Borer

bergkamp, Dec 29, 6:16pm
just looking for first hand accounts /experience using anti borer products .

i believe there are probably no old houses that dont have some common borer beatle , some more than others depending on sapwood/heartwood ratio and dampness .

do borer bombs /spray on applications male any difference?
pixma, Dec 29, 7:57pm
Used a garden sprayer with a kiwicare concentrate product that you mix with turps a few years ago. Two coats, had the timber dripping with the stuff. Think it was good for 5 years, as in the stuff stayed in the timber for that time.
strathview, Dec 29, 8:01pm
Of course they work. When we first purchased our home 26 years ago we let off the aerosol sprays every year for five years. House is an early 1940's place. We had a lot of borer on the wing for quite a few years. If we see a borer on the wing now we let a couple of cans go but we haven't done that for a few years now because we have not seen any. Let one go in the glass house to kill the spiders and couldn't believe how many I got. Also let one go in the garage to kill any borer and spiders there. No working borer there either now.
bergkamp, Dec 29, 9:12pm
did you use the bombs . subfloor?
tomber, Dec 30, 10:26am
Our house has more borer than wood. We just had to replace a lot of the floor joists and weather boards. We were told not to bother with the 'bomb' things, but I might try those regularly as poster above said, once the worst of the damage is dealt with. We hired a very good company to get under the house and spray the wood with treatment. I've treated a lot outside with a salt product off them and a spray/syringe fitting, it takes a while and probably missed a lot. Spraying anything only works if the wood is really saturated.
strathview, Dec 30, 5:55pm
Of course we did under the floor and also the under the roof. Got to keep it up for quite a few years to get them. When we renovated we replaced any timber that had borer too. When we lifted the carpets the floor boards were perfect both times. The worst bits were the door frames and window sills.
bergkamp, Dec 30, 6:20pm
ive heard from many people not to bother with chemicals , they help but ultimately prove futile
strathview, Dec 30, 7:12pm
Well obviously those people would rather have their house and furniture full of borer holes and a much devalued house. I prefer to protect my investment. It would also suggest these many people do not know what they are talking about. I guess you also do not eat meat or vegetables because many of those are treated with chemicals at some stage of their life.
bergkamp, Dec 30, 7:31pm
no you miss the point . these people have tried the chemicals on regular basis but it just hasnt been effective , you cannot get every nook and cranny .
strathview, Dec 30, 7:57pm
Gas vapor does get everywhere when the beetles are on the wing.
marte, Dec 31, 5:08am
Any body used Metalex?
Its a Copper or Zinc based spray that kills rot as well.
I have used the spray as I uncover wood areas when doing maintenance, and in the roof I vacuumed the dust out and sprayed there too.
Its not so much the borer, its the damn little piles of wood dust they make.

And I use the spray can with applicator straw, but I buy the full on spray bomb and use the applicator straw as the bombs twice the potency.
cantabman1, Dec 31, 5:27am
On your spelling, it will be a "Hard Day's Night"
cantabman1, Jun 26, 7:55am
On a serious note, the only time you can really spray and be really effective is in November when they are on the wing.