How to Treat Antique Pine Lumber For Termites
Termites can cause irreparable damage to nearly any object made from wood. This fact is particularly important to homeowners, as a termite infestation can be difficult to exterminate and can cause thousands of dollars of damage before the problem is taken care of.
- Acquire the tools and supplies necessary to treat antique pine lumber for termites. You will need borate, which is a naturally found chemical that is often used as a pesticide, hot water equal in volume to the borate chemical, a mixing utensil, and a brush.
- Completely clean all of the antique pine lumber that is to be treated. Any dirt or other debris on the wood must be completely removed before treatment, as it will greatly reduce the pesticide's efficiency. This also applies to wood that has been painted or treated with a stain or other finishing chemical. Some finishings will prevent termite treatments from functioning effectively.
- Mix the hot water with the borate chemical. Add equal amounts of the borate chemical and hot water together in order to produce a very effective pesticide that is efficient in preventing termite infestations.
- Decide whether you want to treat the wood by brushing the pesticide solution onto it or by dipping the pieces into a tank of the solution. The dipping treatment is most effective when you have a large container of pesticide solution and relatively small pieces of wood.
- Use a brush to coat large pieces of wood with the pesticide. Apply a second treatment after two hours.
- Allow the wood to soak for 2 to 3 minutes in the solution before removing it if you decide to use the dipping treatment.