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Woodworm advice & guides

Clear, practical guidance on identifying, treating and preventing wood-boring beetle — written by our surveyors.

Wide shot of an attic space with exposed roof timbers showing scattered woodworm exit holes across multiple rafters, illustrating how an infestation can spread through roof timber

Identification

How Quickly Does Woodworm Spread? Room, House & Furniture

Woodworm spreads more slowly than most people fear — but it does spread. Here is how quickly it moves, whether it goes from room to room, and how urgent treatment really is.

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A can of WD-40 next to a piece of old pine timber showing round woodworm exit holes — illustrating the common but ineffective DIY remedy

Guides

Treating Woodworm with WD40: Does It Actually Work?

WD-40 is one of the most common DIY woodworm fixes suggested online. Here is the honest answer: why it fails, what actually kills woodworm, and when you need a professional.

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Close-up of small round woodworm exit holes drilled into the surface of an old pine floorboard, surrounded by pale bore dust

Identification

What Does Woodworm Look Like? The Complete Visual Guide

Exit holes, bore dust, tunnels and live beetles — a complete visual guide to identifying woodworm, telling active from historic, and knowing when to call a professional.

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Close-up macro photograph of an adult common furniture beetle on a rough pine surface, showing its brown oval body and ribbed wing cases

Identification

Woodworm Beetle: UK Species, Identification & What to Do

The woodworm beetle explained — what it looks like, the four UK species you will find in homes, how to identify which one you have and when to call a specialist.

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Close-up of original Victorian pine skirting board at floor level showing round woodworm exit holes and pale bore dust on the surface

Guides

Woodworm in Skirting Boards: Signs, Treatment & Replacement

How to spot woodworm in skirting boards, whether to treat or replace, and why skirting board infestations sometimes signal a bigger problem in the floor joists beneath.

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A large old oak structural beam in a period property showing clusters of woodworm exit holes and surface deterioration on the lower face

Guides

Woodworm in Structural Beams: Risk, Treatment & When to Worry

Structural beams are the highest-risk site for serious woodworm. Here is how to inspect them, which species to look for, when timber is unsafe and what treatment involves.

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Macro close-up of a cream-white C-shaped woodworm larva extracted from a pine floorboard, shown against a dark background

Identification

Woodworm Larvae: What They Look Like, Size & How to Find Them

Woodworm larvae are where all the damage happens. Find out what they look like, how big they are by species, and how to tell if they are still active in your timber.

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Four-stage diagram showing the woodworm life cycle from egg to larva to pupa to adult beetle, illustrated with macro photography

Identification

Woodworm Life Cycle: Egg, Larva, Pupa, Adult — Explained

A clear guide to the woodworm life cycle — four stages from egg to adult beetle, how long each takes, and why the timing matters for treatment.

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Property survey report with a pen resting on a page that highlights a woodworm finding, alongside a timber sample showing exit holes

Guides

Woodworm in a Property Survey: A Buyer's Complete Guide

Found woodworm flagged in your survey report? This guide explains what it means, whether to proceed, how to negotiate with the seller and what a specialist report will tell you.

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Side-by-side comparison showing woodworm exit holes in pine on the left and dry rot cuboidal cracking and fungal fruiting body on the right

Guides

Woodworm vs Dry Rot: How to Tell the Difference

Woodworm and dry rot both damage timber, but they are completely different problems with different causes and treatments. Here is how to tell them apart — and what to do about each.

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Side-by-side illustration showing a woodworm larva and a termite worker, highlighting the dramatic size difference and different body structures

Identification

Woodworm vs Termites: Are They the Same Thing?

Woodworm and termites are often confused, but they are very different insects. This guide explains the key differences, why termites are not an established UK risk, and what you actually have.

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Split-view showing a timber with woodworm exit holes and bore dust on one side, and a darkened wet-rotted joist end with longitudinal cracking on the other

Guides

Woodworm vs Wet Rot: What Is the Difference?

