Physical Barriers

Physical barrier treatments attempt to isolate the termite colony from the building under attack so that the termites only method of entry is over a designated perimeter inspection zone. In practice, termites will avoid constructing shelter tubes up the side of walls unless provided with ample water or additional shelter, so physical barriers provide a least-toxic means of termite management for new buildings.

A penitration protection using membrane

Strip Shielding
Metal ant caps are often seen on the tops of stumps under suspended timber floors. These don't actually prevent termite attack. However, if installed properly, the termites will have to construct an obvious mud tube over the cap to penetrate the building. These tubes are easily identified during an inspection. Similarly, metal sheeting is often used through brick piers and masonry walls to force termites to the outside.

Granite Aggregate
Crushed granite of a particular particle shape and size range, is also used as a physical termite barrier. The termites are unable to penetrate the granite as the particles are too large and heavy for them to move. Granite is most often used with concrete slabs where it is applied around pipes and behind the lower bricks at the building perimeter.

Stainless Steel mesh
Marine grade stainless steel mesh may also be used as a physical barrier to termites. The size of the mesh openings is small enough to prevent the termites passing through. Mesh is commonly glued to slabs and masonry and may be also be used around pipes through slabs.

Chemically Impregnated Sheets
Presently only one type of chemically impregnated sheet is used in Victoria. It consists of deltamethrin applied to a geotextile which is sandwiched between two layers of polythene. Deltamethrin acts as a repellant, preventing termites chewing through the barrier. If the barrier is broken termites may gain access to the building.

Where possible, it is preferable to control colonies before installing remedial barriers