Damaged by Termite or othe WDI?

Shiu Leung Chow · 09-03-2010, 06:50 PM

I inspected a house yesterday and took these pictures from the basement. Shown in pictures are the wood board ceiling and wood board interior walls. I told the buyer this is cause by wood destroying insects. The seller calls a local pest control company and they told the seller this is not cause by the termite. Can anyone tell from the photos, this is damaged by termites or old house borer or wharf borer

Thank you!

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**John Kogel** · 09-04-2010, 07:49 PM

Where these surfaces ever covered with other wallboard? I don't see nailholes. Most wood destroying insects prefer to work in the dark.
I don't recognize those gouges marks, not the work of any termite or beetle that I've seen.

Shiu Leung Chow · 09-05-2010, 08:59 AM

Thank you for your expertise opinion. These surfaces were not covered by other wallboard; the house was built in 1940. I had seen the similar finished basement before and the wood board is no way look like this. The way it was put on is the same way when you install the wood floor (slide in). That’s why we don’t see the nail holes. Is it possible it is just the wood rotting? The basement is very dry and it has a fireplace too.

**Rick Hurst** · 09-05-2010, 10:00 AM

To me it looks as if it is cypress wood.

rick

**John Kogel** · 09-05-2010, 02:33 PM

Thanks to the Texans, we have an answer.

The "damage" was apparently caused by a fungus before the wood was milled.

Never heard of "Heavy Pecky" before, but here you go.

**Jerry Peck** · 09-05-2010, 04:25 PM

Pecky Cypress costs more than other "undamaged" wood.

You pay extra for that "charm".

**Scott Patterson** · 09-05-2010, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Pecky Cypress costs more than other "undamaged" wood.

You pay extra for that "charm".

Yep, I agree! Pecky Cypress it is. Truth be known those holes were caused by a bug of sorts..

**John Kogel** · 09-05-2010, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

Yep, I agree! Pecky Cypress it is. Truth be known those holes were caused by a bug of sorts..

"Pecky is a porous part of a tree that usually starts in the center. The pecky part of a log is caused by a fungus that only grows while the tree is alive. This fungus “stereum taxodil” usually takes 125 years to germinate inside the living tree. Once this process is started, tubular pockets are formed vertically up and down the tree. This fungus started the process of hallowing the log. This pecky wood is usually used for decorative purposes in hunting and fishing lodges, and high end houses. It is preferred by interior decorators and architects to create a rustic look. An example of Pecky Cypress is seen in the photo to the right."

Says here the tree was "hallowed" by fungi.

Jerry, any chance the Pecks are responsible for the the name?

**Jerry Peck** · 09-06-2010, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by John Kogel

Jerry, any chance the Pecks are responsible for the the name?

Nope.

This is the best I found in a quick Google search for how it got its name: Limestone & Boxwoods: Pecky Cypress - A Gift From Nature

"Pecky cypress gets its name from the porous hollowing of Bald Cypress trees by a wood-decaying fungus - Stereum taxodi. The fungus attacks the core of the trees leaving "pecky" vertical cavities over time. Interestingly, you can't tell that a particular tree has the pecky cavities until it has been cut down. The cavities are not visible from the exterior of the tree."