On many occasions, when we inherit or buy an old piece of furniture, it is possible that it has been attacked by xylophagous insects. If we do not remedy it in time, they can seriously damage the furniture and even affect other furniture that we have in the house.
They are called as xylophagous insects to all who attack wood. They tend to feel predilection for humid places, with little light and ventilation. For this reason, rural areas, basements or closed houses are some of their favorite places to live.
Keep in mind that it does not only affect old furniture. In some cases, the wood with which the furniture is made may contain larvae that later develop and attack it.
Types of xylophagous insects
There are different types of xylophagous. Each one requires a specific treatment to eradicate it and prevent it from continuing to damage the furniture. Next, you will be able to know which are the most common:
- lyctids or moths. They mainly attack European woods such as chestnut, oak, elm, ash and walnut. They usually build 1 mm galleries inside the wood.
- anobids. It affects both European and coniferous woods (pine, fir, cypress…). They also build 1mm galleries.
- Cerambycidae or woodworm. They make 6 mm oval holes in the wood.
- termites. They are the most aggressive and difficult to exterminate since they are able to identify the poison. They dig galleries blocking the entrance, so it is often difficult to know that they are inside. They usually attack mainly wooden structures such as beams, pillars, etc.
How to treat a piece of furniture affected by wood xylophages
Among the different domestic methods that exist to eliminate insects that attack wood, these are the most common.
Gas chamber
It is usually the most effective at the domestic level and basically consists of apply a chemical to eliminate the insect (metacarcoma). It must be done in a ventilated place and, in addition to the product, plastic bags large enough to fit the furniture are needed. The steps we have to follow are the following:
- Vacuum each hole to extract the sawdust inside the galleries. In this way, a better penetration of the product is achieved.
- With a syringe, the amount of product is introduced until the entire hole is filled.
- The furniture is wrapped in plastic bags and hermetically sealed for the time recommended by the manufacturer (normally, between one day and one week).
It is convenient to repeat this process a couple of times to make sure that we completely eliminate the insect. Finally, all the holes will be covered with a wax of the same color as the tone of the furniture.
Carbon monoxide
It is usually the one used by restoration experts and consists of wrapping the furniture in plastic with hardly any pores and sealing it. A valve is then placed and all the oxygen is removed. Finally, carbon monoxide is injected through another valve.
With this method, in a few minutes it is possible to exterminate both the insect and the larvae and eggs.
Freezing
This home remedy is the most innocuous since it consists of put the furniture in a cold room. However, it has a number of drawbacks:
- It can only apply to small furniture.
- It only manages to kill live insects but not larvae and eggs.
- Freezing modifies the humidity of the furniture and can damage it, causing the glue-based joints to come unstuck.
ultrasound
The use of ultrasound It is commonly used to eliminate insect pests. With this method, what is achieved is to chase them away, but like the previous one, it does not end with the eggs and larvae.
It’s better to prevent than to cure…
In the following video tutorial you will be able to see the different preventive and curative products for wood:
Tips to protect your furniture from wood borers
If we have wooden furniture or doors at home, these are some tips that will help prevent them from being attacked by insects:
- When shopping for antique furniture, examine it carefully for holes or sawdust. A new woodworm hole is light in color, while an old one is darker. In this way you will be able to know if the plague is active or not.
- It is not advisable to place a piece of furniture attacked by woodworm next to another healthy one. Under normal conditions of cleanliness and ventilation, it does not usually go from one to the other, but it is better not to take the risk.
- Placing your furniture in a ventilated, clean, lighted and heated space will minimize the risk of attack by insects.
- Waxed or unvarnished woods are more prone to xylophagous attacks. Keep this in mind when protecting your furniture. In this link you will be able to know how to treat the wood before giving it a finish.
- Tropical wood furniture such as mahogany or camphor usually have compounds inside that naturally repel insects.
The xylophagous insects Has any of your furniture been attacked? If so, I hope this guide will help you get it back and get rid of them for good.
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