Protection of New wood

[SallyC]

We have a Lot of new wood in our house and not much of the old Wood left. Do we need to spray it with something repellant for various Wood boring creatures Prior to varnishing etc. If so, what do you suggest? Sorry about the capitals by the way, it's the computer trying to be clever!

[JohnRoss]

Someone told me to use this stuff

http://www.dyrup-revetement.fr/xylophene-interieur.html and I painted it on with a brush as did not fancy spraying it because of the risks to health. Probably ok if you wear a mask and gloves etc. Even then I did not want to linger in the room having used it. A builder once told me that woodworm prefers old wood to new wood but who knows. They have it at Bricomarché and I used it to paint some old roof beams that the worm has had a go at. Time will tell if it is effective but no visible frass so far. When dry the wood took a coat of varnish with no problems that I could see.....................JR

[SallyC]

Thanks for your reply. How Long do you have to vacate the room for after applying this stuff?

[JohnRoss]

Well I am not sure but all I did was to apply the stuff in the evening and left it overnight with the window ajar and it was dry by the next morning. I don't remember it having a strong smell and none when dry. I think someone told me about it on this forum so maybe they could give some more information if they read this...........JR 

PS Found this http://www.dyrup.fr/_/media/FR/docs_telechargeables/fiches_techniques/grand_public/xylophene/GSB/XYLOPHENE%20BOIS%20PARQ%20TRI%20ACT%20GSB%20FT%2009.pdf  which suggests 48 hours before painting on top of it after two coats and wearing protective clothing and a mask with washing of any skin like hands that has been in contact with it. I just used a paint brush and washed my hands afterwards. This site gives info in English and warns that the product is very toxic but I was not affected at all! http://www.france-renovation.com/beams-and-woodwork/12

 

[pachapapa]

Most common beetles are the petite and grosse vrillettes, death watch, are the usual visitors; the petite adult appears from may and after mating the female lays eggs in rough areas of wood, the grosse vrillettes is earlier to appear in april so preventive treatment should be done soon, after varnishing chances of problems is remote. Termites and capricorns are less frequent but more serious.

I live in deux sèvres and have not seen yet any beetles flying around looking for mates but with the clement weather they should be soon with us. All surfaces should be treated and/or varnished not just the visible surfaces. 

[JohnRoss]

I also live in 79 and interested in that you refer to varnish being effective. I have not treated the lambri that I have put up but have coated it with two coats of Chêne Doré varnish on both sides. The lambri supports were the yellow pretreated timbers from a brico place. I have only used the insecticide on old timber including roof beams...................JR

PS I have noticed that many paints and varnish now seem to be water based and not oil based as they once were, does that make a difference to their protective properties?

[pachapapa]

As long as the back of the lambris is not accessible to the beetles then the varnish will be sufficient.

The smaller of the beetles is about 1.5 mm so it can get through small gaps.

The beetles lay their eggs in rugosities, so planed, sanded, painted, varnished wood should be OK.

Small point Xylophene is common and available widely, not necessarily Dyrup.

Application with a brush is more economical and probably safer than spraying.

Rough wood as in roof support timbers is difficult to treat without losing half the spray projected but all new timber will be now treated.

The case of oak beams is often exaggerated, a 300  year old beam will have worm activity but probably not active as the larvae dont touch the hard part of the wood; if you examine the rings on an old oak beam you can see that the beam is taken from the heart of the tree. A beam which is misshapen is also a good sign as it maybe a portion of a trunk and when mature probably immune from beetles.

There was a thread a while back where somebody was removing 18 old oak timber beams for replacement with green oak.

The old timber would probably have been worth more than the new timber; I'd have had them off site "tout de suite".

I find Xylophene rather expensive and as an alternative I buy a bag of mothballs and pop them in a 5 litre bidon of white spirit for a week until they have dissolved before application as usual. I also use a lot of linseed oil for protecting softwood like pine which absorbs it pretty freely.

Fortunately in deux sèvres termites are rare with the exception of the Thouars area. Capricorn are rare as well.

[Dave&Olive]

[quote user="pachapapa"]

Most common beetles are the petite and grosse vrillettes, death watch, are the usual visitors; the petite adult appears from may and after mating the female lays eggs in rough areas of wood, the grosse vrillettes is earlier to appear in april so preventive treatment should be done soon, after varnishing chances of problems is remote. Termites and capricorns are less frequent but more serious.

I live in deux sèvres and have not seen yet any beetles flying around looking for mates but with the clement weather they should be soon with us. All surfaces should be treated and/or varnished not just the visible surfaces. 

[/quote]

     Hi ok

               They are capricone beetles not death watch ...pof

                           Sorry Dave

[pachapapa]

Malcolm is very sorry to inform Dave that you are wrong, but who worries it is only a forum...by the way "pof" is a new expression for me..always keen to increase my fluency with a new word.

But back to your error about capricorne beetles.

An english speaking entomologist would classify a deathwatch beetle by the same latin identification as would also a french entomologist if he was to identify a "grosse vrillette".

If you peruse dilligently a google search for the latin name of the insects you will note a certain similarity between these cross channel cousins.

http://goo.gl/2jebR

pof

Sorry Malcolm.

[pachapapa]

Latin name capricorne search.

http://goo.gl/9ULn8

[Bill]

I still don't know what POF is..   [8-)]

 

as an aside, in case it helps,  we replaced some timbers in England a couple of years ago . Timber framed house.

two paticular pieces surpised me, as very unexpected ..

one was the upright corner , more or less complelty hollow . U wouldnt know.

The other  was a a 5 meter length sole plate ,  of which  3.5m disintergrated into dust as we got into the building work.

All looked dry and in order, just old. .. but had at some point been damp enough to let both wood and death watch have a feast . One way of telling what's on the inside  is a super minute  1or 2 mm wide, very  long & very strong/tough  drill .  Oak is resistant,  woodwormed oak is not. Discreet drill holes will tell you if the heart wood , the important bit, has been attacked or not.

Attack  doesn't mean replace, for example our corner post may well of stood up for another 50 years , but whilst we were there and whilst 75 percent eaten, its best for us to deal with the subject.

There is apprntly also an issue with temperature, if its warm enough , ie the house is being used, then the death watch doesn't like it very much and seeks pastures new.

Of course the very famous wood worm control company couldn't be seen for beetle dust as soon as we tried to make a claim under their insurance & or 30 year guarantee. So from now on  DIY spraying/treatment will be  as good as any  company can offer in my book.

 

Rgds

Bill

 

 

 

[Dave&Olive]

hi ok

  PoF

                 Death watch beetle will only attack dry dead wood ....capricorne will only attack wood that has an 18 % water content

    Dave [:)]

[Alex H]

[quote user="Bill"]

I still don't know what POF is..   [8-)]

 

[/quote]

Bill

I think I just worked it out - Point of Fact?

[8-)][8-)][8-)][8-)]