Hardwood flooring damage
If you are installing hardwood flooring here's a suggestion: Flooring material is sometimes infested with lyctid powderpost beetles when it arrives on the job site. Despite claims to the contrary, this can occur even if the flooring stock has been kiln-dried. Kiln-dried wood can become infested if stored improperly and exposed to an active beetle infestation.
To help stop a potential infestation have the flooring stock treated with sodium borate before installation. Borate solution should be applied to the unfinished back and to the tongue and groove edges. Borate solution can be mixed yourself and applied with a small brush or paint roller.
After the solution dries the wood will be impregnated with borate which will prevent beetle larvae from boring into the underside, or edges, once the floor is installed. The top side is protected by the finish applied to this surface. Don't get the wood too wet as the flooring may warp, and allow it to dry completely before installation. This procedure won't stop beetles already in the wood floor from emerging but it might stop, or slow, an infestation from growing.
See our hardwood flooring page for more details.