Termites
Termite Resistant Wood

Summary: Learn the kind of lumber that is rated the most termite resistant wood. What kind of wood was used in the construction of your home?

Douglas fir, hemlock, and spruce are the most common types of wood used for structural lumber. Of these materials, Douglas fir is moderately resistant to termites, whereas the other two are not.
 
Remember that wood which is not naturally resistant to termites can be treated to make it resistant to termites. Use only "exterior grade" pressure-treated timber for areas that are exposed to weather; otherwise the chemical in the lumber may leach from the wood. Topical treatments, particularly borates that will be exposed to weather, also must have a sealer coat to stop leaching into the ground following rain. Wood rot will attract termites.

Moderately or very resistant	Moderately resistant	Slightly resistant or nonresistant
Arizona cypress	bald cypress (young growth)	alder
bald cypress (old growth)	Douglas fir	ashes
black cherry	eastern white pine	aspens
black locust	honey locust	basswood
black walnut	loblolly pine	beech
bur oak	longleaf pine	birches
catalpa	shortleaf pine	black oak
cedars	swamp chestnut oak	butternut
chestnut	tamarack	cottonwood
chestnut oak	western larch	elms
gambel oak		hemlocks
junipers		hickories
mesquite		maples
Oregon white oak		pines
osage orange		poplars
Pacific yew		red oak
post oak		spruces
red mulberry		true firs
redwood
sassafras
white oak