Bora-Care

How Bora-Care Works

Bora-Care contains an inorganic borate salt, soluble in water, with insecticidal and fungicidal properties effective against wood destroying organisms. A patented carrier system allows Bora-Care’s active ingredient to diffuse into wood. This system makes Bora-Care more effective than products designed to treat only the wood’s surface. It is particularly suited for seasoned or kiln dried wood.

Bora-Care provides double protection by acting as both a toxicant via ingestion and a deterrent to termite tubing. This means that termites are kept out of structures, preventing wood damage. When termites or other wood-destroying insects ingest Bora-Care, the borate active ingredient poisons the microorganisms in the insects’ digestive tracks that are needed to break down the cellulose in the wood. Essentially, it causes the insects to starve to death. Insects have shown no ability to develop resistance to borates.

Bora-Care Target Pests

Wood destroying fungus, termites, carpenter ants, wood-destroying beetles such as powder post beetles

Pests Controlled With Bora-Care: Subterranean Termites (Reticulitermes, Heterotermes), Formosan Termites (Coptotermes), Drywood Termites (Kalotermes, Incisitermes), Dampwood Termites (Zootermopsis, Neotermes), Powderpost Beetles (Lyctidae, Bostrichidae), Anobiid Beetles (Anobiidae), Old House Borers, Longhorn Beetles (Cerambycidae, Hylotrupes), Ambrosia Beetles (Platypodidae, Scolytidae), Carpenter Ants (Camponotus), Decay Fungi (Rot), Brown Rot (including dry rot), White Rot, Wood Decay, Algae

Target Uses of Bora Care

Bora-Care provides prevention and control of Termites, Carpenter Ants, Powderpost Beetles and Decay Fungi. Bora-Care can be used on all cellulosic materials including wood, plywood, particle board, paper, oriented strand board (OSB), cardboard, and wood composite structural components. Since Bora-Care is applied directly to the wood, it can be used in areas where environmental contamination is of concern. The active ingredient in Bora-Care is an inorganic salt and once in place will not decompose or volatilize out of the wood. Treatment is long lasting as long as the treated material is not exposed to rain, continuous water or ground contact.

Bora-Care is most frequently used for pre-construction or post-construction preventative treatment of listed wood-infesting pests on structures. Bora-Care can also be used for remedial treatment of active infestations, such as in attics for treatment of drywood termites. Bora-Care can also be used to treat wooden items like interior trims or furniture, provided there is no stain, paint, or similar finish on the items. In addition to cellulosic materials, Bora-Care also can be used on concrete to prevent termite tubing.

ACTIVE INGREDIENT: Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (Borate) 40%

How to Apply Bora-Care

Bora-Care can be sprayed, brushed or foamed onto bare wood surfaces and voids. The product cannot be fogged. Wood treated with Bora-Care will appear darker than normal for a few days until the chemical dries in. Bora-Care will not affect the paint or staining of the wood. Wood treated with Bora-Care is non-toxic to humans and animals. Bora-Care must be diluted with hot water in a bucket and then added to your sprayer. Failure to pre-mix in a bucket will cause your sprayer to clog.

Mixing – The use of an impeller-type mixer that can be used with an electric drill aids the dilution process. Always mix in a separate container then add the solution to a spray tank. Use 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 solutions within 24 hours after mixing. 5:1 solutions will remain stable for up to 30 days. Do not leave unused solution under pressure or in tank overnight.

*Always read the product label completely before use.

YIELD:

The yield of Bora-Care varies greatly depending on use and total volume of wood to be treated (not just surface area). Typically, one gallon of concentrate at a 1:1 ratio will treat 800 square feet of a 2x4 stud wall or 500 square feet of a crawl space or attic. On non-cellulosic materials, one gallon of finished solution treats 400 square feet of surface area.

For siding and paneling, one gallon of concentrate at a 1:1 ratio will treat 800 square feet of 1” wood by spraying only one side. If siding or paneling is ½” thick, the same amount of solution treats 1,600 square feet.

