# Forum Home Renovation Sub Flooring  Termite caps on steel stumps?

## TheMalteser

Hi everyone,
When using steel posts, do you need to use 'termite/ant caps' on top of them?  I realise that termites don't eat steel (yes I'm very clever), but do you still need them in case the termites use the steel posts to reach the bearers? 
Ev

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## Optimus

You certainly do down in Victoria.. don't see why you wouldn't up there.. 
Instead of metal ant caps (they do absolutely nothing) we use a square piece of kordon on top of our stumps

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## cyclic

> You certainly do down in Victoria.. don't see why you wouldn't up there.. 
> Instead of metal ant caps (they do absolutely nothing) we use a square piece of kordon on top of our stumps

  Then this makes for an interesting pic.

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## Bros

I cant see the point of having ant caps on metal posts as the intent of the ant caps is to force the termites out into the open where they can be seen and treated.  
No where to hide on steel stumps.

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## Optimus

> I cant see the point of having ant caps on metal posts as the intent of the ant caps is to force the termites out into the open where they can be seen and treated.  
> No where to hide on steel stumps.

  You could say the same with concrete stumps.

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## Optimus

> Then this makes for an interesting pic.

  Some people just haven't caught up with the times yet. 
Also try crawling around a subfloor at that height with the ant caps sticking out at your eye level and see which one you'd prefer working with?

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## chrisp

I suspect that the ant caps are being used as a DPC on the concrete stumps.

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## Bros

> You could say the same with concrete stumps.

  Yep, it all comes back to the homeowner as it is not a set and forget unless you use some long term poison which is rare nowdays.

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## sol381

never seen ant caps on steel stumps..concrete maybe as there can be cracks where the buggers can get inside..poisons are still used very often up here.. especially perimeter sprays which should be done every couple of years..

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## NRB

I always believed that caps were a physical barrier,so if stumps are timber,steel or concrete you still needed them

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## Optimus

> I always believed that caps were a physical barrier,so if stumps are timber,steel or concrete you still needed them

  Exactly... 
How often would people crawl under a house and inspect? 
Another reason to use kordon instead of metal ant caps

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## phild01

> I suspect that the ant caps are being used as a DPC on the concrete stumps.

  No, antcaps should have dampcourse placed underneath.
Kordon, Homeguard etc is also a DPC.

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## Marc

Steel post have drainage holes from the galvanising process, concrete footing can crack. A hollow post is not termite proof and the ant cap is for visual inspection. If the termites find a way into the hollow post and out, they will encounter the cap and go around it. The cap does not stop them just forces them to build heir mud tunnel where it is more obvious. If the post is not accessible for inspection there is no much point for a cap. 
A concrete post can crack and termites will use the crack to get up the post undetected. A termite cap on a wet post will rust quick smart and the termites could chose to go through the rust holes.

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## intertd6

> No, antcaps should have dampcourse placed underneath.
> Kordon, Homeguard etc is also a DPC.

   That is incorrect the antcap is the DPC. It does have to have the correct corrosion protection though to withstand its exposure level.
with steel posts there is no need for antcaps if certain requirements are met like visual inspection barrier distances & solid concrete
inter

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## phild01

> That is incorrect the antcap is the DPC. It does have to have the correct corrosion protection though to withstand its exposure level.

  Dampcourse under the cap so the cap doesn't corrode.  Antcaps are galvanised but spot corrosion can still be a problem.  Frame movements, sand salts and condensation from pier moisture needs to be mitigated.

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## intertd6

> Dampcourse under the cap so the cap doesn't corrode.  Antcaps are galvanised but spot corrosion can still be a problem.  Frame movements, sand salts and condensation from pier moisture needs to be mitigated.

   It's overkill and not required. There's nothing stopping anyone from building uneconomically, if they do corrode in 50 years it takes less than a minute to put another one in.
inter

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## Bros

> It's overkill and not required. There's nothing stopping anyone from building uneconomically, if they do corrode in 50 years it takes less than a minute to put another one in.
> inter

   A minute to replace an ant cap?

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## phild01

> It's overkill and not required. There's nothing stopping anyone from building uneconomically, if they do corrode in 50 years it takes less than a minute to put another one in.
> inter

  It has been good practice to place dampcourse under the antcap and hardly costs anything.  It is unlikely the corrosion will be sighted except by a termite.

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## phild01

https://www.renovateforum.com/f198/w...-piers-102544/

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## intertd6

> A minute to replace an ant cap?

  once you've got your gear ready & crawled under, definitely.

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## Bros

> once you've got your gear ready & crawled under, definitely.

  Must be a great house as all the steel posts I have seen have a piece of flat welded on the top and it is bolted to the bearer and then the bearer is sitting down on the post and would require jacking so not a minute job.

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## intertd6

> https://www.renovateforum.com/f198/w...-piers-102544/

   If you're referring to the BCA reference then it is incorrect, the BCA back then refered to the standards & in particular the masonry standard, which covered  the minimum acceptable standard & use DPC & other metal items to be used in masonry, the exposure levels governed what materials should be used with the appropriate corrosion resistance if metal. I have an old copy of the standard somewhere I'll see if I can find.
inter

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## intertd6

I've done a fair bit of crawling around under old houses replacing antcaps & packing piers , you only have to jack a bearer up a couple of mm to get the old one out & the new one in. I'm talking about brick piers not steel & bolted
inter

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## Bros

> I've done a fair bit of crawling around under old houses replacing antcaps & packing piers , you only have to jack a bearer up a couple of mm to get the old one out & the new one in. I'm talking about brick piers not steel & bolted
> inter

  OK all the ones I have seen have been fitted to timber houses that have been lifted and the old wooden or concrete one replaced with gal steel and have no ant capping.

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## intertd6

A little more.
inter

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## Smurf

Pardon my lack of knowledge, no termites to worry about here in Tasmania, but I can't fathom why timber is still being used at all in this situation? 
Why aren't houses in places with these things (termites) just built with a concrete slab, double brick walls and steel framing for the roof? 
Do that and there's not a lot for them to eat apart from the skirting boards. Right? 
Just seems silly to me. Building houses out of termite food and then crawling under them looking to make sure that termites aren't eating the termite food sitting right next to where they live in the ground. There's got to be a better way surely?

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## phild01

They don't mind plasterboard cardboard.

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## intertd6

> Pardon my lack of knowledge, no termites to worry about here in Tasmania, but I can't fathom why timber is still being used at all in this situation? 
> Why aren't houses in places with these things (termites) just built with a concrete slab, double brick walls and steel framing for the roof? 
> Do that and there's not a lot for them to eat apart from the skirting boards. Right? 
> Just seems silly to me. Building houses out of termite food and then crawling under them looking to make sure that termites aren't eating the termite food sitting right next to where they live in the ground. There's got to be a better way surely?

  Because timber is cheaper.
inter

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## Shaa

Can someone please advise me where I can buy Kordon in a piece or roll? Cheers

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## cranswick

l live in Victoria in a country area, l have'nt noticed any signs of terminites but should l get a termite inspection just to be safe or am l over reacting and no need unless l notice something, l guess it something to be careful of as insurance don't cover it

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## doovalacky

You can migrate the risk by keeping vegetation and wood including mulch away from the house walls.
Construction type, ie brick walls plays a part as well to overall risk. 
Personally I pay for a barrier treatment to be done around the house every 4-5 years. Fairly regularly when doing maintenance I climb up in the roof with a bright led torch as well and do a inspection, renew the rat baits, and look for leaks.

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