WOOD DAMAGE, PESTS & WOOD DECAY
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW IN DETAIL ABOUT WOOD DAMAGE, ATTACKS & PESTS.
Abstract
Trivia
About termites
Protection against termites
Termites and hardwood
Is hardwood 1ully termite resistant
Borers
Fungi
Health issues caused by fungi and mold
Termites cause billions of dollars in damage each year in the world. They primarily feed on wood, but also damage paper, books, insulation, and even swimming pool liners and filtration systems.
There are only a few wood species available in the world which are 100% guaranteed termite resistant. These wood species can only be found in Africa and South America, but NOT in Indonesia, however, there are a few Indonesian hardwood wood species that will give some protection when the proper part of the tree is used (the core or "heart"). There is only one wood species in Indonesia which have a core so dense and hard that termites can't eat it. This species is Bangkirai. Close followers are Bojonegoro Teak, Merbau, and Iron Wood. However, as is the case with all trees the outer rings (called sapwood) are soft or softer than the core (heartwood). As a result, termites attack this juicier and softer sapwood. A mix of heartwood and sapwood shall therefore NEVER be considered "termite resistant". Not one supplier in Indonesia can supply heartwood only, it will therefore always be a mix of heartwood and sapwood.
However, as is the case with all trees the outer rings (called sapwood) are soft or softer than the core (heartwood). As a result, termites do not attack Bangkirai heartwood and to a lesser extent the heartwood from the other species mentioned above, however, the termites attack the juicier and softer sapwood. The solution would be that we only buy heartwood from our suppliers, however, so unfortunately, this is merely a mission impossible, since the suppliers do not want to be left with only a stock of sapwood.
As such all suppliers mix the wood in portions of heartwood and sapwood or will ask a much higher price for heartwood only.
Did you know......
There is a significant misunderstanding about the termite resistance of Indonesian tropical hardwood. Among the tens of hardwood species available in Indonesia used for wooden house building, there are only 4 hardwood species available that can be considered partly termite resistant, viz; Bojonegoro Teak (Djati teak), Ironwood, Merbau and Bangkirai, of which only Merbau and Bangkirai are commonly used for wooden prefab house building when termite resistance is a prerequisite (*). However, the misconception is that only the core part (called heartwood) of the Merbau and Bangkirai tree is termite resistant, the outer part of the tree, called sapwood, is NOT termite resistant. In conclusion: Your wooden house will NOT be 100% termite resistant when building with a mix of sapwood and heartwood. Prefabworld Bali International carefully selects the heartwood from its supplier to fabricate its wooden homes which need to be absolutely termite resistant. Yet, it could happen - and is unavoidable - that some sapwood may be part of what looks like heartwood. Such is impossible to be identified. Therefore, to make sure that your house is fully protected we apply our in-house developed method which you can read below ("in-house developed protection method"). Since dry-wood termites are considered far less dangerous than subterranean termites and very easy to detect and destroy we will concentrate on the subterranean termites in this article.
(*) Bojonegoro Teak is far more expensive and Ironwood is prohibited from being exported. Wooden houses built from Bojonegroro Teak are extremely rare
They say that termites can eat thru concrete. False or true?
No, they cannot eat through concrete. However, the issue is that no matter how well poured, concrete will crack as it settles. When poured around plumbing, it will retract or shrink from around the pipes. In slab construction, there is a bath trap which essentially is a large square of dirt under a bathtub that is often unseen until it is too late.
Termites need the thickness of two sheets of paper or a business card to enter a building. This is not much! Oftentimes, these cracks are hidden by carpeting, flooring, and even walls.
Can termites eat thru steel?
They cannot eat thru steel. Steel is impervious to termites, but if the steel sheets are clad with gyprock or other easy-to-eat materials the termites will consume the paper on the back of this gyprock or cladding material. The acrid (waste product) feces expelled onto a steel sheet, steel frame, or steel sheathing can react to cause the steel to corrode. Once a steel surface is corroded it is easy, in particular for the Formosa termite, to go thru and reach the wood they are after. Conclusion: Steel is not termite proof but termite resistant
Do termites eat electrical cables?
Termites have been known to eat through plastic water pipes, lead batteries, car tires, and even billiard balls, so it’s no surprise that – despite providing no nutrition whatsoever – electrical, telephone, and data cabling is also often on the menu. The use of traditional physical barriers, such as brass taping or nylon jackets as a cabling defense against termites for exterior cabling is highly recommended. Nylon is too hard for a termite to chew through, yet flexible enough to be wound and manipulated into the required space. Depending on its purpose, some cables will need additional layers added, such as armoring for mechanical protection, or nylon.