Wet rot and woodworm can look similar in damaged timber. This guide explains how to tell them apart, what causes each, and why fixing the damp matters more than treating the symptom.

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Homeowner inspecting wooden floorboard with small round woodworm exit holes visible in daylight

Guides

What to Do If You Find Woodworm

Found small round holes in your timber? Here's exactly what to do next — how to check if it's active, whether you need treatment, and how to get help fast.

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Close-up of woodworm exit holes in timber comparing fresh pale active holes with old grey dormant ones

Identification

Active vs Historic Woodworm: How to Tell the Difference

How to tell whether woodworm is active or old and dormant — fresh pale frass, clean sharp holes, live beetles and the tissue-paper test surveyors use.

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Antique wooden chest of drawers with small woodworm exit holes and fine bore dust on the surface below

Guides

Woodworm in Furniture: How to Treat & Save Antiques

How to identify and treat woodworm in furniture and antiques without ruining the piece — isolation, freezing, DIY methods, and professional options.

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Tin of DIY woodworm killer and brush beside a professional sprayer on exposed timber joists

Guides

DIY vs Professional Woodworm Treatment

When DIY woodworm treatment works, when it fails, and how the costs, guarantees and results really compare with hiring a professional. An honest guide.

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Floor joist weakened by woodworm damage exposed beneath floorboards in a UK home

Identification

Is Woodworm Dangerous? Risks to Your Home & Health

How dangerous woodworm really is — the structural risk to your home, whether it spreads, health and pet safety, and when you need to act fast.

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Loft interior showing softwood roof rafters and ceiling joists, the high-risk timber where woodworm is often found

Guides

Woodworm in Roof Timbers: What to Do

How to check loft rafters and roof joists for woodworm, why roof timber is high-risk, how treatment and repair work, and the rules on bats in lofts.

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Surveyor inspecting roof timbers with a torch while preparing a written woodworm treatment quote

Costs

Woodworm Treatment Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide

Real 2026 UK woodworm treatment costs broken down by room, roof space, floor and whole house, plus the factors that drive the price and how DIY compares.

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Treated roof rafters and joists in a clean, dry British loft after professional woodworm treatment

FAQ

How Long Does Woodworm Treatment Last?

How long professional woodworm treatment lasts, what the 30-year guarantee actually covers, and the practical steps that stop the beetle coming back.

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Round woodworm exit holes and pale frass dust on the surface of an old timber floorboard

Identification

Signs of Woodworm: How to Spot an Active Infestation

The tell-tale signs of woodworm: exit holes, frass, tunnels, weak timber, live and dead beetles, and how to tell an active infestation from a historic one.

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Suspended timber floorboards lifted to reveal joists below, with small woodworm exit holes visible in the floor timber

Guides

Woodworm in Floorboards: Signs, Treatment & Cost

Spotting woodworm in floorboards and joists, how it is treated, what it costs, and when boards need replacing rather than treating.

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DIY woodworm treatment products and a water-based permethrin spray bottle on a workbench beside affected timber

Reviews

Best Woodworm Treatment Products (2026 UK Review)

The best DIY woodworm killers and sprays in the UK for 2026 — permethrin vs boron, water-based sprays, what to look for, and where DIY falls short.

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Close-up of woodworm exit holes in a softwood joist being treated with insecticidal spray

Guides

How to Treat Woodworm: The Complete UK Guide

Step-by-step guide to treating woodworm: how to confirm it is active, DIY treatment and products, when to call a professional, and how to prevent it returning.

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Tub of boron powder and a brush beside softwood timber being treated for woodworm

Guides

Natural Woodworm Treatment: Borax, Boron & Low-Toxicity Options

Do natural woodworm treatments work? An honest look at borax, boron, freezing, heat and vinegar — and when low-toxicity methods are genuinely effective.

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Get rid of woodworm — for good

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