4 Subterranean Termite Wood Repair Alternatives

Subterranean Termites | How to Repair Termite Damage

If you are having trouble with subterranean termites or are cleaning up after exterminating a subterranean termite infestation, that means there is also a chance of wood rot in the problem areas of your home. With weaker jaws than their Drywood termite relatives, subterranean termites prefer soft, broken-down wood to eat, meaning there may be a moisture problem as well as a termite problem. This does not mean that cheap wood repair is off the menu. What is does mean is that the repairs should be handled with care and it may take certain techniques to make sure the problem is completely resolved. Here are a few possibilities in a range of prices and results to take a look at before making a decision.

1. Replace Affected Wood with PVC

Why use materials that are only going to be destroyed again? One cheap option is to keep the same wood pieces from being broken down again by replacing them with something that cannot be eaten by termites. Families may choose from a variety of PVC wood designs. The more realistic-looking pieces will be more expensive, but these pricier PVC pieces do not carry any other special benefit. Placentia Termite Damage Repair

2. Replace Affected Wood with Cedar

There is no need to install more of the same cheap, weak wood that the house came with. Instead, a firmer and more rot-resistant wood such as cedar is recommended. It will look and smell much more beautiful than a PVC installation, though it will be far from free.

3. Layer with Epoxy

When there are no signs of wood rot and the affected wood is not hollow, a coating such as epoxy can be used to cover the wood and help prevent other problems in the future. Please bear in mind that termite damage is almost always worse on the inside, and the affected wood may be hollowed out. More than once, a house has started to collapse or have structural problems because there was an unknown issue with the integrity of the wood. Seek a wood replacement expert to make sure your affected wood is safe to keep or if it should be replaced.

If wood is kept after an infestation, it should only be because that wood is solid and fully capable of doing its job. With epoxy in particular, it is important to look out for heat because hot air may dry out the catalyst prematurely. The benefit of epoxy over polyester is that it can be made smooth without a knife or chisel.

4. Layer with Polyester

For a large area, painting a polyester layer is actually cheaper than using epoxy. It must be applied in two layers, and each time the unwanted parts must be shaved off and sanded rather than simply being smoothed out. Both epoxy and polyester should be covered with primer and then painted over in order to make the wood safer and more pleasant to look at. Termite Damage Repair is never fun but a must to keep your home healthy.

The good news is there are a number of options when wood must be repaired or replaced. The bad news is that options are limited depending on how much damage the wood sustained. Nothing is free, but depending on the condition of the wood, there might just be a cheap deal to fix the problem.