Woodstock runs from the railway line and the old industrial blocks along Albert Road up to the cottages above Victoria Road.
Wood borer in Woodstock's Victorian terraces
Woodstock's Victorian terraced houses have original pine floors, roof timbers, staircases and joinery that can carry wood borer, and the floors, beams and roof trusses of old warehouses can too. In terraces, borer can spread along shared roof timbers. Signs are small round holes and little piles of fine powder under floorboards, on top of ceilings and below old furniture.
We inspect floors, roof spaces and joinery, treat active borer and issue the beetle certificate when a property sells. If timber in an old building is too damaged to save, we tell you so it can be replaced.
Signs to look for
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Why it matters: Most borer damage is slow, but it is cumulative, and a roof truss weakened by years of tunnelling can fail under load. The European house borer is the serious one, because it goes for structural timber and is a notifiable pest. Furniture and antiques lose value quickly once borer has hollowed them out. When you sell a property in the Western Cape, an active infestation can hold up the transfer until it is treated and certified.
From the technician
For sellers, borer is often discovered at the worst moment, a week before transfer. Booking the inspection as soon as the house goes on the market takes the pressure off.
Borer treatments are applied in the roof or to furniture, not in living areas, so children and pets just need to stay clear while we work and while it dries.
How the treatment works
We start with an inspection to confirm the beetle species and whether the holes are active or old, because old damage does not need treating. Exposed timber such as roof trusses, beams and floor joists is treated with a residual borer spray that penetrates the surface and kills emerging beetles and young larvae. Where the wood is thick or the infestation is deep, we inject product directly into the flight holes and drilled galleries. Badly weakened timber should be replaced by a builder, and we tell you which pieces are past saving. Valuable furniture can be sealed and fumigated instead.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our wood borer treatment service works.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Have the roof timbers looked at every few years in an older house.
- Keep the roof space ventilated and fix leaks quickly, since damp timber attracts borer.
- Check second-hand furniture for holes and fresh powder before you bring it home.
- Use treated timber for any roofing, decking or building work, and check the treatment marks on it.
- Seal or varnish bare wood surfaces, because beetles prefer to lay eggs in rough, untreated grain.
How much will it cost?
The price depends on how much timber needs treating, how easy the roof space is to get into and which beetle we are dealing with. A single piece of furniture is a very different job to a full roof of trusses. Injection work, replacement advice and certificates for transfers are all included in a free quote once we have seen the property.
You can brush a borer product onto a small piece of furniture yourself and it may do the job. Roof timbers are a different story: getting the product into every face of every truss in a hot, cramped roof is hard work, and missing the European house borer is a real problem. I would always get the roof looked at professionally.
Frequently asked questions
Is the European house borer really that serious?
Yes. It attacks structural softwood and is a notifiable pest in the Western Cape, so suspected cases have to be reported and treated.
Can you service a Woodstock restaurant after hours?
Yes, after-hours and weekend visits are available on request, so treatments do not disrupt service. You also get a post-treatment report for your records.
Do I need a beetle certificate to sell my house?
Most property transfers in the Western Cape require a beetle inspection and a Certificate of Compliance. We do the inspection and issue the certificate where the property qualifies.
How do I know if the borer holes are still active?
Look for fresh, pale powder below the holes and clean, sharp edges on the holes themselves. Old holes are usually darker and dusty with no new frass.
How long does the treatment last?
Residual borer treatments protect the timber for a long time. Our treatments carry a minimum 3-month guarantee, and we can re-inspect later.
Do Woodstock terraces need a beetle certificate when sold?
Usually, yes. We inspect floors and roof timbers.
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