Protection of wood particle board against termites

Summary Particle boards are of increasing economic importance. Without special treatment they are destroyed by termites. Deterioration of unprotected material as well as possibilities and present knowledge of preservation against termite attack are briefly described. Recent laboratory experiments with particle board treated to make it resistant to humidity and basidiomycete fungi showed that only one organic preservative out of four protected the boards also against termite attack; one of two water-soluble preservatives gave promising results. Heterotermes indicola (Wasmann) from India proved to be more aggressive and resistant to the preservatives than Coptotermes amanii (Sjöstedt) from Kenya and Nasutitermes nigriceps (Haldemann) from Guatemala. Kalotermes flavicollis (Fabr.) from Italy was also very tolerant to the fungicidal preservatives. Further development of treatments of particle board against termites is required.Part of this paper was prepared for the World Consultation on the Use of Wood in Housing, Vancouver, B. C., Canada, July 5–16, 1971.