Treating woodworm is typically done with chemicals applied to the affected wood. Considering these chemicals are, in essence, poison, it’s fair to ask, how long does woodworm treatment take to dry? Depending on the treatment, it’s usually around 6-8 hours. However, it can take longer in colder weather and areas without good ventilation, such as attics.
Despite it having a relatively short drying time, it’s advised to not do anything to the affected wood for at least 48 hours after application.
In this article, we’ll look in a bit more detail at woodworm treatment drying time and other important factors.
What is the Drying Time For Woodworm Treatment?
As mentioned, the drying time of woodworm treatment depends on the product used. We won’t go into detail about what products are available, but pretty much all products come as liquids. You then either spray or paint these onto the wood depending on the application method.
Unsurprisingly, spray products dry quicker, as they’re usually not applied as thick. However, it’s still best to allow for a minimum of 6 hours for drying time. This can be impacted by:
· Humidity
· Temperature
· Airflow/ventilation
· Depth of treatment
· Porosity of wood
For example, treating a wooden cabinet in a living room will dry far quicker than roof beams in an attic. In spaces where ventilation is an issue, it can be worth setting up a fan to help the product dry more quickly.
Dealing with Wood after Treatment
After an affected area has been treated, it’s best to leave it for a minimum of 48 hours before doing anything else. This might be painting the wood or applying a topcoat of varnish or stain.
It’s also worth noting that you should ideally use more than one application of woodworm treatment. Doing so ensures you kill any bugs that might have been eggs during the initial treatment.
As such, if you know you have an active infestation, it’s worth holding off on painting wood after a single treatment.
How Long Does Woodworm Treatment Smell?
The other big question about woodworm treatment relates to its smell. How long this smell lingers again depends on what you use.
Many over-the-counter products dissipate within a few hours, and some professional products are 1 hour. Generally, this means you can re-enter the property after an hour and it be safe.
But other harsher chemicals can linger for a few weeks. Some smell like creosote, which isn’t a pleasant smell. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about this smell other than ventilate the area.
The deeper the treatment, the longer the smell can linger. If you have a bad infestation, it’ll be worth speaking to a professional about your options.
Final Thoughts
Although most woodworm treatments are safe to be around in small doses, it’s generally not a great idea. As such, you’ll want to vacate and ventilate the area until the product has dried.
Unfortunately, for harsher and deeper treatments, the smell could stick around for a long time, which isn’t ideal. That said, it’s better than having woodworm!
