I recently had a client call with woodworm on a piece of furniture she wanted me to upcycle. I thought we should deal with it here and hopefully help you identify it before it does any major or expensive damage to your property.

It’s a frequent misconception that woodworm only affects old houses and furniture, Woodworm can be present in any piece of wooden furniture and you should always check for the signs. I have a few listed below:

• Small round holes in the woodwork, similar to the holes in a dart board.
• Fine, powdery dust around these holes (this is known as frass).
• Crumbly edges

Even if you can’t see any holes, you might also find frass escaping from the back or underside of the furniture – this suggests active woodworm.

If you have purchased an old piece of furniture you should check with the seller regarding these signs because they may be signs from a previous woodworm infestation which has been treated and is no longer present.

If it is present in your home you may need to consult an entomologist (a zoologist who deals with insects) but if it appears to lie only in a piece of furniture then remove the furniture to prevent it spreading and get it treated.

Woodworm can be anywhere, doors, floors, bedframes, cupboards, chairs, tables etc. Once it is dealt with and treated you should be able to hold onto the piece if too much damage hasn’t been done.

Woodworm in joists and floorboards can be a whole different ball game because they may weaken the wood and therefore deem a building unsafe. Always keeep an eye out for it because it could end up saving you a lot of money and hardship in the long run!

Treatment for woodworm:

http://www.cuprinol.ie/products/woodworm_killer_overview.jsp

http://www.rentokil.ie/residential-customers/termites-and-wood-destroying-pests/woodworm/index.html