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Tips To Protect Wooden Play Sets From Termites

29 December 2016 by Letitia Hunt

When it comes to termites, you likely already take the steps necessary to protect your home from these voracious wood feeders. Yet, your outdoor play set may be set outside and exposed to these pests. Not only can they ruin the play set and thus your investment, the termites feeding could also compromise the safety of the set. The following tips can help you avoid a termite infestation.

Tip #1: Use treated wood

The play structure's main support timbers, at the very least, should be made of treated wood. This is wood impregnated with chemicals that delay rotting and dissuade pest damage. If you prefer to avoid treated wood products, you can opt for a naturally rot-resistant wood like cedar to be used in its stead. While it's useful to have the whole structure built of such materials, you can save money by only using treated wood for any support pieces that are in actual contact with the ground.

Tip #2: Avoid ground access

Most termites live underground, which means they spread to the wood structure via the parts of the posts that are placed beneath the soil. You can protect against this by inserting the upright supports into concrete filled holes. For structures that simply sit on top of the soil, consider having the bottom of the legs placed inside of metal caps. These are designed to go several inches up each leg and to cover the bottom so that termites cannot burrow into the wood.

Tip #3: Know the trouble signs

There are certain things to watch for to make sure termites aren't moving into your play structure. Check the leg supports weekly for signs of rot, such as soft wood, splintering, or sawdust. Also, check on and around the structure for shed wings around or on the play structure. Chances are you won't see actual termites, since they burrow into the wood, but by spotting their signs you can have them treated before they cause irreparable damage to the structure.

Tip #4: Treat the yard

In areas with a high termite presence it can pay to be preemptive and to treat the yard before they discover your play set. When applying a termicide treatment, place it only in areas where the effects of termites cause damage – such as around the play set and foundation of the home. Most termites live underground in lawn areas where they cause no harm. Driving them from these "safe" areas could actually send them right to an area where you don't want them.

For more help, talk with an exterminator in your area. Click here for more information about extermination.

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