Tips To Getting Rid Of Bugs Eating Vintage Wood

What in the world is going on here?

Slow death.

I hope.

I bought four hickory arm chairs at a yard sale Thursday (for a song).

I am starting to be drawn to hickory furniture,

the kind that still has the bark on it.

(Look at the "Old Hickory" furniture website for inspiration.)

I put them on my front porch, because I knew I was going to a flea market

on Saturday and might need the room in the van.  After that,

I could just load them back in the van for a trip to the "south house" next week.

Then on Friday I spied sawdust on my red porch.  What?

Further examination showed all the chairs suffered from some overnight "chewing".

YUCK!!

On-line research led me to believe it is powder post beetles.

Many suggestions on getting rid of them,

the most thorough being burning the furniture (which still may happen.)

But here is what I am trying first:

1.  My first step was mixing up a solution of borax and hot water.

I painted it on the wood with a paintbrush.

That seemed pretty simple, cheap, and non-toxic.

2.  But I spent more time on-line and got more paranoid.

I don't think the borax solution can soak in because of the bark.

So, I bought a spray from our neighborhood hardware store that

is supposed to kill ants and termites.

But will it kill whatever is eating my chairs?

3.  Which brings us to "baking".

Bringing the wood to 135 degrees for several hours should kill all bugs and eggs.

On-line research showed men devoting quite a bit of money and time setting up

elaborate ways to heat up their wood (insulated cages with heaters, "kilns"

made from junk wood with wood burning stove inside).  The suggestion to put

them in an attic all summer was a simple one, but our attic doesn't have a hole big enough

and we are MOVING IN A WEEK.  So I bought giant black plastic bags to cover them.

 Side note:

Men love discussing "or" scenarios.

Who would win in a fight, batman or superman?

If you are stopping your car for a short time in the summer --

smarter to crack your window or leave them rolled up to keep the car cool?

(I ran across this one while doing research, the answer is rolled up).

It did not surprise me therefore when a large group of men were very 

interested in my own "or" scenario at the hardware store.....

Which would raise the temperature of the wood more:

putting the black plastic encased chairs in my van with the windows rolled up or

on a basketball court in the direct sun?

After much speculation (which is really what "or" scenarios are all about)

I went home and put them on the basketball court.

I am going to leave them there for two hot, sunny days and then check on them.

I'll let you know:

burn or save?