Yes bed bugs can easily live & hide in your furniture, bed frames & head boards. Especially in joints, cracks, and beneath surface coatings. Unlike termites, they don’t burrow into wood but instead use gaps to remain hidden during the day.

Bed bugs are well known to be night crawlers that like to hide during the day, making wooden bed frames and furniture ideal hiding spots. While bed bugs do not feed on wood, they can easily squeeze into any tiny gaps, cracks  waiting for their next meal. Understanding their behavior, how to spot them, and the best ways to remove them is key to eliminating an infestation effectively.

Signs of Bed Bugs in Wooden Bed Frames & Furniture

If you suspect there are bed bugs in your house and are hiding in your wooden furniture, look for these key signs:

• Dark Spots: Bed bug shits appear as black or brown spots along wood.
• Shed Skins: As they grow, bed bugs shed their skins and drop it as they walk along, which may be found near hiding spots.
• Eggs & Nymphs: Tiny white eggs and small nymphs (baby bed bugs) may be present in crevices.

How to Find Bed Bugs in Wood

Bed bugs hide in cracks, joints, and screw holes in wooden furniture. To inspect, use a flashlight and a thin tool (such as a credit card) to probe small gaps. Look under drawers, behind headboards, and along baseboards. If you have any shelves made out of wood they can hide in their as well.

How to Remove Bed Bugs from Wooden Furniture

0. Get rid of the furniture 

• The easiest, simplest and most effective option is to get rid of the furniture as a whole. If you think your bed board is infested with bed bugs the easiest way to deal with it is to get rid of it.
• If the infestation is severe, throwing away the furniture may be the best option.

1. Vacuum 

• Use a vacuum with a crevice tool to remove bugs from cracks.

2. Apply Heat Treatment

• Bed bugs die at temperatures above 50°C (122°F).
• Use a steamer to treat furniture, the bed and everywhere you think bugs are. Wash everything with the hottest temperature set in the washer & dryer.

3. Chemical Treatments

• Apply bed bug insecticides or diatomaceous earth to cracks and apply it on the floor around the apartment so bugs will step on it and die.

Preventing Bed Bugs in Wooden Furniture

• Seal Cracks & Joints: Use wood filler, calking or plaster to eliminate any crack, seal, opening that can allow the insect to crawl into spaces.
• Regular Inspections: Check furniture regularly, especially second-hand items

Final Thoughts

Bed bugs can and do live in wooden furniture, but early detection and proper treatment can prevent a major infestation. If you suspect bed bugs in your bed frame or wooden furniture, take action immediately to remove them and prevent their return.