Will Termites Eat Plywood?
WouterA good question to ask about plywood is whether termites will eat it. If you’re wondering this, you’ll need to know a little bit more about the biology of termites and their eating habits.
Termites are insects that live underground and eat wood for their main source of nutrients. They primarily eat the cellulose fibers in wood. The cellulose is the nutrient that provides structure to wood.
Termites use a strong mandible to chew through wood. They don’t consume the entire wood but instead create tunnels and galleries to reach food sources and water sources.
To ensure that your plywood is not eaten by termites, you can apply wood preservatives to it. These can be applied to the surface, or you can spray the entire piece with a solution of borax. Mix 1 teaspoon of borax with 250 ml of hot water. After the solution has been sprayed on the plywood, allow it to dry for about six to eight hours.
Then, you can paint it with a primer. Painting it with an oil-based primer can make it more resistant to termite infestation.
A termite colony can grow to be very large, and they can have thousands or even millions of members. To protect your home, it’s important to identify them early and take steps to stop them.
If you’re not sure whether your home is infested with termites, or if you’re unsure how to get rid of them, you should contact a professional pest control company for a free termite inspection.
