Borer damage to timber is typically less significant when compared to termites. But if left untreated, they will eventually create similar damage. This article will hopefully help you understand how borer damage occurs and what Preschem products can be used successfully for borer treamtment.
UPDATE 31st March: The Victorian Government has put the state under Stage 3 lockdown effective immediately from this date. Preschem still continues to operate under these restrictions and is fully compliant with the requirements imposed by our state Premier. Please note that Preschem is protecting the health of our staff and is therefore not accepting walk in sales from the general public. This is to ensure we can supply our utility customers throughout this crisis, so they can keep the lights on.
We are still here to assist you and can be contacted to place orders or for technical support on 03 9532 0679.
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UPDATE 27th March: We are still open for business, but we are no longer accepting walk in counter sales from the general public. Unfortunately, we have had to stop this, as we’ve had customers ignoring our signage to not enter if showing any flu like symptoms (yes, heavy coughing is a flu like symptom). Should you wish to obtain product directly from us, please ring through your order and pay via credit card. We will then courier it to you (additional charge). This will ensure we are able to operate through this crisis.
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23rd March: Dear customer, as you are aware the State and Federal Government response to the COVID-19 crisis has been to shut down all non-essential services within Victoria. Preschem supplies the electrical distribution and transmission industry with power pole preservatives to ensure the continued supply of electricity. This is a critical essential service. Preschem is open for business and continues to manufacture our products to support our utility customers. We will continue to do so for as long as it’s deemed safe.
We are monitoring the unfolding situation closely and should the circumstances change, will update you on the website as soon as possible.
We have taken steps to minimize potential exposure to COVID-19 with our staff including such measures as daily temperature checks, personal separation and improved hygiene practices. Where practical, we are allowing our staff to work from home.
We would appreciate that if you need to visit our office, that you do so only if it’s urgent and that you display no signs of flu-like symptoms. We may request that you allow us to take a temperature reading with an IR thermometer and will ask anyone with an unusually high temperature to leave the building.
But we are also able to despatch orders door to door and encourage you to use this as a priority.
We wish all of our community to remain healthy and safe through these difficult times.
Preschem has an old and very knowledgable retail customer who supplies Preschem products for timber boat maintenance. Dave and Scott at Drive Marine Services certainly know their way around timber boats, and have developed a number of specialised marine grade epoxy and acrylic products that perform brilliantly in this tough environment. Dave is also the star of a number of short but informative YouTube videos on the products he sells, including some showcasing Preschem Products.
And the interesting thing about these products for the marine market is that they’re mostly compatible with many of the Preschem timber preserviatives. Head over to the Drive Marine Services website for more details, or give them a call on 02 9533 5470.
Beekeeping in Australia faces many challenges. Bees are particularly susceptible to insecticides and other chemicals used commonly in agriculture. So finding the right beehive timber treatment that is safe for your bees and honey is critical.
Preschem has been receiving a few questions via email asking, “How tall is a Power Pole?” It’s an interesting question. The answer is based on many variables, so has no one specific answer. Lets explain and get to the bottom of this.
Firstly, we are only going to talk about timber poles. This discussion is not about concrete or steel/concrete “Stobie” poles used in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Earlier this month (May 2016), Preschem was asked to give a presentation on why timber changes colour at the Victorian Woodworkers Association. This got us thinking that this topic would make a great general knowledge post. After all, this will assist with some of those decisions on what to do when building something out of wood.
Why does timber change colour?
This article first appeared in the Professional Pest Manager Magazine June/July edition (Subscription only). Please note it was written with pest controllers in mind.
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Timber decay around homes and properties is generally poorly understood by the general public. Pest controllers will inevitably come across decay that has been miss-diagnosed by the property owner as termite or borer attack. Thankfully, due to the internet, this is less of an issue now than it used to be, but sometimes a little information (from the internet) is a potential recipe for disaster. There is also no doubt that during the inspection process for a potential insect or rodent infestation, that the pest controller will come across decay. There would be hardly a premises in Australia that doesn’t contain it in some shape or form.
Previously, I have discussed the problems that people commonly have when they apply Aussie Clear to Merbau decking. As I stated in that post, to achieve the best results, deck preparation before oiling is essential:
All of the points above mean you will be able to apply more Aussie Clear to the timber. Your first application of decking oil will last much longer.
All this theory is very good, but where is the proof in the pudding?
I receive a lot of technical enquiries from the public about how to control timber decay. Mostly, it’s from someone have needs to repair an issue they have or wish to prevent it from occurring. There is one thing that crops up occasionally which is a concern; they sometimes mention they’ve heard of, or been recommended a product by someone. When asked the products name, I’ve never heard of it. A quick check on the APVMA’s Pubcris database often shows that it’s not a registered product! All products that are designed to kill another living thing are classified as pesticides under the AgVet legislation. So why is the registration of pesticides so important?
AUSSIE CLEAR and AUSSIE CLEAR LIGHT are Preschem’s range of decking oil for all hardwood timber. The philosophy behind this is that most hardwood timbers available in Australia are very similar in their properties. Even if their natural appearance are different. Thus a simple range of timber finishes will fit the bill.
