Woodworm in kitchen worktop and shelves

SunnyCat

Hello,

I bought a house 2 months ago. It has a beautiful kitchen with a living edge oak countertop island, worktop, wall shelves and window sills. The sellers have had this new kitchen put in a year or two ago. I originally spotted a few holes in the countertop and the shelves and hoped these were historic. However today I saw traces of wood dust around the holes, which I guess means they are not

The two areas where I found these are small. Is there something I could do myself to treat this? (Bearing in mind this is the kitchen and the items are not removable) If it is better to leave this to a specialist, what should I pay attention to so that I can be sure they will do a good job?

FreeBear

The standard treatment used is a pyrethrin based insecticide - The same stuff that is found in most flea sprays. Not sure I would relish the idea of the stuff being used in a kitchen,,, It is also very toxic for cats.

If you are happy to use toxic chemicals in a kitchen, then rub some flea spray on the wood, allowing it to soak in. It should kill any woodworm just under the surface, but not any that have bored deep in to the wood. Any treatment may stain the timber, so test on an inconspicuous area first.

SunnyCat

Thanks FreeBear. Obviously not super keen on using toxic chemicals in the kitchen... But also can't really leave it as is, so might need to bite the bullet. Good to know that if it comes to that, pyrethrin is the stuff to use. Would you inject it into holes? 

Also, if anyone has a more kitchen safe solution, please write!

xylophone

https://www.woodworm-info.co.uk/woodworm_shop.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrNnbnMHR5wIVwrHtCh2bnwpzEAMYASAAEgKp1PD_BwE#Boronpowder
Would the above be suitable?

SunnyCat

xylophone said:

https://www.woodworm-info.co.uk/woodworm_shop.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrNnbnMHR5wIVwrHtCh2bnwpzEAMYASAAEgKp1PD_BwE#Boronpowder
Would the above be suitable?

Hmm, this sounds like it might be a better option, thank you.

The one thing I now wonder about is whether the spraying will actually work - the worktop has been regularly maintained with Danish oil, so it's quite water repellent. As the oil penetrates the wood, lightly sanding it down probably wouldn't make a big difference? I could use a syringe with a needle to get the liquid into the holes (Not sure how deep, but at least some way in). Would that help?

neilmcl

It might be worth getting the problem properly diagnosed by an expert. I'd find it hard to believe that a fully dry kilned worktop would contain any live wordworm eggs and a once in a a warm, centrally heated house I'd doubt you'd get any new infestation.

FreeBear

SunnyCat said: I could use a syringe with a needle to get the liquid into the holes (Not sure how deep, but at least some way in). Would that help?

You can get syringes with needles from most chemists free of charge with their "needle exchange" programme - You don't need to be an addict to get them. But... The holes you find are the exit points for the woodworm once they have finished feasting on the timber.

neilmcl said:It might be worth getting the problem properly diagnosed by an expert. I'd find it hard to believe that a fully dry kilned worktop would contain any live wordworm eggs and a once in a a warm, centrally heated house I'd doubt you'd get any new infestation.

Same here. Woodworm likes moist wood to feed on - Typically 25% or more. And they usually munch on sap wood rather than the harder heartwood. If the OP is concerned that there is an ongoing infestation, the best thing to do is to put some beeswax over the surface (say about 1mm thick) and monitor the area for the next few months. If there are any active woodworm, they should be emerging March/April time and will have to bore through the wax to get out.

SunnyCat

FreeBear said:

SunnyCat said: I could use a syringe with a needle to get the liquid into the holes (Not sure how deep, but at least some way in). Would that help?

You can get syringes with needles from most chemists free of charge with their "needle exchange" programme - You don't need to be an addict to get them. But... The holes you find are the exit points for the woodworm once they have finished feasting on the timber.

neilmcl said:It might be worth getting the problem properly diagnosed by an expert. I'd find it hard to believe that a fully dry kilned worktop would contain any live wordworm eggs and a once in a a warm, centrally heated house I'd doubt you'd get any new infestation.

Same here. Woodworm likes moist wood to feed on - Typically 25% or more. And they usually munch on sap wood rather than the harder heartwood. If the OP is concerned that there is an ongoing infestation, the best thing to do is to put some beeswax over the surface (say about 1mm thick) and monitor the area for the next few months. If there are any active woodworm, they should be emerging March/April time and will have to bore through the wax to get out.

So what you're saying is that these tunnels with dust around them are now empty? 

This is what it looks like:
https://imgur.com/qTmWLSV
https://imgur.com/r26TTOw

FreeBear

SunnyCat said: So what you're saying is that these tunnels with dust around them are now empty?

Yup. You may find the holes being used to lay eggs in if there is a continuing infestation. But if the timber is well seasoned and dry, that shouldn't be happening. Put some wax on the wood and see if any more holes appear over the next three months.

SunnyCat

Perhaps with the weather being so warm, the woodworm think it's already March  

I had 3 holes appear over the last month or so. May have been two, as when the first one appeared, I wasn't sure if it's already been there and have then taken pictures of it. Sure enough there are 2 extras now. Matter of fact one of them had fresh wood dust this morning  

FreeBear

If it is any consolation, woodworm take two to five years to much through wood before emerging. It is quite possible that the timber used in your kitchen had been "infected" before it was fitted. Possibly poorly seasoned and/or kept somewhere damp.

I'd give it a good spray with flea spray ('cos I have some kicking around), and then put some wax down.