So my neighbor has a bunch of 100 y/o hardwood flooring that he pulled out of a house that was being torn down. It's the exact dimensions as the wood that's in my house (and about the same age), and a few of the boards need to be replaced. He said I can have as much as I need. The flooring has been kept dry and under his car port for years, but a few of the boards appear to have been munched on by bugs of some sort. Is there anything I can do to make sure I'm not bringing wood eating bugs into my house when I repair my floors?
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May 26, 2010 9:01 a.m. 16vCorey SuperDork
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May 26, 2010 9:05 a.m. Strizzo SuperDork
put it in the freezer for a week or so?
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May 26, 2010 9:21 a.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork
Chlorodane worked great. So great that they banned it, had to bring it back because nothing else worked, then banned it again.
Otherwise, inspect them all very closely and pitch any that have been attacked. Spray with whatever you can buy for termites at your local Co-Op/farm supply store.
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May 26, 2010 9:45 a.m. spitfirebill Dork
Is it being munched on from the outside or are they boring out from the inside? If from the outside, it could just be wasps stealing wood fibers to build nests. If its borers, you have a tougher fight.
You used to be able to buy something (names escapes me) in stores for powder post beetles. It got banned for all other uses but maybe they still allowed that use. What I dod know will work is heat. That's how they kill drywood termites in HA. You maybe could make up a tent and fumigate it, but Homeland Security will likely show up at your door when you try to buy the fumigant.
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May 26, 2010 10:34 a.m. slefain Dork
Hmmm. Tarp and a bunch of bug bombs?
Great job on grabbing the old hardwood. I have 50+ year old hardwood floors in my house that are pretty much as they were installed. No urethane, just wax and a scrubbing every two years. Love it!
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May 26, 2010 10:39 a.m. Bubbabones New Reader
Try and find a house being fumigated and ask if you can put the lumber in the garage.
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May 26, 2010 10:51 a.m. minimac SuperDork
Spectracide makes an insect spray concentrate called Malathion. While it's used in gardens and such for crawly and flying thingies, I've used it on everything from carpenter bees and wasps, to fire ants and yucky spiders. Use the Minimac directions-mix 2 or 3 ounces w/hot water in a one gallon garden sprayer and have at it. USE IT OUTSIDE ONLY!!! You can use what's left over to spray around your foundation or any wasp nests and you WILL NOT have a bug problem of any sort. If you use to it treat the boards, let them air dry thoroughly before moving them inside. You can get it at any garden shop-even WallyWorld carries it, and it isn't expensive.
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May 26, 2010 12:36 p.m. stuart in mn SuperDork
Is this evidence of insect damage appear to be new, or is it something that's happened over the last 100 years?
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May 26, 2010 2:04 p.m. 16vCorey SuperDork
Thanks for all the suggestions. I haven't really inspected the damaged wood to tell if it's from the inside or the outside. I just got a few of the really nice pieces to start with. From what little I looked at it, it appeared to be from the outside, like from a wasp or wood bee. I suspect the damage was from the last 10 or so years that the wood has been outside in the car port, not from the first 90 that it was installed in the house.
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May 26, 2010 4:41 p.m. Opus Dork
fire
