Blackheart Sassafras - best way to kill bugs

[Mark Gibney]

I have two slabs of Blackhearts Sassafras that have termite looking holes in them.

There are three ways I'm looking at to kill any bugs there might be in there.

1 - build a foam-insulation sheet box around them and steam them for a few hours

2 - put them on the flat roof of a garden shed and tent them in black plastic. They'll get sun for about six hours here in Los Angeles. I'd have to measure the temperature to see if I get up to 130* for a length of time.

3 - tent them in the workshop and fume them with ammonia. I could also fume them when they are tented in the sun.

The slabs might be bug free. A friend bought them years ago and he can't remember if the holes were there or not when he got them, but I want to be safe.

If any of you have a view on the best way to go I'd love to hear why. Thanks, Mark

[Chris Hachet]

Boracare down the holes let it dry out a bit and then the flat roof thing. Here in the mid west metal farm buildings used for storing grain can do the same thing.

I generally find getting wood good and dry and keeping it good and dry tends to kill out bugs. They seem to love wet wood and hate dry wood.

Chris

[Mark Gibney]

Thanks Chris.