Good questions J. since rough cut wood will many times conceal all kinds of insects. Bark beetles are usually easy to see but other pests like CARPENTER BEES, CARPENTER ANTS, POWDERPOST BEETLES, BARK BEETLES and even TERMITES can be present. Pine isn't normally home to Powderpost beetles but there are some other small beetle species which like it so the list of potential problem pests is quite long for White Pine to say the least.  Regardless, it's easy to miss some activity any one tree may have since so many pests could be attracted to it. For this reason it makes sense to do some preventive treatment prior to the installation. This is especially true when the wood is to be kept large in size and diameter. Many pests will burrow deep into the timber, far beyond where Bark Beetles live, and are difficult to see or identify. Wood which is to be kept larger than 2×4's can easily conceal significant insect activity.

The good news is that products like BORACARE make safeguarding and protecting large wood possible. And by treating logs ahead of time, one can avoid a lot of hassle before the problem spreads. This unique product works so well because it penetrates wood getting deep down to the heart of the log where chewing and eating larva can do real damage. As explained in our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, it's not uncommon for different species of insects to live deep in the wood waiting to emerge when conditions get right. This might not be for years after the installation but during this time they could be doing all kinds of damage and destruction.

To avoid this happening, treat all rough cut lumber with BORACARE. It's easy to use as our video demonstrates but more importantly, once applied insects and destructive wood fungi won't stand a chance. Since this lumber is to be used inside, I'm sure one treatment will last at least 5-10 years. This will both safeguard it from future problems and be sure to knock out anything active at the time of the treatment. Once allowed to dry 48-72 hours, all treated lumber can be further processed and installed. True it takes longer to completely cure but you can handle and process the wood earlier if need be. Otherwise letting it sit for several weeks would be find too. The point is getting it installed insect free and well treated would be smart. We deal with so many cases where it's too late and the homeowner is confronted with some horrific options due to complex construction, the size of the lumber, etc. The bottom line is an ounce of prevention can go a long way here for sure.

Give us a call on our toll free 1-800-877-7290 for further details or to answer any of your questions but the videos we have posted combined with the detailed directions should be enough to get you treating without delay. Since you intend on "air drying" the finished wood, this fits in perfect with what one would do when using this product anyway.

Thank you.

Since you have a house which has "a lot of wood", I feel it would be in your best interest to take care when bringing in any wood for future projects and construction. Unprocessed wood, especially anything that's large or thick in size, can easily hide all kinds of insects. As explained in our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL article, wood eating beetles are amongst the most common beetles found worldwide and I suspect that most of these would find plenty to eat in your house. With this concern cited, here are my suggestions given the current situation…

As I see it, most wood you bring inside to work on or keep for any length of time should be treated. This is a must for anything you intend on keeping alongside other projects or furniture in the house. Since there are so many ways for active beetles to hide in wood and so many optional food items already in your home, there is just too much risk associated with randomly bringing anything inside unless you are 100% sure there is no need for concern. Since treating any wood intended to be used for furniture or other construction is so easy to do and inexpensive to protect when unfinished and raw, I would recommend that for now on you start treating with the BORACARE as a safeguard and surefire preventive measure. It will both purge any wood you want to use of all insects as well as guard it against future attacks or infestations.

So to answer your most urgent question: "Now what do I do?"; I believe there are two viable options. As explained in my previous message, I believe you need to treat any wood you intend on keeping and using for the home. So the vanity can be saved if you treat it with the Boracare. This will both get rid of the current population of sculptured beetles as well as protect it from any future infestations. But is it worth saving? That I cannot answer. As our article explains, you need to have access to an unfinished side of the wood so the Boracare is able to penetrate deep enough and have an impact on the feeding larvae. I don't know if the wood is so well sealed with the polyurethane that it will involve a lot of work and hence destruction that the piece will be too altered in the process of getting it prepared for the treatment. In laymans terms; is it feasible to save? If not, abandoning it may be the better option. But if you decide to start from scratch, my recommendation still stands: treat the new wood with the Boracare prior to construction to insure it won't have the same fate as the first vanity. Nothing is more frustrating than to find wood beetles in any piece which has undergone countless man hours of construction so make sure this doesn't happen again; preventive treatments with Boracare will be your best option now and in the future.