Can Termites Eat Wood Floors

Termites are notorious for eating through hardwood floors but do termites eat laminate flooring too.

Can termites eat wood floors. Termites can damage a house s floors just as they can its walls and foundation. However there are plenty of cases in which these insects can eat other construction materials particularly those that imitate wood. Make no mistake most termites have particular dietary preferences. Formosan termite colonies can number in the.

Only certain parts of these woods are resistant the heartwood and occasionally the bark. The softer woods of floor joists and subfloors are more appealing targets than hardwoods and more plentiful. It doesn t matter if it is softwood or hardwood pine or oak. Subterranean termites will happily feed on any of the common woods used for structural lumber in homes.

It is crucial to stop subterranean termites as soon as the infestation is discovered. Just in few years termites are able to destroy wooden floor though destruction can progress throughout an entire house. Their colonies are able to spread further and further. A few woods are naturally resistant to termites including cedar and redwood.

A hollow sound may indicate termite wood damage. It is essential to properly identify the insects to determine the right course of treatment. Inspectors often tap on the wood to check for a hollow sound to help determine whether or not there is a hidden termite infestation. When termites consume wood they can create cavities in floors baseboards and nearby walls.

Pressure treated wood is resistant to insects and decay and lasts longer than un treated wood. Some prefer the wood to have a particular level of moisture or hardness. Agricultural research service entomologists determined that allelochemicals found in some woods can act as a repellent to. Termite wood floor preferences.

When the bugs find food in flooring the most typical point of attack is actually the structures holding the floor up not the stuff you walk on every day. 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. Minor damage to a hardwood floor like oak may be repaired with wood. The type of wood floor will better determine the likelihood of a termite infestation.

It doesn t necessarily mean that if termites eat a floor they do not eat another wooden structures of a house. Certain factors make wood even more desirable to termites. Choosing termite resistant wood goes a long way toward preventing these bugs from making a meal of your property. These termites usually eat wood against the grain leaving a smooth surface.

This produces a distinct honeycomb pattern in the wood. There are a few different pests that can cause damage to hardwood floors such as carpenter ants powder post beetles or termites. While they can eat any type of wood there are some species they prefer to avoid as much as possible. Subterranean termites devour soft wood and eat along the grain.