*See product label and supplements for charts and worksheets to aid in calculating the amount of Bora-Care needed for your application.

Standard Application Dilution rates / Mixing Ratios for Bora-Care:

*1:1 parts water to Bora-Care – 23% - active infestations, post-construction applications; application to wood more than 4 inches thick for wood-infesting beetles or Fungi or Algae

*2:1 parts water to Bora-Care – 16% - foaming or misting application for termites or carpenter ants; hardwood floors for some wood-infesting beetles

*3:1 parts water to Bora-Care – 13% - remedial control of Fungi and Algae on wood less than 4 inches thick

*5:1 parts water to Bora-Care – 9% - most preventative or pre-construction treatments

See Remedial Injection Bulletin for an easy flow chart of ratios for existing construction treatments.

Bora-Care is for use in the following areas:

Homes, Apartments, Garages, Museums, Public and Private Institutions, Schools, Hotels, Hospitals, Kennels, Stables, Farm Buildings, Trucks, Trailers, Warehouses, Non-Food Areas of Supermarkets, Restaurants and Food Processing Plants

Surfaces: All non-food contact surface cellulosic materials including wood, plywood, particle board, paper, oriented strand board (OSB), cardboard (non-food packaging material), wood composite structural components, concrete, block, brick, metals, PVC plumbing pipes and other non-cellulosic materials found in structures.

Indoors

Use Bora-Care on new construction. For termite pretreatments, simply spray a two-foot tall continuous barrier directly to the wood using a tank sprayer or portable backpack sprayer. This includes the walls, piers, interior slab or basement walls, plumbing penetrations, pipe chases, bath traps, and any other foundation penetrations. Treating this way insures that all termite entry-points are treated. You can also use Bora-Care as a whole-house treatment for general pest protection to prevent infestations of decay fungi and wood destroying pests such as drywood termites and destroying beetles.

Remedial Wood Structure Treatment – Spray and/or inject Bora-Care solution into beetle holes, termite and carpenter ant galleries and decay pockets. Apply 1 coat of solution to the point of surface saturation to all infested and susceptible wood, paying particular attention to infested areas. Apply 2 coats to those wood members with only one or two exposed sides. Wait at least 20 minutes between applications.

Wood Flooring (Remedial Treatment) – Treat by spray, brush or roller application. Prior to application, remove any existing finish by complete coarse sanding or stripping. Use a 2:1 (water to Bora-Care) solution at a rate of approximately one gallon of solution per 500 square feet of floor surface. Two coats may be required for termite infestations, waiting at least 1 hour between applications. Moisture content must be 10% or less before applying final finish.

*Bora-Care may be applied by misting or foaming at high expansion rates into inaccessible wall voids, wall studs, and wood members. (Bora-Care cannot be used in fogging machines.) See product label for complete details.

Preventative treatment – For framed wood surfaces above ground, apply a 1:1 solution. Treat remainder of structural wood in a 5:1 solution. Concentrate application in areas susceptible to attack, to include all sills, plates, floor joists, piers, girders and subfloors. Treat all exterior wood including siding, facias, soffits, eaves, roofing, porches, decks and railing. If Bora-Care is the sole preventative treatment for subterranean termites, a 1:1 solution must be used.

Buildings on crawl spaces and basements (preventative and pretreatment) – Use a 1:1 solution and apply in a 2 foot uninterrupted band to all structural wood surfaces in crawl spaces and basements. To prevent termite shelter tubes on crawlspace walls, apply to concrete or block walls in a 2 foot band up from the ground on interior wall surfaces. Apply at the rate of one gallon to 400 square feet of surface area.

Please read the label for more instructions.

Outdoors

*Do not use to directly treat soil.

