A Paddington homeowner called us after noticing hollow-sounding damage in their engineered timber flooring. A full termite inspection confirmed live termite activity in two separate areas — one entering from beneath the outdoor veranda and tracking up the wall, under the sliding door and into the home, the other at an older external door jamb, also coming up from the subfloor. Because live termites were present, we started Stage 1: termite baiting and colony elimination, with bait installed at both confirmed activity points. At the three-week check the bait was being actively consumed — exactly what we want to see. Monitoring and replenishment continue roughly every three weeks until the colony is eliminated.
Job at a glance
| Location | Paddington, Sydney Eastern Suburbs |
|---|---|
| Reported problem | Hollow damage noticed in engineered timber flooring |
| Inspection result | Live termite activity confirmed in two separate areas |
| Activity point 1 | Beneath the outdoor veranda — up the wall, under the sliding door, into the home |
| Activity point 2 | Older external door jamb, also tracking from the subfloor |
| Treatment | Stage 1 — termite baiting and colony elimination at both activity sites |
| Bait used | Ensystex Requiem termite bait (chlorfluazuron), APVMA registered |
| Monitoring | Stations checked and replenished approximately every three weeks |
| Status | Bait actively consumed at the three-week check — program ongoing |
| Stage 2 | Preventative termite management (for example a chemical barrier) once the colony is eliminated |
The call: hollow damage in an engineered timber floor
The homeowner did what most people do — they noticed something was wrong with the floor before they ever saw a termite. Engineered timber flooring is thin on top, so when the layer underneath is being eaten the board starts to sound hollow underfoot and can flex or dip in one spot while the boards around it stay solid.
That is a classic late-stage symptom. By the time a floor sounds hollow, termites have usually been working in the building for a while, out of sight, in a damp and undisturbed void. The homeowner contacted Elite Pest & Termite Solutions and we arranged a full termite inspection rather than guessing from the one damaged area.
What the inspection found
The inspection confirmed live termite activity in two separate areas of the property. That distinction matters: a single damaged board can be old, dead damage from a colony that moved on years ago. Live activity means the colony is still feeding and still growing.
- Beneath the outdoor veranda. The entry point sat under the veranda outside. From there the termites were travelling up the wall, in behind the sliding door area, and into the home — which is how they reached the flooring the owner had noticed.
- An older external door jamb. A second area of activity was found at an older external door jamb, also running up from the subfloor.
Both points had the same thing in common: a concealed path from soil or subfloor into structural timber, with no visible evidence at eye level. This is why a full inspection is worth more than a quick look at the damaged spot — treating only the floor would have left the second entry point working away untouched.
Why this job started with baiting, not spraying
When live termites are found, the instinct is to spray what you can see. We do the opposite, and so should you. Disturbing or spraying a live termite working scatters the foragers, they abandon that gallery, and the colony simply re-routes somewhere else in the building — usually somewhere harder to find. You lose the one thing that makes elimination possible: a known, active feeding point.
Baiting uses that activity instead of destroying it. The bait matrix is a cellulose food source carrying chlorfluazuron, an insect growth regulator. It is not a knockdown poison. Foraging termites feed on the matrix and carry it back through the colony, where it is shared by mouth-to-mouth feeding and grooming. Chlorfluazuron blocks the formation of new exoskeleton, so termites cannot successfully moult. As the workers are progressively lost, the colony — including the nest you never actually find — collapses.
That is the whole point of a colony elimination program: you are not trying to kill the termites in the wall, you are trying to kill the nest that keeps sending them.
Stage 1: installing the bait at both activity sites
Bait stations were installed at both confirmed activity points — the veranda/sliding door entry and the external door jamb — and placed directly onto the live workings so the foraging termites meet the matrix without having to find it.
The stations were then sealed and left completely undisturbed. No spraying around them, no poking at them, no lifting the lid to check. Termites abandon a disturbed feeding site, and every disturbance costs weeks. Homeowners get told this at the handover for good reason: for the next few weeks, the single most useful thing anyone can do is leave the stations alone.
