Key points

Wood borer damage is caused by beetle larvae feeding inside wood; exit holes appear when the adults emerge.
Clean, pale-edged holes and fresh powder suggest active infestation, while dark-edged holes usually indicate old damage.
Polished or painted furniture is usually treated by injecting the holes; bare wood can take a surface treatment.
Treatment stops the insects but cannot restore strength to badly weakened timber, which may need repair or replacement.
Sealed finishes, dry and ventilated rooms, and checking second-hand furniture help prevent reinfestation.

Fine, flour-like powder under a table leg or small round holes in a door frame are the classic signs of wood borer. Wood borer treatment targets the beetle larvae living inside the timber, which can keep feeding unseen for months before the next generation of adults emerges. This page explains how to recognise the problem, how we assess it, what treatment involves and how to stop it coming back.

What are wood borers?

Wood borer is a common name for several beetles whose larvae feed inside wood. The adult beetles are small and short-lived. The damage is done by the grubs, which tunnel through the timber and then pupate near the surface.

When the adults emerge, they chew their way out, leaving an exit hole and pushing out powdery waste (called frass). By the time you see holes, the insects have usually been inside the wood for a long while. Two groups cause most household problems.

Powder-post beetles

These attack the sapwood (the paler outer layer) of hardwoods, as well as bamboo and cane, because the larvae feed on starch in the wood. They often arrive in newer furniture, plywood, panelling or cane items made from timber that was not properly seasoned or treated. Their frass is very fine and soft, like talcum powder or flour.

Furniture beetles

Furniture beetles can attack both softwoods and hardwoods. They are often found in older furniture, plywood backing, drawer bottoms and structural timber such as rafters and floorboards. Their frass tends to feel slightly gritty, with tiny pellets.

Both groups do best in wood that holds some moisture, which is why furniture in damp, poorly ventilated rooms is more at risk.

How can you tell if it is wood borer?

Check the underside and back of furniture, the insides of drawers, and door and window frames. These are the signs to look for:

What you see	What it usually means
Small round holes, roughly pinhead-sized	Adult beetles have emerged; larvae of a later generation may still be inside
Holes with clean, pale edges	Recent emergence, which suggests an active infestation
Holes with dark, dirty or polished-over edges	Older damage that may no longer be active
Small heaps of fine powder below the wood	Frass falling from tunnels; fresh, pale powder suggests current activity
Wood that feels soft or crumbles when pressed	Extensive tunnelling; the timber's strength may be affected

Wood borer is often confused with termites, but the two need very different treatments. Termites usually build mud tubes, leave soil-lined galleries and can hollow out wood without visible exit holes. Our guide on how to tell termites and wood borer apart explains the differences. If termites turn out to be the cause, see our termite control service instead.

How do we assess a wood borer problem?

Treatment only works well when it matches what is actually happening in the wood, so every job starts with an inspection. Our general approach is set out on our How We Work page. For wood borer, a technician will typically:

Confirm the pest (wood borer, termite or something else) from the holes, frass and pattern of damage.
Check every wooden item in the affected room and nearby rooms, since beetles emerging from one piece can lay eggs in another.
Separate active infestation from old damage, using the condition of the holes and the presence of fresh powder.
Probe affected areas gently to judge whether the timber is still sound, especially load-bearing items such as beams, staircases and door frames.
Note the finish on each item, whether bare, oiled, polished or painted, because this decides how treatment can be applied.
Look for damp, such as leaks, wet walls, poor ventilation or timber in contact with masonry.

By the end of the inspection, you should know which items need treatment, which are better repaired or replaced by a carpenter, and what the treatment will involve.

How is wood borer treated?

We follow an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. That means inspection, advice on the conditions that encourage the pest, and targeted treatment rather than blanket spraying. Depending on the assessment, treatment may include the following:

Injection into exit holes and galleries. A suitable wood-borer treatment is injected into the holes so it travels along the tunnels where larvae feed. This is the main method for polished or painted furniture, where liquid cannot soak in through the finish.
Surface application on bare wood. Unfinished surfaces can be brushed or sprayed so the treatment penetrates the wood and discourages new egg-laying. These include the backs of cupboards, drawer bottoms, undersides and roof timbers.
Fumigation, where appropriate. For heavily infested movable items or consignments of timber, fumigation may be the better method. It follows separate, stricter safety procedures. See our fumigation services for more on when it is used.
Repair or replacement. Treatment stops the insects but cannot restore strength to weakened wood. Badly damaged timber, especially structural timber, should be repaired or replaced.

Once the treatment has dried, we usually suggest filling old holes with wax or wood filler. That way, any new hole that appears later is easy to spot. Larvae deep inside the wood are not always reached at once, so a few adults may still emerge in the following weeks or months. Whether a follow-up check is needed is discussed at the time of service.

How should you prepare for wood borer treatment?

