- Q.We are repairing an oak
strip floor. Several boards obviously need to be
replaced because of visible termite damage. Is there
some way to evaluate the unseen damage to the rest of
the floor?
A. Oak seems to be one of
termites’ favorite foods, and they will go
to great lengths to reach it. About all you can do
is probe the wood with a sharp object. I use a
small screwdriver, sticking it into the summer wood
(the light-colored grain). If termites infested the
floor boards, they will have eaten the summer wood
and not the dense, darker grain. Termites generally
follow the length of the board rather than working
across the grain. If the board will support the
screwdriver blade without crushing or splitting, it
should be strong enough to survive without
replacement. Even spike heels will not equal the
pressure of the screwdriver blade.