Wood and Woodpeckers

[RPetry 564]

Got up this morning to an interesting email. A first time customer that we restored his cedar recently wrote:

rick -

the deck looks great, and we have gotten good comments from the neighbors too - some may reach out to you.

One question - we also have another fan of the deck - a woodpecker!! while we have had woodpeckers in the past, they have never pecked our deck - one is currently doing some considerable damage. any advice???

Anyone have any experience or suggestions? I've seen squirrels chew up cedar but never have even heard of woodpeckers harming a deck.

Thanks.

[Russ Johnson 141]

Must be bugs in the wood. We have carpenter bees here that will bore a 3/8" hole in wood (deck, fencepost, etc.). They go in a bit, then turn 90 degrees and bore out a tunnel to lay eggs. The woodpeckers can sense the larvae hatching out, and will tear the wood up the full length of the tunnel, leaving a 4" - 5" gash in the wood.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Russ nailed it. They need to inspect the wood for insects, they must have something in there that is emerging. The wood peckers hear the "dinner bell" and are simply enjoying the feast. Might consider replacing that board.

Beth

[Palmetto Home and Deck 167]

Beth and Russ are right. The woodpeckers are looking for the free buffet inside the wood. About the best you can do if there is an insect infestation in the wood besides replacing the already damaged boards is to treat the rest of the wood with a solution of boric acid. You should be able to find boric acid at a hardware store or even a drug store. If you can't find it there look for "Roach Proof" powder or even many ant powders with boric as their main ingredient.

Boric acid when mixed with propylene glycol (non-toxic version of anti-freeze) has proven to be very effective against many types of wood boring insects. The glycol helps the solution to penetrate into the wood and become a part of the wood fibre. This solution is also a terrific treatment for dry rot in wood.

I'll often treat decks and other wood with this solution before sealing or painting where carpenter bees are know to be a real problem. If you see holes where carpenter bees have bored into the wood you can soak a cotten ball with this solution and stuff it into the hole. The bees will have to eat their way back through this cotten ball thus the end for the bee. It the bees are out side of the hole when you treat the wood they will not like the smell of the boric acid treated wood whether is painted or sealed and just move over the the neighbors house instead.

The wood peckers should follow as well.

[John Orr 206]

When looking at the deck, there will not be any obvious signs holes, the bee always enters from the underside of a board. Look for small piles of sawdust.

A few years ago, we had to replace most of the rake boards on our house because of carpenter bees. When the woodpeckers were done, it looked as if the house had been strafed by a machine gun.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Boric acid works on insects that eat wood. Carpenter bees dig, but do not eat wood. Won't work. Try a shot of WD-40 in the holes to drown the bees that emerge from the eggs.

Carpenter Bees, HYG-2074-06

Beth

[RPetry 564]

All you gals and guys are top notch. Great replies and information that I can pass on to my customer. Thanks to everyone. This is a great example of the power and value of TGS.

[Celeste 341]

Keep in mind (excluding the WD-40 method) that applying a registered pesticide is illegal unless you have a pesticide license. A homeowner can apply it themselves but an unlicensed contractor cannot.

Celeste

[seymore 90]

Liquid Seven works on carpenter bees....:cool:

[mas3372 14]

BB Gun!!!