Fungal Decay and Insect Attack

In the ordinary way, fungal decay and insect attack are not likely to trouble the wood carver. However, you can, if you wish, treat your carving with a wood preservative when the work is completed.

Fungus, the chief cause of decay in timber, is a plant and needs organic material to maintain life. It must also have moisture and oxygen so that wood kept dry will not be attacked.

Whereas it is highly unlikely that your carving will be attacked by fungi, insect pests can easily move from infected furniture to your work. The most common of these pests is the furniture beetle (anobium punctatum), often known as 'wood worm'.

During June and until August the beetles emerge from the wood looking for new homes in any suitable cracks and crevices in timber.

Both hard and softwoods are vulnerable. The insects then lay their eggs. These eventually hatch into larvae a quarter of an inch long. With powerful jaws these grubs bore into the wood. This process goes on for as long as eighteen months when the grub pupates and the whole cycle commences again.

It is possible to treat wood with chemicals toxic to both fungi and insects. There are a number of proprietary brands on the market.

Continued...From the wonderful wood working book "Wood Carving" by Freda Skinner. We are in the process of placing most of the book here on our site.  If your tired of reading it in pieces, send us a message on the contact page asking for the book and we'll send you a link for the entire book - free.

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