All exterior wood - DO NOT APPLY IN RAIN OR SNOW. Do not expose treated exterior wood surfaces to rain or snow for at least 48 hours after treatment. For longer performance, exterior wood surfaces will require a topcoating with a water-resistant finish such as paint or exterior stain. Apply within 6 weeks of treatment. Bora-Care must dry completely (at least 48 hours) before applying any protective topcoat.

Treatment of exterior wood surfaces less than 2 inches thick, such as decks, sheds and fences – Apply only to bare wood or to wood surfaces where an intact water repellent or finish is not present. Remove paint or finish prior to application. Apply one coat of solution to all wood surfaces. Apply two coats to heavily infested areas and to those surfaces where access is limited to 1 or 2 sides of wood members.

Exterior wood thicker than 2 inches, Logs, timbers, beams, etc. – Use a 1:1 Bora-Care solution to all surfaces. Treat bare wood only. Refer to application charts for specific sizes of logs or beams. Typically, 2 coats are required to treat round logs 10” or greater in diameter and rectangular logs larger than 6” x 12”. Wait at least 1 hour between applications.

When treating around the exterior of structures, cover and protect shrubbery and plants that may be potentially exposed to Bora-Care, since it may be phytotoxic to plants.

Bora-Care Features

*Pretreatments can be done IN ONE TRIP.  No need to worry about weather delays or pumping chemicals into the soil, crews can remain on the job site during treatment, and treatment will last for many years.

*Absorbs all the way into wood for the most complete borate treatment available.

*Dries clear, doesn’t affect future painting or staining of wood surfaces.

*Emits no VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

*Qualifies builders for LEED for Homes points as well as points in many other green building programs.

*Bora-Care is the only borate-based termiticide that is EPA-registered as a primary perimeter termite pretreatment for new construction with its own product-specific field efficacy studies.

*Bora-Care remains for the life of the treated wood, so no retreatments are necessary (provided wood is not exposed to rain, continuous water, or in contact with the ground).

Extra Tips for Using Bora-Care

*Always pre-mix in a separate container before filling spray equipment.

*Use only on raw wood materials. Bora-Care will not penetrate paint, stain, or sealants.

*Older wood boring beetle larvae and especially pupae already present in the wood at the time of treatment may occasionally emerge sometime after treatment.

*If finished surface appearance is a concern, a wood cleaner such as Mold-Clean may be used prior to Bora-Care treatment.

*The rate at which Bora-Care is absorbed varies depending on the thickness of the wood and, particularly, the moisture content of the treated wood. Higher moisture content will allow for more rapid absorption.

* An appropriate dye or colorant such as Turf Mark Blue may be added to the solution when diluting Bora-Care with water to make it easier to see where Bora-Care has been applied.

Storm and Water Damage Steps

STEP 1: Remove all wet and unsalvageable building material from the site.

STEP 2: Completely dry the remaining affected areas.

STEP 3: Spray Bora-Care according to the label application directions on all structural wood and building material, including concrete, block walls, foundation penetrations and sheet rock. Allow to dry before rebuilding.

Under ideal conditions, Bora-Care penetrates wood over a 4-6 week period and remains for the life of the wood.

Protecting Structures From Moisture and Fungi After Flooding Steps

STEP 1: Wear appropriate protective gear and make sure the electricity and HVAC are off.

STEP 2: Begin removing mud, flooded furniture, appliances, carpets, and flooring.

STEP 3: Clean thoroughly and disinfect with an appropriate EPA registered disinfectant, sanitizer and virucide like Nisus DSV.

STEP 4: Cut out sheet rock 2 feet above the highest water line to allow for proper drying.

STEP 5: Open doors and windows to begin circulating fresh air. Use fans and dehumidifiers if available.

STEP 6: Use a moisture meter to determine when wood is 19% or less moisture content.

STEP 7: Treat all exposed wood using Bora-Care with Mold-Care in a 5:1 Solution.

STEP 8: Apply termite protection with a 2 foot band treatment using Bora-Care in a 1:1 solution. Once dry, the home is ready for repair.