Three weeks later: the bait is being taken
We returned at about the three-week mark to check the stations. The bait was being actively consumed — eaten through the matrix, with live termites still working in the station. That is exactly what we want to see, and it is the first real milestone in a baiting program. It confirms three things at once: the stations are in the right place, the colony has accepted the bait as a food source, and the active ingredient is now moving back into the nest.
From here the job becomes a rhythm rather than an event. We monitor and replenish the bait approximately every three weeks, keeping a continuous food supply available so the colony keeps taking it, until activity stops and the colony is eliminated.
What happens next: Stage 2
Once the colony has been eliminated, Stage 1 is finished — but the property is not protected. Eliminating one colony does not stop the next one. Sydney's Eastern Suburbs sit on exactly the mix termites like: older homes, subfloors, retained garden beds and veranda slabs that give concealed access straight to structural timber.
So the conversation then moves to Stage 2: a preventative termite management system, such as a chemical soil barrier treated around the perimeter and at the entry points, chosen to suit how the home is built. We discuss that once the colony is confirmed eliminated, not before — applying a barrier while a live colony is still feeding can interrupt the baiting program.
Photos from this job
Click any photo to enlarge it. These are from the Paddington job itself, in order: the entry point outside, the evidence found during the inspection, the bait going in, and the three-week check.
What a Paddington homeowner should take from this
- A floor that sounds hollow or dips in one spot is a late symptom, not an early one. Get it inspected rather than watched.
- Live activity found in one room does not mean one entry point. This home had two, and the second was nowhere near the damaged floor.
- Do not spray, disturb or open up live termite workings before an inspection. It scatters the colony and makes elimination slower.
- Baiting is a program, not a single visit. Expect checks roughly every three weeks until the colony is gone.
- Killing the colony and protecting the house are two different jobs. Stage 2 is what stops the next colony.
Frequently asked questions
What does "Stage 1" termite treatment mean?
Stage 1 is colony elimination. When live termites are found, the first job is to kill the colony that is feeding on the building, using baiting rather than spraying. Stage 2 comes afterwards: a preventative termite management system, such as a chemical barrier, to protect the property from the next colony.
Why did you install bait instead of spraying the termites you found?
Spraying a live working scatters the foragers. They abandon that gallery and re-route somewhere else in the building, usually somewhere you cannot see, and you lose the active feeding point that makes elimination possible. Bait uses that activity: the termites carry it back and share it through the colony, including the nest.
How long does termite baiting take to eliminate a colony?
It is a program, not a single visit. Stations are checked and replenished roughly every three weeks and continue until activity stops. How long that takes depends on the size of the colony and how quickly it takes the bait. On this job, the bait was already being actively consumed at the three-week check.
Did the floor have to be lifted to treat it?
No. The bait was installed directly at the confirmed activity points and sealed in place, so the termites meet the matrix where they are already feeding. The aim is to eliminate the colony first; any repair to damaged timber is considered afterwards, once activity has stopped.
What is in the bait?
The bait matrix used on this job was Ensystex Requiem, an APVMA-registered termite bait whose active constituent is chlorfluazuron. It is an insect growth regulator rather than a knockdown poison: it prevents termites from forming new exoskeleton when they moult, and it is passed through the colony by the termites themselves.
How did termites get in under a sliding door?
From the soil, through a concealed path. On this property the entry was beneath the outdoor veranda; the termites travelled up the wall, behind the sliding door area and into the home. Verandas, patios, retained garden beds and paving laid against the house all create hidden access from soil straight to structural timber.
I have hollow-sounding floorboards in my home. What should I do?
Do not tap, lift or spray them. Book a termite inspection so the activity can be confirmed and traced before anything is disturbed. Elite Pest and Termite Solutions inspects and treats termites across Paddington and the wider Eastern Suburbs, and you can call 1300 313 373 for a same-day booking.
Think you have termites? Get it inspected before it gets worse.
Elite Pest & Termite Solutions is licensed (NSW 5122967) and fully insured, with termite inspections and colony elimination programs across Sydney. Fixed quote confirmed before any work begins.