Timber Care
Pests
If furniture beetle or woodworm is detected, treatment must begin immediately. Affected wood may comprise a few small holes, but the interior may be worse. It may be present in other furniture or enter through an open window, as it lives in the dead branches of trees. Small grubs hatch and burrow in the wood, leaving a fine powder residue. On reaching the surface they eventually develop into beetles and emerge.

Treatment involves applying a specifically-produced insecticide. Remove powder by using a brush to allow the liquid to penetrate. Be aware that one treatment may not effect a cure, as individual beetles may escape.

Death-Watch Beetles attack larger pieces of timber like roofs. They lay eggs in crevices and grubs burrow into the wood for a couple of years. They become chrysalises and after boring their way out, the pest spreads easily by flying around.

To combat these beetles, remove dust and rotten wood, and treat the remaining timber with an insecticide. Where feasible, spray inner surfaces and scrape paint and varnish off to aid penetration.

Dry rot refers to timber's cracked and dry appearance. It is caused by a fungus which eats away the fibres, resulting in a cracked effect. Be warned: fungal spores can be carried by wind, can be present in coal or may even penetrate mortar, and if the conditions are right, they will germinate.

Dry rot appears irregularly-shaped, because of the cracks across and with the grain. Symptoms include an offensive smell, a fine red powder and surface cracks. Tap the timber to see if there is a healthy ring or a dead sound, and if a sharp tool can be pressed easily into it, treatment is necessary. If dry rot attacks structural timbers, they will probably collapse.

Affected timber, sawdust and shavings must be burnt as they can contaminate sound wood. Ensure that this is done before replacing it with fresh wood.

Moisture content
Cut timber is not completely dry except in rare cases. It loses or gains moisture according to the surrounding atmosphere. This factor should therefore be known, as there may be movement due to expansion or shrinkage. The content should vary in relation to the use to which the timber will be put. Content is the weight of moisture as a percentage of the dry weight of the timber.