A little preparation makes the visit quicker and the treatment more thorough:

Empty drawers, cupboards and shelves of the affected furniture, especially clothes, linen, books and documents.
Move furniture slightly away from walls so the back and sides can be reached.
Remove or cover food, utensils, children's toys and pet bowls in the room.
Point out antique, heirloom or delicately finished pieces so the technician can choose a suitable method.
Make door frames, windows and any accessible roof or loft timbers easy to reach.
Plan for children and pets to stay out of the room during and after treatment.

A member of the household or site staff should be present to accompany the technician during the visit.

Is wood borer treatment safe?

Safety comes from choosing the right method for each item and applying it carefully. Material Safety Data Sheets are maintained for the products we use. Our Goa branch is a licensed pest control operator (Directorate of Agriculture, Goa) using CIB&RC-registered products. At home or at work, please follow these steps:

Keep children and pets away from treated items until they are dry, or for as long as the technician advises.
Keep the room well ventilated.
Do not wipe, polish or wash treated surfaces until you are told it is fine to do so.
Wash your hands after handling treated furniture.
If anyone feels unwell after a treatment or has any reaction, see a doctor.

Avoid improvised chemical mixtures on infested furniture. They can damage finishes, put your household at risk and often fail to reach larvae deep inside the wood.

How can you stop wood borer coming back?

Prevention is mostly about keeping wood dry and sealed, and not bringing new infestations in:

Inspect second-hand, antique, cane and bamboo items before bringing them home, and keep a suspect item separate until it has been checked.
When buying new furniture, or timber for construction or renovation, ask whether the wood has been seasoned and treated.
Keep wood sealed. Polish, varnish or paint closes the surface cracks and pores where beetles prefer to lay eggs, while bare surfaces stay more vulnerable.
Control damp by fixing leaks, improving ventilation and keeping furniture slightly away from damp walls. This matters through Goa's long, humid monsoon, and in closed or ground-floor rooms anywhere.
Check furniture every few months for fresh powder or new holes, especially items you filled after treatment.

Service records and warranty

At our Goa branch, service reports are shared after visits, and clients receive updates on WhatsApp. Where a warranty applies, it covers the treated area as set out in the service agreement and varies by treatment. It does not cover structural changes, new construction, or cases where post-service instructions were not followed. Full details are in our terms and conditions.

Checking availability for your branch

Wood borer treatment is part of our company-wide service catalogue. Please check availability for your branch on this page before booking. Our Goa branch in Chimbel is our established operation.

If you are in the Hyderabad region, our Shamshabad branch has recently opened. Tell us your location and the problem, and we'll confirm whether we can help. Clear photos of the holes and any powder are useful when you get in touch.

Wood Borer Treatment in Goa towns

Frequently asked questions

QCan wood borer spread from one piece of furniture to another?

Yes. When adult beetles emerge from an infested item, they can lay eggs in other susceptible wood nearby, especially bare, unsealed or slightly damp timber. That is why the inspection covers neighbouring furniture, frames and fittings, not just the piece where you first noticed powder. If you spot an infested movable item, keeping it apart from other wooden furniture until it is assessed is a sensible precaution.

QIs it worth treating old or antique furniture?

Often it is, but it depends on how much sound wood remains. If the timber is still firm, injecting the exit holes can stop the larvae without stripping the finish. Valuable or delicately polished pieces need a careful choice of method, so tell the technician about them beforehand. Where an item has become soft or crumbly, a furniture restorer or carpenter may be needed after treatment to rebuild its strength.

QWill the powder stop falling immediately after treatment?

Not always. Some loose frass may still drop from existing tunnels for a while, and larvae deep in the wood may not be reached straight away. The clearest sign of continuing activity is a new hole with clean, pale edges. Filling the old holes after treatment makes new ones easy to notice. If fresh holes appear, let us know so the item can be checked again.

QDo we need to leave the house during wood borer treatment?

For injection or surface treatment of furniture and frames, people usually do not need to move out. Treated items and rooms should be kept clear of children and pets until dry or as advised, and the space should be well ventilated. Fumigation is different and follows its own stricter safety procedures. If fumigation is recommended, the team will explain exactly what is required.

QCan brand-new furniture have wood borer?

Yes. If furniture is made from sapwood that was not properly seasoned or treated, eggs or young larvae may already be inside when you buy it. Signs such as small holes and fine powder can take months to appear, because the larvae must grow before adults emerge. When buying new furniture, it is reasonable to ask the seller whether the timber was treated.

QDoes wood borer treatment come with a warranty?

At our Goa branch, where a warranty applies, it covers the treated area as set out in your service agreement, and terms vary by treatment. Exclusions include structural changes, new construction and not following post-service instructions. For the Hyderabad region, our Shamshabad branch has recently opened and services are still being confirmed, so please ask about terms when you share your location and problem.

Wood Borer Treatment for Furniture, Doors and Structural Timber

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