The picture on the right side shows the actual sizes of termites with the queen in a termite colony. Yes, the queen is that big and the workers are that small. Click on the picture for an enlargement
Actual sizesThe unit below was prefabricated by us for the Red Frog bungalow resort in Panama in 2007, The requirement was "absolutely termite resistant". As of today, not one termite has attacked the wood, proving that our anti-termite system works and is reliable. A prerequisite was that maintenance should be carried out every 5 years by applying a new coat with our anti-termite treatment.
There are about 2,600 species of termites, whereas the most notorious bd dangerous are the carpenter ants and the Formosa termites, the latter most dangerous and damaging.
Most termites (*) attack from natural grade. Only the dry wood termite can nest in ceilings and roofs. Flying termites are visible when their colony swarms are provoked by heavy rainfall and warm, humid temperatures among other triggers. Swarms occur when established colonies produce winged male and female termites to reproduce. After these mating flights, fertilized termites shed their wings and go on to establish new colonies underground. However, termites seen flying in a home are indicative of a mature colony that may sooner or later attack the wooden parts of your house from the ground floor to the natural grade. If unnoticed they may creep up into your roof and roof trusses.
(*) The common name "white ants" is a very poor choice, since termites are not ants and be more closely related to cockroaches
Winged termites
PROTECTION AGAINST TERMITES
Termite barrier
One of Professor Einstein's famous statements and declarations is: "A perpetual motion is not possible", as such everything will come to an end. Human beings, animals, nature, and also concrete (rot), steel (corrosion), and wood (decay). This is unavoidable. Though the lifetime of concrete and/or steel might seem to be higher compared to wood, much can be done to extend the wood's lifetime as much as possible by knowing what to do to reduce damages. Our company has vast experience and will take appropriate measures to optimally protect the wood once we know in which area you are going to build.
Wood-damaging pests are categorized under insect attacks (termites, borers (wood-eating beetles), and fungi. Wood-attacking insects are the carpenter ants and the termites, the latter the most notorious and most damaging. Borers (beetles) can be split into old wood borers and fresh wood borers (powder post beetles, larder beetles). Some types of Fungi can be damaging, provided the heartwood is susceptible.
There are only a few wood species available in the world which are 100% guaranteed termite resistant. These wood species can only be found in Africa and South America, but NOT in Indonesia, however, there are a few Indonesian hardwood wood species that will give some protection when the proper part of the tree is used (the core or "heart").
Termites eat the cellulose from the wood cells. The harder these cells the less interested they are in their dinner. Any tree has a core called heartwood. This is the hardest part of a tree. There is only one wood species in Indonesia which have a core so dense and hard that termites can't eat it. This species is Bangkirai. Close followers are Bojonegoro Teak, Merbau, and Iron Wood.
However, as is the case with all trees the outer rings (called sapwood) are soft or softer than the core (heartwood). As a result, termites do not attack Bangkirai heartwood and to a lesser extent the heartwood from the other species mentioned, however, the termites attack the juicier and softer sapwood. The solution would be that we only buy heartwood from our suppliers, however, so unfortunately, this is merely a mission impossible, since the suppliers do not want to be left with only a stock of sapwood.
As such the suppliers mix the wood in portions of heartwood and sapwood or will ask a 30% higher price for heartwood only. In conclusion, we cannot guarantee that all the wood that we use is not susceptible to termite attacks whether it is Bangkirai, Teak, Merbau, or Ironwood.
However...................
That was the bad news. There is also good news. When the mixed wood of one of the above-mentioned wood species is used in combination with a termites system or a termite barrier you will be much safer for many, many years to come, whereas a combination with Bangkirai heartwood for the lower parts of the unit (from natural grade up to and including the ground floor) is the best option.
Termite mudding. If you see this you have termites
Termites at work, devouring
a piece of wood Termite queen
As subterranean termites eat through the wood of your house, they create ‘termite galleries’. These are the empty spaces left in the wood as they burrow through it. Typically, termite galleries run parallel to the grain of the wood. These galleries are a true sign that you have termites.
