The accepted wisdom tells us that termites do not eat hardwood. The truth is, termites can eat pretty much anything that is organic. Still, it’s not necessarily a straightforward questions. They definitely prefer not to eat hardwood but there are lots of reasons why they will eat hardwood.
If termites are given their druthers, they’ll avoid hardwood. It’s not uncommon to see hardwood and some nice soft pine together, and the termites have tucked into the pine. Termites are like you and me in that respect. If you’ve got a nice juicy steak in front of you and a weathered old tough bit of steak, you know which one you’re going to choose. On the other hand, if you have no choice but to eat the tough one and you’re hungry…you know what you would do.
Termites will eat hardwood when they have to. It’s hard to eat though so they’ll be slow(er) to eat it. What can drastically change that though is the introduction of moisture. Soften the timber by keeping it damp and you have some nice soft timbers ready to eat.
Termites love damp conditions, whether it involves hardwood or not. That’s why we’re always on the lookout for damp and will advise our clients about it. See this sub floor for instance:
We took that photo during an inspection so we could show the owners. That kind of damp is inviting termites into your home. You’ll see in our previous article Can Termites Infest A Brick House that termites use damp to build mud tubes up those brick housing stumps into the home above. When timbers are kept moist they’ll become nice and soft and easy to eat. That’s when termites will eat hardwood timbers.
In the photo below you’ll see that termites have made a path along the timber. That means this timber wasn’t their preferred food source. It doesn’t mean that they won’t eat other timber in your home.
In this next image is a hardwood timber where the termites have had a proper feed on it. It could have been dampness at some stage that contributed to this.
For more information on damp, read our article Damp: termites love it and you should not.
The moral of the story is you shouldn’t feel safe just because you’ve got hardwood. We’ve had builders tell us that termites don’t eat hardwood but here we are with images to prove otherwise. Use sensible precautions with termites (such as a termite inspection) and avoid allowing damp to build up.
Yes. Although many people believe hardwood is termite-proof, termites can and do eat hardwood. Hardwood is denser than softwood, but it still contains cellulose, which termites feed on.
Most termites prefer softer or damp timber because it is easier to consume. However, if hardwood becomes moist or if food sources are limited, termites will attack hardwood as well.
Moisture softens timber and creates ideal conditions for termite activity. Damp hardwood becomes easier for termites to chew through, which is why leaking pipes, poor drainage, or subfloor moisture can increase the risk of infestation.
No. Homes built with hardwood are still vulnerable to termite damage. Some Australian termite species commonly found in Queensland are capable of attacking and damaging hardwood structures.
Common signs include hollow-sounding wood, mud tubes, bubbling paint, sagging timber, and visible damage beneath the surface of the wood. In many cases, termites eat timber from the inside out, making damage difficult to detect early.
The best protection includes regular termite inspections, reducing moisture around the property, maintaining good ventilation, and addressing leaks or damp conditions quickly. Preventative termite management systems can also help reduce the risk of infestation.
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