We recommend doing the treatment with the Fipronil or Altriset first, waiting 90 days and then following up with the Boracare. This will allow the termites to go back to the colony with the active ingredient on their body and pass it around the colony causing the entire colony to collapse. If you treat with Boracare first, you risk only killing the termites present and not getting rid of the entire colony.
Since all surfaces of the wood need to be treated, we would recommend you remove any item that is blocking the application from reaching the wood. You should drill through any layered beam to get the solution all the way to the next beam when necessary.
Boracare will only penetrate up to 8 inches with 2 applications done at the ratios listed on the product label, depending on if you are treating for an active infesation or prevention as well as the type of wood it is being applied. Applying multiple times would not make it penetrate any deeper. You should do your best to only mix enough solution for the job you are doing that day to prevent having to discard any solution. Any unused solution can be dumped out right up against the foundation of the structure taking care not to get it on plants.
Wood just needs to be dry before applying Bora-Care. There is no specifics on the time of day it should be applied. As long as you are not expecting rain in the next 48 hours. It can take up to 48 hours for it to dry after application. It should dry clear when mixed as directed and would not affect stain once dry.
Yes it is completely safe to use Boracare in the home on exposed studs as long as only the applicator is in the area while the product is being applied, and until the surface of the studs has dried. This could be as little as a couple of hours or as much as a day depending on how heavily you applied the product.
Boracare cannot be used in misting equipment but could be used in foaming equipment, and we carry a few types. The Foamer Simpson or Chapin Poly Foamer would be able to be used along with a foaming concentrate like the ProFoam. Once foamed it will only penetrate the wood that it touches, so be sure applications are made directly in areas that contact infested wood or wood you are wanting to protect. If foaming wall voids would not contact the wood you need to treat you will need to drill into the wood and inject following the instructions on the product label.
BORACARE can take up to 72 hours to dry. We would recommend to try and wait longer than 24 hours to seal up the wall. This will allow for the product to better soak into the wood. Since Boracare alone does not treat for mold if you seal up moisture, mold could be a concern.
Boracare contains borate, a form of Boron, that is different than boric acid products. Borate products are water soluble and are used in wood treatments as it can penetrate into the wood and/or used as a dust if using Timbor. Boric acid (dust) is not water soluble and is only for crack and crevice treatments. Both forms are not repellent but when dealing with subterranean termites Boracare is not the best product to use as it will only kills the termites that physically ingest the wood. This can cause the termites to start dying off quickly which sends a signal to the queen below ground that the area is bad and this can cause them to move to another location that is possibly untreated or inaccessible. It is a great product for Drywood Termites which are all in the wood they are infesting. When dealing with subterranean it is best to use a product like Termidor SC or Dominion which will be a slow kill and have a transfer effect so that it can kill the entire colony below ground.
If BoraCare is oversprayed onto vegetation, it is possible the plant(s) will die. It is recommended to prevent overspray by using tarps to cover the area, spraying on a non-windy day, at least 10 feet away from edible vegetation, and avoiding runoff to these areas. Any edible vegetation that comes into contact with this product should be discarded. Please be sure to review the product label for more information.
We would recommend giving the Bora-Care at least 24 to 48 hours to dry completely. Factors that could prevent the Boracare from drying complete within that time frame include applying to finished or treated wood, failing to mix the product completely before application, mixing too much Boracare concentrate for the amount of water (less than 1:1 dilution), or extreme weather conditions such as a very cold or humid environment. If the wood is very old and the moisture content is very low, that would also prevent the Boracare from absorbing as quickly or easily. If you applied the Boracare to raw wood surfaces, then it should eventually dry. It is common to continue to see some beetle activity after Boracare application since the Boracare cannot completely prevent dormant beetles from emerging. If you still have concerns about the texture after several days, you can also give Nisus (the manufacturer) a call for assistance at 800-264-0870.
