Johnnyy Johnson
04-03-2020, 10:26 AM
Carpenter Ant damage..
Around 2008 we had a front porch with a roof built to replace the deck on the front of the house. The PVC handrails were white and roof support columns were painted white to match. The band around the outsude of the porch was treated 2X10 and I put cedar 1X7 boards on it. I also painted them white. A few weeks back I noticed where the boards went together on the horizontal seams there were places where the cedar was rotting. I took a screwdriver and starting digging around as I was afraid the 2x10 underneath might also be rotting. A ton of very small carpenter ants came out. After that I got my tools out and removed all the cedar band. (porch is 10X40) There were ants everywhere. I had used Cox treated 2X6 for the floor. Also since The front of the house faces the West the summer heat here in NC can get in the high 90's. I put two pocket holes per board on the 2X10 band to keep the floor boards from cupping on the ends. That worked nice and kept the ends from cupping and remained flat. Once the cedar band was off I noticed that the ants had build nest and layed eggs in a lot of the pocked holes. I plan to fill the pocket holes with Lexel to stop future nest building.
Now I am faced with what to replace the cedar band with. I have been told that I should have used a solid hide stain rather than paint so the ceder could breath. I think the ants eat the wood and once the holes got large enough rain water got into the wood and set up the rot. Terminix came out and sprayed for the ants.
I am thinking about going back with treated 1X7 but do not know whether to paint or use solid hide stain. What would you guys go back with?
I am going to call Terminix to see if they will cover and cost since I have had them here many times to spray for ants.
Thanks for any help with material, paint or stain questions
Johnny
Around 2008 we had a front porch with a roof built to replace the deck on the front of the house. The PVC handrails were white and roof support columns were painted white to match. The band around the outsude of the porch was treated 2X10 and I put cedar 1X7 boards on it. I also painted them white. A few weeks back I noticed where the boards went together on the horizontal seams there were places where the cedar was rotting. I took a screwdriver and starting digging around as I was afraid the 2x10 underneath might also be rotting. A ton of very small carpenter ants came out. After that I got my tools out and removed all the cedar band. (porch is 10X40) There were ants everywhere. I had used Cox treated 2X6 for the floor. Also since The front of the house faces the West the summer heat here in NC can get in the high 90's. I put two pocket holes per board on the 2X10 band to keep the floor boards from cupping on the ends. That worked nice and kept the ends from cupping and remained flat. Once the cedar band was off I noticed that the ants had build nest and layed eggs in a lot of the pocked holes. I plan to fill the pocket holes with Lexel to stop future nest building.
Now I am faced with what to replace the cedar band with. I have been told that I should have used a solid hide stain rather than paint so the ceder could breath. I think the ants eat the wood and once the holes got large enough rain water got into the wood and set up the rot. Terminix came out and sprayed for the ants.
I am thinking about going back with treated 1X7 but do not know whether to paint or use solid hide stain. What would you guys go back with?
I am going to call Terminix to see if they will cover and cost since I have had them here many times to spray for ants.
Thanks for any help with material, paint or stain questions
Johnny