Powderpost Beetles in Plywood Supporting Bed

[CampNest2019]

I have a 2021 Caravel 19ft that has always had excessive sawdust under the bed and I bought it new. A pest control professional has confirmed that powderpost beetles are in the plywood under the bed. The eggs can be in the plywood and then hatch up to years later. Have any of you had this issue?

[dznf0g]

I have not. 16 year old AS.

[ITSNO60]

There have been a number of relatively new trailers of different brands with this problem, There were several Grand Design owners on iRV2 that were trying to get warranty claims, I don't recall how successful they were
https://www.google.com/search?q=powd...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[Bill M.]

Interesting. I would think the plywood manufacturing process would kill any eggs that were in the wood at the time it was made. So some plywood wholesaler must have improperly stored it to get it re infested? Did the pest control expert offer a solution to the problem? Is just changing it out for another piece of plywood a possibility? Maybe easier than dealing with a dealer?

[Saluda372]

Thankfully have not had or heard of this issue. Good luck with fix.

[CampNest2019]

Thanks All. Fix is to get the plywood replaced. Airstream is saying this is not a warranty issue. Maybe it's just impacting trailers 2021 and younger?

[sfranklin]

Didn't 2021 models have the composite flooring?

[sfranklin]

I knew I read somewhere that 2021s were composite......

https://www.airstream.com/blog/compo...avel-trailers/

[Bill M.]

I think we are talking about the plywood the mattresses lie on,

[CampNest2019]

Yes the plywood that the mattress rests on.. not the floor.

[airmaine]

To make sure powderpost beetles are what you have, you should also see small round holes (shotholes) where the wood dust is--they are adult beetle exit holes, where they've emerged after completing the larval life cycle. The beetles themselves are small, brownish with a roundish profile.


Kiln drying before application is the preventive method. In your case, there are a few borate salt products that can be applied, but only on unsealed and unpainted wood, as the product needs to be absorbed into the wood. Also, some of these products are restricted in some states, e.g., NY.

[JCWDCW]

I had success killing them with RAID
Can’t say if there were Eva’s that hatched later as we sold the park model
Infestation was in Ash wood from a big box store

[CampNest2019]

They are definitely the powder post beetles and I have the shot holes. I also can see the beetles. First tried cedar oil to control the beetles, but didn’t work. Next trying Bora Care. Last option is replacing the plywood.

[Ray Eklund]

Go to a lumber business.

Get a much thicker and multi ply plywood.

Bring yours into the shop as a template. The smell of a fresh builder's grade sheet of plywood smells better than your Airstream plywood... I suspect. Some places will not charge you, some might.

Save a part of the Airstream Quality plywood, frame it, hang it on your wall.

Memories are meant to be 'remembered' how well you were taken care of as an Airstream Customer.

Put several 'long steel screws' into the framed plywood, just so they stick into the plywood.

People will ask about the screws and you can explain. That is how the Warranty Issue I got was resolved.

I like that idea. I am a Neanderthal.

[CampNest2019]

Thanks folks for the responses. Any recommendation(s) on a non-wood alternative to replace the thin plywood supporting/under the bed?

[Bill M.]

Plywood is a very good choice for that application. You just got bad plywood the first time.