Advice please. Woodworm? or not

[baypond]

Hi

We have just removed part of a ground floor ceiling during renovation. The boarding to the first floor (sitting underneath a concrete screed) appears to me to have woodworm holes all over it (same size etc). The wood is white and looks like a larch or popular perhaps. I have a decision to make. My builder (who I respect and is doing a great job) has said that the holes are not woodworm or termites, and will not do any long term damage to the wood. To remove all the plasterboard ceiling, replace it and plaster over, is a lot of money (90m2).

My question is: Do I strip the plasterboard and treat the wood, or do I take my builder's advice and ignore the holes and save money by patching the ceiling.

Any thoughts welcome

Giles

[Wilko]

If you trust the builder, having had previous works carried out by him, then trust his judgement, cos after all he'd make more dosh if you decided to treat the wood and redo the ceiling !

Mgith there not be some sort of warranty there as well ?

Happy days

wilko

 

[BIG MAC]

Hmmm.

Builder says no beasties but you are worried?

I would simply form holes sufficiently large to allow the insertion of a good quality plant spray and then fog the areas with xylothene or similar.

Be very careful regards electrics though I would isolate them all and remove covers, drop fittings to make sure there was no ingress and would likely keep them that way for at least 24 hrs. (Good if you are going away to do your treatment then lock up with the power off)

You will then be left with lots of little holes in your ceiling? Making sure that it is entirely dry up there first then tie a piece of string around a lolly stick or similar and put a good splodge of no more nails or similar on it, poke it through hole  and firmly but gently pull the string. You will now have a stick glued above the hole with a string hanging down. Wait for adhesive to dry then cut string, your ready made bonded 'lath' will happily accept plaster or filler and is unlikely to crack particularly if you have chamfered the edges of the hole. I would use easifill or similar and sand lightly if neccessary afterward prior to decorating.

Hope this helps.

[baypond]

Great help - Sorry for the delay in replying, but I was in France this weekend, and our internet is still down there. We have numerous parts of the ceiling down, and numerous holes in the rest. The builders have a week away from the job next week, and during that time I have asked someone to spray xylothene on to the wood and into the cavities. The windows are out on the whole property, so during the week, the worst of the funes should have cleared by the time the builders return. Also the electricity is disconected, so no chance of something nasty flaring up!