeze with water . Chemically the same thing for a fraction of the price. I don't mind an initial toxicity to knock down bugs and fungus quickly. On infested stock I saturate generously and frequently...keep it wet for a long time.

None of the borates will get into finished wood, it needs a raw wood surface to penetrate. So this would be a strip, soak, dry, stain job this way. Heat or fumigation are the other ways I know of. Fumigation went out here locally after a couple was allowed back in too quick and died in their sleep...I don't think the bugs are ever that bad  :o.

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