Woodworm in new wood?!

[Dan-K]

I purchased some new untreated sleepers from uksleepers recently, including five chestnut sleepers. Three of these are fine, but 2 are riddled with woodworm. Is this common? Should I expect this or demand my money back, or what? I'm not really sure what to do with them! The oak seems fine - just 1 hole in one of them so far as I can see.

If I keep them I guess I can use them outside even with worm (hardly seems worth buying boron to treat them), but I'm rather surprised they would sell infested wood...

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi Dan,

Welcome to the forum...

It's difficult to say without seeing the 'infestation'.
I have always been prepared to treat timber with minor attacks.

Remember the holes are where the pupae have matured into adult beetles and left the wood, on which they feasted as larvae. Without teaching egg-sucking, they don't lay eggs immediately on emerging, so they won't necessarily re-infest the timber they developed in. Outdoors, they usually fly off, mate and the females lay eggs elsewhere.

There's a 'rule of thumb' that says if there is no dust or 'frass' coming out of the timber, then as long as the strength of the materiel isn't affected, it should be okay to treat with a preventative, and use it. But I can't see any way of knowing how old that frass is, or of differentiating it between fresh, or that of long gone beetles.

If it's an unsightly attack, and you don't want to use the timber, then contact your supplier and have a word. They ought to look for some better stuff for you.

HTH
John

 

[Dan-K]

Thanks.

I did think of treating, but the boron I looked at was around £50, and considering the timber didn't cost much more than that its doesn't seem justifiable. Besides, I have three more non-holey ones

I guess part of my disappointment is that those 2 timbers are reading around 12% moisture content and look like they would make nice planks if I resawed it ... if only it wasn't so holey! The other three are fresh sawn and reading approx 30% moisture so they'll have to go in my solar kiln :lol: Coming round to the idea of using it outside for a bench or something .... wonder if the holes can be disguised ...

Might drop them a line as I'd rather not have critters in my wood, but I don't hold much hope they'll do anything about it

 

[wizer]

If they are worm infested then aim them back at them.

 

[big soft moose]

i'd ask for the money back or replacement - but uksleepers aka ukoak have customer service that makes rutlands look proffesional so dont hold your breath.

 

[Benchwayze]

i'd ask for the money back or replacement - but uksleepers aka ukoak have customer service that makes rutlands look proffesional so dont hold your breath.

Agreed.. We all know timber merchants like this!

A good yard will dispose of any infested timber for obvious reasons. In a timber yard, beetles don't have far to fly and don't have to look very hard for suitable laying sites! This also appies to woodwork shops of course!

I suppose this yard considers selling on as a valid means of disposal.

So if the infestation is bad, take the timber back.
They can't very well ignore you then.

John

 

[would not]

If they are infested then I'd take them back to the yard in person, hide them and do a runner.. :lol:

But maybe this has already been done by the sounds of things :shock: