we are getting a lot of rain here in Northern California, and the ants who live in our crawl space are seeking refuge. unfortunately, they’ve found a long crack at the juncture of our hardwood floor & wall in our bedroom!
we just bought our house last september and are new homeowners. what can i use to seal this crack to keep out the ants? it’s barely a milimeter in width, just enough room for these ants to get through.
thx in advance for your recommendations! we’ve got caulk, but it’ll really mess up the edge of the hardwood flooring.
Replies
You may get some answers if you post this on Breaktime--maybe even Knots, since you're talking about wood floors. I would get some Polyseamseal or Alex (not sure of spelling--acrylic/latex caulk with silicone) in a color to match the floor and cut a very small opening in the tube to caulk.
Wipe it down as you go with a damp rag to keep the stuff off the flooring and pushed into the crack.
Edited 2/21/2005 10:10 am ET by Danno
thanks so much for your suggestions!
You're welcome--hope it works for you. I've heard that powdered boric acid will kill ants, by the way. There are lots of commercial preparations too. If you ask on the "Over the Fence" forum for gardeners, I'm sure they have things to discourage ants, but blocking their entrances should work best and less "violent".
yup, you're right about the boric acid, and i'm with you about trying less violent methods first...
I'm with Danno. Use a clear siliconized latex caulk. Squeeze out a thin bead, work it firmly into the crack with a wet finger and clean it quickly with a damp sponge. It goes on white, but dries clear. You can buy this caulk for about $2.00 a tube at your big home center.
On the other hand, this is one of those situations where the ants are just a symptom of the disease. Try to eliminate the soil and moisture in the crawl space that attracted them in the first place.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
Great advice regarding addressing the real problem and not just the band-aid. Good on ya, Al!
one more vote for the caulk.. i can understand your apprehention but as long as you use latex caulk its really easy to control and clean off the excess with a damp rag..
Latex caulk shrinks when it dries so if you push it into the crack(with the damp rag) when you apply it, it should shrink in there and be pretty close to invisible once its dried.
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--> measure once / scribble several lines / spend some time figuring out wich scribble / cut the wrong line / get mad