Bora-Care - Questions & Answers

You can use Boracare on pressure treated wood as long as there is no stain, sealant, or paint on the wood. If the wood treated with Boracare is outside exposed to the elements, then you want to apply a water sealant after the Boracare has dried.

You can certainly use Boracare on your fence. Any areas that have an active infestation of powder post beetles will need to be treated at the rate of 1:1 and all other areas where there is no activity can be used 5:1. Once the Boracare has been applied to the fence, you will need to seal/stain/paint it to keep the rain from slowly washing it away over the years. If sealed, the Boracare will last for the life of the wood after application. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

If you treat any type of raw wood like your carvings with Boracare, it will eliminate the current infestation and prevent any new ones from starting a colony in those peices in the future. You will want to mix the Boracare at a 1:1 ratio and apply either with a sprayer or paint brush to the wood-whichever is easier for you- and do 2 coats if the wood is more than 4 inches thick in any area. It can take a couple of weeks sometimes for the product to move its way all the way to the center of the piece so you may still notice activity for a length of time after treatment as the product works its way through the infested areas. Any new termites that may come along will die from ingesting the treated wood immediately. The Boracare will last for the life of the wood so long as it is protected from the outdoor elements either to where it is kept or through a paint or sealant of some sort. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

For furniture your options are limited for treatment. If the wood is in its all natural raw state without any stains or finishes on it you can use a product like Boracare. Boracare will absorb all the way into the wood and eliminate any infestation that is there and last for the life of the wood. It does not stain the wood or leave behind any visible residue, but becomes one with the wood and any insect that ingests it dies. If the furniture has a finish on it, you would either have to drill holes throughout it and inject something like the Boracare or a foam, or the option most go with, hire a company to fumigate it. Please let us know if you have any questions.

The best process would indeed to be strip the finish and apply Boracare. This is the only product that will penetrate through the wood and eliminate the existing infestation and prevent future infestations.

Boracare does not emit any VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the atmosphere. It is safe once dry. If you are concerned about eating on the wood, such as if a table is/was infested, the wood does need to be sealed before using it.

Yes, you can apply the rubberized flashing after application of BORACARE. Be sure to wait 72 hours to make the application. This will give Boracare enough time to penetrate into the wood and dry. 

Boracare is not labeled for roaches.  It would be best to use products that are specifically labeled for them, such as the ones that are found in our roach control kits.

Boracare can be used as long as the tiki hut is not over water and the wood is not sealed or stained. The ratio that you will use the product at the 1:1 ratio. You will need to inject the product into the kickout holes and then topically spray. You will need to spray all the wood. Be sure to seal the wood on the tiki hut once the product has dried completely.

If the dining table is raw wood with no paint or finish on it, yes Boracare can be used. You will use it at the rate of 1:1. This can either be sprayed on or painted on. You can also use Jecta in the holes where you have seen activity if the wood does have finish or paint on it. You must finish food-handling surfaces such as dining tables that have treated with Boracare.

BORACARE can safely be used on the board as long as you stain after it has dried.

If you are seeing white residue after applying Boracare, then there are a few possible causes. What usually happens is that either the Boracare was not mixed properly before it was applied, or too much product was applied to wood. Another possibility is that the Boracare did not have enough time to dry completely before the poly coating was applied. Typically Boracare dries in 24-48 hours. You can remove excess Boracare using soap and water, but we would try to avoid doing this unless there is clearly too much product applied. Another condition that could cause strange drying is if you are trying to apply Boracare to wood that has already been treating with paint, stain, sealant, oil, or another finish.

Yes, you can treat the same wood with the Boracare.   The previous treatment with Timbor will have no affect on the absorption. Both products are borate-based and become one with the wood after application. 

If you are able to, you can sand or strip the paint/stain off the wood and apply Boracare. If this is not an option, then you can inject a product like Jecta into the damaged areas.

Boracare can certainly be applied to a deck and it lasts for the life of the wood if it is not exposed to rain, continuous water or ground contact. The amount of time Boracare lasts in the wood will depend upon those factors. In your case, we would recommend using a sealant of some kind after the application of Boracare. 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. Boracare must dry completely (at least 48 hours) before applying any protective topcoat. If there is a current infestation, you will do a 1:1 application of Boracare. If this is just for preventative measure, you will do 5:1 application. Make sure the water is very hot when you are spraying it.

Any hand pump sprayer can be used to apply Boracare.  It is recommended to dilute the Boracare in a bucket with hot water and then add the dilution to the sprayer. If you dilute Boracare directly in the sprayer you will almost always wind up with a clogged sprayer.

If you can treat all sides of the wood when applying Boracare, that is best. However, if you can only access one side, then it would still be recommended to apply two coats of Boracare at least 20 minutes apart. If the wood is still very fresh, then it is best to let it cure for at least a few days before applying Boracare.

Keep in mind that for prevention you can dilute Boracare at the 5:1 ratio with water, per the product label.

Once the Boracare has dried you would normally put some sort of finish over it to protect the wood table from scuffs and marks, and this will help to seal in the Boracare further. After the Boracare has dried and fully absorbed into the wood, you can use the table normally with or without sealing after application.

Boracare cannot be applied to painted or treated wood even if porous. It is best to strip the wood of the paint and then apply Boracare. If you are treating for active wood boring pest and taking the paint off is not a viable option, then you can inject a product like Jecta into the damaged areas.

BORACARE when used as directed on the product label should have no negative effect on the flooring.  Bora-Care dries clear and is used for this purpose all of the time, so it is no problem to stain and seal the wood after Bora-Care has been applied.