Drywood termites leave behind their fecal droppings as they munch through the wood in your home. Their droppings, known as frass, are pellet-shaped, and look like heavy grains of sand or sawdust. If you find mounds of termite droppings in and around your home, you likely have a drywood termite infestation
Difference between termite droppings (left side picture) and sand dust (right side picture)
IS HARDWOOD FULLY TERMITE RESISTANT
The simple answer to this question is "NO". Not one Indonesian hardwood species is 100% termite resistant, only a few African hardwood species can claim this statement. The following laboratory test reports underline this:
J. Kenneth Crave and Carrie H.M. Tome from the University of Hawaii evaluated the resistance of Indonesian Bangkirai to the attack of the dangerous Formosa termite. Their investigation revealed that "as with all durable tree species only the heartwood and not the sapwood of these species is reputed to be durable". See page 504 line 15 of their report which can be downloaded via http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/gracek/pdfs/212.pdf This report supports our claim that the only Indonesian fully termite-resistant Indonesian hardwood is Bangkirai provided this is heartwood.
A technical data sheet from the Australian timber base sheds some light on the termite resistance of Merbau and can be found at http://www.timber.net.au/?option=com_species&name=Merbau&Itemid=441 This article indicates that only Merbau heartwood is termite resistant.
Rationale
Claiming that a wooden house built from Bangkirai or Merbau is 100% termite resistant is a deceiving statement since not one supplier will supply heartwood only, hence they supply a mix of sapwood (very termite sensitive) and heartwood (not susceptible to termite attacks). As a result, the house is built with this mix of sapwood and heartwood and thus.....not 100% termite resistant
Main conclusion: One shall not automatically believe that a house built from Indonesian hardwood is 100% safe from termite attacks, at least we are not promoting this. By ruling out the extremely expensive Bojonegoro Teak and the fact that Ironwood is prohibited from being exported, Bangkirai or Merbau heartwood in combination with a termites system or a termite barrier application will give optimum protection. Our statement that Bangkirai and Merbau sapwood is not termite resistant is therefore fully underlined by the above articles.
Termites eat sapwood (the outer ring of the tree). The core of the tree, the dense part. called heart is not touched
Woodboring beetles most often attack dying or dead trees. In forest settings, they are important in the turnover of trees by culling weak trees, thus allowing new growth to occur. They are also important as primary decomposers of trees within forest systems, allowing for the recycling of nutrients locked away in the relatively decay-resilient woody material of trees. Though the vast majority of woodboring beetles are ecologically important and economically benign, some species can become economic pests by attacking relatively healthy trees (e.g. Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer) or by infesting downed trees in lumber yards. Species such as the Asian longhorned beetle and the emerald ash borer are examples of invasive species that threaten nature forest ecosystems.
BORERS & HARDWOOD
Borers that may attack dry hardwood are:
Lyctid borer (Powder post borer)
These borers produce a very fine powdery dust, similar in consistency to talc attacks the sapwood of certain hardwood timbers causing serious structural weakening in timber that has a high sapwood content.
Borer larvae (grubs)
Borer larvae may feed on new timber and emerge as adults once the timber dries out.
Anobiid borer
These borers produce a gritty 'salt-like' dust. There are many different species of this borer, but two significant ones are listed - Anobium punctatum, the common furniture beetle, and Calymmaderus incisus, the Queensland pine beetle.
Anobium punctatum (Common furniture beetle)
These borers attack furniture, structural timbers, flooring, and decorative woodwork. Prefer old, well-seasoned timber, sap woods
Woodboring beetles most often attack dying or dead trees. In forest settings, they are important in the turnover of trees by culling weak trees, thus allowing new growth to occur. They are also important as primary decomposers of trees within forest systems, allowing for the recycling of nutrients locked away in the relatively decay-resilient woody material of trees. Though the vast majority of woodboring beetles are ecologically important and economically benign, some species can become economic pests by attacking relatively healthy trees (e.g. Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer) or by infesting downed trees in lumber yards. Species such as the Asian longhorned beetle and the emerald ash borer are examples of invasive species that threaten nature forest ecosystems.
If you see dust like this you have borers
Typical borer holes
A wood-destroying fungus (fungi, plural) causes more damage to structures than all the fires, floods, and termites combined! The wood-decaying fungus requires four fundamentals to survive, which are oxygen, favorable temperatures, water, and food. The fungus occurs generally when the moisture content of wood exceeds 20 to 30 percent, coupled with optimal temperatures (32˚ or 90˚ F), an adequate supply of oxygen, and a suitable source of energy and nutrients. Fungus is a plant that lacks chlorophyll (which gives a leaf its green color). Unable to manufacture its food, it feeds off of cells in the wood. The fungus secretes enzymes that break down the wood into usable food. Fungi will significantly reduce the strength of the wood if the condition continues over some time. The fungus may seem harmless as it breaks down dead trees, but you don’t want it in your house. If you find fungus in your house, you need to take action to prevent damage to your home and health.
