I recently finished building an outdoor shed/office:
The porch is redwood. The structure itself is "nordic spruce"
I have not painted the outside yet (I'm planning to do that soon) but I've already noticed some flying termites nearby (about 5 or 6 were caught in a spider web). I haven't seen any indications of actual wood damage/penetration but this still makes me very nervous.
Is there anything I can do to try to protect the structure?
Researching online hasn't been particularly helpful. From what I've found, my options include:
- Hiring an exterminator – I'm not sure if this would be particularly useful since I'm not seeing actual indications of termite damage. I also don't have a lot of money to spend. 🙁
- Using pesticides around the perimeter of the structure – It's unclear to me if that would actually do anything to protect the walls or if that would only protect the treated lumber foundation.
- Adding a chemical repellent additive to paint. – Is this a gimmick? Or does it actually help?
- Using non-toxic alternatives – Orange oil, etc. I question whether these would be powerful enough.
- Using bait – Stakes in the ground to attract/kill termites
Disclaimer: I could very well be overreacting here.
Best Answer
For starters, that's a really amazing shed!
As for the termites, they're swarming. This is natural in termite areas. They're looking for wet or rotting wood to start a new nest.
So, odds are you should have nothing to worry about with the new shed, as hopefully none of it is rotting yet. None of your options will really have any impact on swarming termites...and really are only options if you already have a termite problem in your structure.