I received this note from a local company here in Ptld. Oregon that we provide milled lumber to. It's one of our largest clients. I thought I'd get some feedback from the experienced experts on how you would answer the questions asked. My thoughts are that a 4-6 hour spike heating of >140 degrees should get the core temp of the wood over 130 degrees and kill any and all bugs?

In an effort to continue providing quality furniture that is as problem free as possible, we would like to establish some standards for buying lumber that best assures us of lumber being free of bugs. One incident of bugs can be a costly endeavor in terms of time, material cost, labor cost and a hit to one’s reputation. With that in mind here are some thoughts we have had regarding the drying process:


  • The lumber core must be heated to 130 degrees for at least 2 hrs.
  • If the kiln just gets up to 130 degrees it does not mean that the interior reached that temperature to kill off any bugs and eggs.
  • To get interior to that temperature usually means that kiln must reach temperatures of something above 130 degrees.
  • All vendors must provide return policies for material that has bugs and a time frame for the return of material.

What we are asking of you is

  • Are you able to get a core temperature reading?
  • Is the 2 hour time at 130 degrees a reasonable time?
  • What temperature do you normally try to achieve to eliminate any bug issues?
  • What is your policy about returning material if bugs do make an appearance, understanding that bugs may not appear until after a piece of furniture is made and in someone’s home for six months.

(We did some research to come up with the 130 degree temperature. The two hour treat time was a high end preference to make totally sure any bugs were dealt with.)

We would love to have any and all feedback that you are will to provide. I thank you in advance for helping us to continue to provide the best quality furniture and service available.