You find tiny holes in your log bed frame with fine sawdust underneath. Is it ruined? Probably not. But you need to figure out what made those holes and whether they're still active — because the answer determines whether you do nothing or spend a Saturday with Bora-Care.
Dozens of species can technically infest wood. In Canadian log furniture, you'll realistically deal with two: bark beetles and powder post beetles. Everything else is rare enough that it's not worth worrying about until a pest inspector tells you otherwise.
Bark beetles live between the bark and the sapwood. They're the ones that killed 18 million hectares of BC's lodgepole pine — the same trees that become beetle kill pine furniture.
Here's the thing: bark beetles need bark to survive. If your furniture is peeled (no bark), bark beetles cannot infest it.
They have no habitat. Peeled log furniture is bark beetle-proof by definition.
Bark-on furniture is a different story. Bark-on pieces look beautiful, but the space between bark and wood is exactly where bark beetles live, lay eggs, and feed.
If bark-on furniture was stored outdoors, in a shed, or in a garage before coming inside, it may carry beetle larvae. They can emerge as adults weeks or months after you bring the piece indoors.
These are the ones that actually damage finished, peeled log furniture. Powder post beetles (family Lyctidae and Anobiidae) bore into the wood itself — they don't need bark. The larvae feed on starch and sugars in the sapwood, leaving tunnels packed with fine, flour-like dust called frass.
Signs of powder post beetles:
Powder post beetles are most common in softwoods (pine, spruce) that weren't properly kiln-dried. The kiln-drying process kills larvae and eggs at temperatures above 55°C sustained for several hours.
Wood dried to 6–8% moisture content in a proper kiln shouldn't have live beetles. Wood that was air-dried or insufficiently kiln-dried is the risk.
This is where most people panic unnecessarily. Old emergence holes from beetles that left the wood years ago are cosmetic.
The beetles are gone. The holes are empty. The wood is fine.
How to tell the difference:
| Sign | Old / Inactive | Active Infestation |
|---|---|---|
| Holes | Darkened, weathered edges | Fresh, light-coloured wood visible in hole |
| Frass (dust) | None, or old compacted dust | Fresh, loose powder accumulating beneath holes |
| New holes appearing | No new holes over months | New holes appearing over weeks/months |
| Sound | Silent | Faint ticking or rasping (larvae chewing) in quiet rooms |
If the holes are old and no new frass is appearing, you don't have a problem. You have character. Some people specifically seek out beetle kill pine because the visual history adds to the piece.
If you've confirmed an active infestation — fresh frass, new holes appearing — you need to treat. Two borate-based products dominate the market for good reason: they work, they're low-toxicity for humans and pets, and they penetrate deep into the wood.
The professional standard. Bora-Care is a borate-based concentrate mixed with water and applied to unfinished wood surfaces.
It penetrates deep into the wood and kills larvae by disrupting their digestive system. It also prevents re-infestation permanently — treated wood is no longer a food source.
Cost: About $110–$140 CAD for a 4L jug (enough to treat several large pieces). Available from pest control suppliers and some Home Hardware locations. Dominion Pest Control in Ontario ships nationally.
Application: Mix with warm water per label directions. Apply with a brush or spray bottle to bare wood surfaces.
The product needs to soak into the wood — it won't penetrate through a poly or lacquer finish. For finished furniture, you'll need to apply it to any unfinished areas (undersides, inside joints, back panels) or strip the finish first.
A powdered borate that you mix with water. Cheaper than Bora-Care ($40–$60 CAD for a 680g bag) but doesn't penetrate as deeply into wood.
Good for prevention and light infestations. Not as effective on heavy or deep infestations where larvae are well inside the log.
Best for: Preventive treatment of new, unfinished log furniture before applying a finish. Mix, brush on all surfaces, let dry completely, then finish as normal. The borate stays in the wood permanently.
This is the single most effective prevention. Ask the maker directly: "Was this kiln-dried, and to what moisture content?" The answer should be yes, 6–8% for indoor furniture.
If they can't answer confidently, find a different maker. Proper kiln-drying kills all insect eggs and larvae.
Bark-on pieces are beautiful. They're also a habitat for bark beetles, carpenter ants, and various larvae.
For a covered porch or outdoor setting, bark-on is fine — insects are already present outdoors. For your bedroom, go peeled.
A good finish (oil, poly, or lacquer) seals the wood surface and makes it harder for beetles to bore in. Unfinished wood is the most vulnerable. Even a simple oil finish from the finish selector provides meaningful protection.
Powder post beetles prefer wood above 12% moisture content. In a heated Canadian home during winter, indoor wood drops well below this — making an active infestation less likely to thrive. This is another reason why proper care and a humidifier set to 40–45% hits the sweet spot: comfortable for the wood, uncomfortable for beetles.
If you're finding fresh frass from multiple pieces of furniture, or if the infestation is in structural log elements of your cabin (not just furniture), call a licensed pest control company. Bora-Care works well for isolated furniture pieces, but a whole-cabin infestation needs professional assessment and possibly fumigation.
In Canada, look for companies certified by the Structural Pest Management Association of Ontario (SPMAO) or equivalent provincial body. A professional treatment for a single room runs $300–$600 CAD. Whole-cabin fumigation is $2,000–$5,000+ depending on size.
Most log furniture owners never deal with insect problems. If the wood was properly kiln-dried and the furniture was built by a reputable maker, the risk is very low. Old exit holes in rustic furniture are cosmetic — they're part of the wood's history.
The people who run into trouble typically bought bark-on pieces from unknown sources, or furniture made from green (undried) wood. Checking is a far more common concern than insects for most Canadian log furniture owners.