High moisture content softness the presence of fungus or decay and the absence of natural chemicals resins or oils that make wood resistant to decay and insects.
Termite resistant hardwood flooring.
Posted on june 25 2013 by admin.
Subterranean termites will happily feed on any of the common woods used for structural lumber in homes.
Termites are more likely to feed on soft woods than hardwoods.
Termites and your hardwood floors hardwood flooring is a timeless feature of any home.
Your fear is well founded after all termites have an insatiable appetite for wood.
Eastern subterranean termites and their tunnels and.
If termites find their way into your home you will soon see termite damage on laminate.
Termites love to munch on all kinds of wood but they have to get inside.
Signs of their activity.
Laminate flooring is also known as floating wood tile.
Chestnut oak lumber is less common but when available it s often sold as mixed white oak other naturally termite resistant wood species include.
Hardwood floors may show evidence of termite damage although the damage often is not immediately visible to homeowners.
It doesn t matter if it is softwood or hardwood pine or oak.
However if the infestation is untreated for several years the wood may become weak and give way under general use.
White oak is a common choice for flooring thanks in part to its wide availability.
But it is the most dramatic scenario in very uncared cases and can occur when the houses are already uninhabited for many years but it describes the major principle of house decomposition beginning with the floor caused by termites.
However any of these choices are highly preferred to woods that termites seem to enjoy most.
However if you suspect you have a termite problem you might worry about the structural integrity of your floors.
Alaskan cedar is shown to be a little bit hardier against subterranean termites than redwood in a study performed by the university of hawaii.
Certain factors make wood even more desirable to termites.
Redwood and alaskan cedar also known as pacific coast yellow cedar are two of the woods that have natural resistance to termites and decay.
According to studies termites find southern yellow pine and spruce to be the most appealing woods to eat.
This is a fear that keeps some homeowners from choosing this highly durable and beautiful option for their flooring.
Termites and hardwood floors.
So let s explore the facts.
Do hardwood floors make your home a target for termites.
To help prevent these silent destroyers from invading keep all rotting wood such as firewood far away from the house.
White oak and chestnut oak resist termites well.
Termites can cause devastating harm to wood structures including hardwood floors.
Termites will eat almost anything that contains wood.
The heartwood of some woods is naturally resistant to termites.
They ve also been known to eat materials which don t have any trace of wood in them such as linoleum and laminate flooring.
Any wood that s brought inside should be thoroughly checked look out for holes or hollowness that could house the insects.