FUNGI & HARDWOOD (and your health)
White rot
White rot breaks down all major wood components (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) more or less simultaneously, and commonly causes rotted wood to feel moist, soft and spongy, or stringy and to appear white bleached. The strength of the infested wood decreases gradually until it becomes spongy to the touch and stringy when broken.
Bangkirai = XXX , Merbau = XXXX , Camphor = XX, kempas = XX , Nyatoh = X , Coconut wood = XX
Brown rot
Brown rot primarily decays the cellulose and hemicelluloses in wood, leaving a brown residue of lignin, the substance which holds the cells together. Wood affected by brown rot is usually dry and fragile and readily crumbles into cubes because of longitudinal and transverse cracks (tending to crack across the grain). Infected wood may be greatly weakened, even before any external evidence of decay can be seen. Brown rot is generally more serious than white rot. Old infestations of brown rot which have dried out will turn to powder when crushed. They are often labeled as "dry rot." This common term is deceiving because dry wood will not rot! Wood kept dry will never decay.
Bangkirai = XXX , Merbau = XXXX , Camphor = XX, kempas = XX , Nyatoh = X , Coconut wood = XX
Poria incrassata (also a brown rot species)
Poria incrassata is a brown rot fungus. Whereas most wood-decaying fungi must rely on a water leak, or ground contact condition, to obtain the required water, poria incrassata has developed specialized root-like water-conducting tubes, called rhizomorphs, which allow it to transport water from the soil to the wood. Therefore, even in situations where wood is protected from rainfall, and no leaks exist, wood can still be decayed by poria. Once established, it can quickly spread through a building and destroy large areas of flooring and walls in as little as a year or two.
Bangkirai = XXXX , Merbau = XXXX , Camphor = XXX, kempas = XX , Nyatoh = XX , Coconut wood = XX
Soft rot fungi
Soft rot fungi degrade only the cellulose and hemi celluloses and typically occur in wood of high water content and high nitrogen content. Soft rot fungi look like brown rot. They are most commonly found in rotting window frames, wet floorboards, fence posts, etc., where nitrogen is recruited from soil or atmospheric contamination. Some of these fungi are common decomposers of cellulose in soil and they are the least specialized of the wood-decaying fungi
Bangkirai = XXXX , Merbau = XXXX , Camphor = XXX, kempas = XX , Nyatoh = XX , Coconut wood = XX
Mold
Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter. The presence of surface molds can be confused with wood-decaying fungi. Although mold organisms may discolor the wood, they do not break down wood fibers and thus do not weaken its structure. However, these organisms could indicate a moisture level in the wood high enough to also support the growth of wood decay fungi. Molds also can increase the capacity of wood to absorb moisture, opening the door for an attack by wood decay fungi. Moisture control methods used to inhibit wood decay fungi will also eliminate conditions favorable for mold to grow. WARNING. Several mold species are toxic, like black mold.
Bangkirai = XXXX , Merbau = XXXX , Camphor = XXX, kempas = XXX , Nyatoh = XXX , Coconut wood = XX
Durability against rot
(when unprotected and in ground contact)
XXXX = Very durable
XXX = Durable
XX = Moderate
X = Non-durable
HEALTH ISSUES CAUSED BY FUNGI AND MOLD
Fungus
Fungus or dry rot is not believed to produce any toxic chemicals or compounds and is therefore not too much of a threat to your health directly, however, a small number of hypersensitivity cases to the fungus have been reported.
More pressingly, the presence of dry rot in your home indicates high levels of dampness and condensation, which can cause respiratory problems and make underlying conditions, such as asthma, worse. Furthermore, dry rot eats through your timbers, causing them to weaken and eventually collapse - this can cause serious health and safety concerns.
What will be the remedy if I have fungus in my house?
♠ Fungus is caused by moisture, hence the first step in treating fungus is to get rid of moisture. You need to undertake a moisture inspection to find the source of the moisture, whether it is from leaking pipes, leaking roof, sitting water, humidity, etc.
♠ There are fungus treatments that will rid your house of fungus. Contact an expert.
♠ Treatments that strengthen and repair wood can be applied to help wood recover from fungi damage.
♠ If the damage from fungus is too bad, the wood may be beyond repair, and in this case, the wood will need to be replaced.
Mold
Abstract from USA Environmental Protection Agency
Molds are usually not a problem indoors unless mold spores land on a wet spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions) and irritants. Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash.
Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and its health effects is ongoing.
The above does not describe all potential health effects related to mold exposure. For more detailed information consult a health professional, your state or local health department,