# Bugs in Wood - Polyurethane them in?



## shortyski13 (Jul 15, 2016)

I have some thin slices of white birch: 1/8-1/4" thick and 4" diameter. They have these really small wood boring insects in them that I'm not to fond of. I put them in my oven for 170 for probably 1.5 hours, then put them in plastic bags just before I went on vacation for a week (just in case). I'm back from vacation and it turns out the bugs lived and the woods is still fairly moist. I can put them back in the oven, but am worried that the white birch bark browning. 
In the end of this project, I will be polyurethaning over the entirety of each disk. Can I just use that to "seal" in these bugs? And will they eventually die from not being able to get out?
If not, any other suggestions?

Thanks


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

As an alternative to "cooking" wood to kill bugs (afraid it would change the character/color), I placed it in a ziplock bag and tossed it into the deep freeze for a month. Worked on my bugs 8^)

I'd be suspicious of using poly to entomb them, chances are you'll just make them angry.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

Tried that. Didn't work.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Put in a plastic bag and fumigate.


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## tomd (Jan 29, 2008)

Run it through the microwave for 2 minutes the water in their bodies will boil.


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