Marine Borers

The two broad classifications of marine borers are 1 Crustacea Subfamily with genera such as Limnoria and Chelura which cause exterior deterioration of timber piling and 2 Mollusca Subfamily with genera such as Teredo and Bankia which cause interior deterioration of timber piling. Periodic inspection of a timber pile is necessary for determining when a jacketing system should be installed. Two ways to properly inspect wood piling 1 Visually underwater for detecting external deterioration and 2 Ultrasonic for detecting internal deterioration. Many different methods and materials are available for protecting and restoring timber piling. There is a wide variation in the degree of marine borer attack from one locality to another. Thus the experience of owners of nearby structures should be sought and a preliminary investigation should be made of the harbor where timber is going to be used. Cresosote is effective against virtually all borers except Limnoria tripunctata of the Crustacea Subfamily. The presence or absence of Limnoria tripunctata will determine the type of preservative used. The presence or absence of limnoria tripunctata will determine the type of preservative used. The service life of wood can be extended to combat Limnoria by the addition of soluble components of Creosote which are both bacteriacidal and toxic to Limnoria tripunctata, by dual treatment or by the removal of the wood from the environment by use of plastic or metal barriers.