Treating Woodworm: A Complete Guide

Woodworm is common but is also easy to treat. This video includes information and advice to identify and treat woodworm easily, quickly and affordably using Permagard’s Woodworm Killer.
Giving you the information you need to get the job done.
Permagard’s ready-to-use woodworm killer: www.permagard.co.uk/woodworm-...
A complete guide to treating woodworm: www.permagard.co.uk/advice/ho...
If you have any further questions, feel free to give our team a call on 0117 982 3282.
Transcript:
Hi everyone I’m Gregg and I’m a technical manager at Permagard. This video will give you some general information and knowledge around identifying woodworm and DIY woodworm treatments.
What is woodworm?
Woodworm is the common term used to refer to the larvae of all wood boring beetles. There are several species found in the UK, but most of the damage is caused by the offspring of the common furniture beetle. Adult wood boring beetles look different depending on their species, the common furniture beetle looks like it’s wearing a hood so it’s easily identifiable.
Causes of woodworm, they can potentially fly which means they can fly into your home and from previously-infested furniture. Woodworm generally prefer damp wood so if you don’t control the ventilation you could be at risk.
Spotting woodworm
Woodworm can be tricky to spot, especially active woodworm, as the main damage is caused inside the timber and you’re unlikely to see any visible results for years. When people hear the term ‘woodworm infestation’ it can scare people but actually it’s often more localised that that.
Small round holes in your woodwork is a telltale sign of woodworm. The most common sign of active woodworm is when frass on the floor, which is boredust from when the adult beetle emerges from the wood. If you see fresh frass on surfaces, that’s the biggest sign your woodworm are active.
Common furniture beetles like sapwood, whereas deathwatch beetles prefer decaying timber so places like churches and older properties. Always look in beams, joists and floorboards.
Woodworm damage
The problem with woodworm is the potential damage it can cause to a structure. Not only to the structural timbers but also your furniture. Deathwatch beetles, live in the wood for 10 years or more and can do some real damage, enough to replace structural timbers. Common furniture beetles cause less damage, it’s a 3-4 year cycle but if left untreated over time, woodworm can seriously weaken timber, causing severe damage within its structure.
Can woodworm spread?
Woodworm can spread when the adult beetle emerges from the wood and flies into other wood in the home. Bringing vintage furniture into the home is another way you can get woodworm. That’s why it’s important to treat woodworm and prevent it from coming back.
Treating woodworm
Woodworm is easily treatable and you can do it yourself using our ready-to-use woodworm treatment. Simply spray or brush apply to the surface and the non-toxic treatment will penetrate a few mm. When the beetle emerges, or when it burrows in, the treatment will kill it off. The best time to apply the woodworm killer is early spring and they tend to emerge from early spring to late summer.
How to use Permagard’s Woodworm Killer
This is a piece of timber that’s been affected by woodworm. We’re going to show you how to treat it and protect it from further attack using Permagard’s ready-to-use woodworm killer.
When applying the woodworm treatment, it’s really important that you wear the right PPE (personal protective equipment). A mask that has P3 protection, eye protection and gloves. Ensure you cover all exposed skin. If you do get any of the treatment on your clothes, wash them or throw them away.
Permagard’s woodworm treatment comes pre-diluted with water ready to use. You can either apply it with a brush or spray but spraying is the easiest, fastest way. All the products are available on the website.
Once you’ve poured the ready-to-use woodworm killer into the sprayer, simply apply to the surface following the guidelines on the container.
I hope you enjoyed the video and it answered some of your questions about woodworm. If you need any more information, visit our website and take a look at our how-to guides or give our team a call. Thanks for watching.

[@slavneslavne]

2:53 getting rid of woodworm

[@TerryTerryTerry]

Very good

[@billybruiser]

I’ve used permagard chemicals for years now and never had to go back to re-treat! And no im not sponsored by them

[@246trixie]

How far from the burrow holes should you treat?

[@lizsimpson2821]

I'm being kept awake by deathwatch beetles munching the roof timbers and sawdust dropping on me. It feels like an urgent situation, what immediate action should I take?

[@MsVanorak]

Can this be used on [olished oak/mahogany etc without staining or dulling the shine and can it be used on old scrubbed [ine without changing the colour? Thanks.

[@PermagardCoUk]

Hi, the woodworm killer would not be suitable to be applied over polished oak/mahongney as would not be able to penetrate deep enough to combat the infestation. Any previous coatings need to be removed first and then re-applied after treatment has been completed. Here is a link you may find useful www.permagard.co.uk/advice/how-to-restore-woodworm-infested-antique-furniture

[@ArsenijeRadenovic]

Hello, this is by far the best video on how to kill woodworms. Please tell me is now good time to spray inside of a log cabin, i can hear wood worms on few spots in the house. Should i spray everything or just those places with holes in them? Thank you

[@asmabegum8674]

Hi where did you get the spay bottle from

[@PermagardCoUk]

Hi Asma, the sprayer you can buy from us at www.permagard.co.uk/5-litre-pressure-sprayer :)

[@shesawaterfall2394]

Silly question but do you only spray it on the parts of the timber with new holes in? I have new holes in one patch in my bedroom but that’s it. Should I spray the whole room?

[@punking892]

funny how suddenly the woodworms have been real quiet as I'm watching this vid

[@marklittler784]

Freezing small furniture might be an option, the Australian customs series says they freeze small wooden objects for three days to quarantine them.

[@sopdiedop]

Usually its way colder than the common freezer. Household freezer won’t be cold enough

[@marklittler784]

@@sopdiedop Ahh!

[@francessmith6855]

Can woodworm bore through melamine? For instance Kitchen cupboards?

[@PermagardCoUk]

Hi Frances, woodworm shouldn't be able to get through melamine resin that they use on cupboards. Generally, woodworm doesn''t like surface coatings! The Permagard Team

[@MsVanorak]

oh yeah - the carcass of kitchen units is soft wood - easy chewing for them!

[@marklittler784]

Some cupboards are solid wood some are wood chip must be a difference they don't seem to like entering through coatings only seem to use the coated side and non coated side exiting, seem to be keen on plywood.

[@julietteyork6293]

It’s disconcerting to have to use PPE and a P3 level mask. Isn’t there a non-toxic remedy?

[@looeehg2490]

Probably a bit late but get a full body coverall and a good mask and you will be fine. But make sure any pets are out of the house as it can make them sick.

[@Kewlzter]

Yes, simply ask the worms to leave in your nicest voice.

[@OneHundy]

I have woodworm in the floorboards and beams of my house. What would be the cost of getting my house to a freezer big enough, or perhaps building a freezer around my house for 3 days? I'd rather not do this because it might be considered by some as insane.. Oh and the environmental impact would be significantly higher than the localised toxic chemical used for this task.

[@maratonlegendelenemirei3352]

I can hear the woodworm but there's no facking hole for me to spray into. The facker is deep in the timber, somewhere.

[@luckydipster]

I think I want some wood worm so Greg can come and treat me... I mean the wood worm 😘

[@3zan6bel9]

freezing for 48 hours or heat/warm on 60 degrees celcius will do the job. Stop this poisoning and search other options for these problems. That way grand grand children will also enjoy your furniture

[@Kewlzter]

If you have them in your furniture, you probably have them in your walks and floors. How do you freeze a whole house?

[@casparmilne9986]

My wife divorced me over my insatiable love for woodworms

[@Starlightnv]

Its a great product and video, but, FFP-3 masks and FFP-2 masks and all filtering face pieces don't seal properly with beautiful manicured beards like yours or facial hair. You'll find that info on the masks product label.