We sell the product Boracare and are happy to assist you with ordering and using that product. We are unable to offer advice on how to create or manufacture chemicals.
We understand that the Boracare label can be tricky to follow. The text is referring to a gallon of undiluted solution, which makes 2 gallons of finished solution, while the chart is referring to diluted solution. So, one gallon of concentrate makes 2 gallons of finished solution when diluted at a 1:1 ratio, and that total amount of 2 gallons of finished solution covers 1,600 square feet (800 per gallon of dilution).
Bora-Care will penetrate through the wood and kill any insect eating the wood no matter where they are in the wood. However, it can only be applied to raw wood so you would need to apply it to the side that is not painted. It cannot be applied to wood that is painted, stained, or sealed. If your wood is painted, stained, or sealed, then you will need to drill holes and inject Bora-Care or sand the finish off of the wood, treat with Bora-Care, and then refinish the wood
Boracare is a very viscous liquid that needs to be thoroughly mixed with warm -hot water and thinned out before application. The label states that it can be applied by sprayer or by painting or rolling the product on but we are not sure that submerging the wood in the solution will be a proper application as it should only be applied until wet and not to the point of run off or oversaturation.
Powderpost beetles can lay dormant for years in the wood and Boracare will not kill them until they are actively feeding. Even after applying a product like Boracare to all sides of the infested raw wood (ideal situation) you can often still see signs of activity of the powder post beetles for a few years after treatment. This is because the product works through ingestion so as the larvae emerge from the wood (which is whenever they are good and ready) they eat the wood on their way out and ingest it and die. No new adults will be able to leave them in any holes in the wood as again, once they ingest it they will die.
Placing treated wood in a sealed bag will not increase the speed at which this happens. If it is just one piece of furniture that is infested and you want a quicker kill, you can also contact local furniture finishers or pest control operators who may offer a heat chamber. Heating the furniture up to over 140 degrees for several hours will any pest that is inside where dormant or not.
Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate your business! You may still be able to use Boracare as you have described, depending on the rate at which you mix it. 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 mixture ratios must be used within 24 hours to prevent the product from degrading. A 1:5 mixture ratio can remain stable for up to 30 days. 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. We are not aware of another product that can be saved for later use once it has been mixed into solution. After that point most products will start to not only break down and be less effective.
Bora-Care can be applied in any temperature as long as it is not below freezing. However, the warmer the temperature the easier it will be to mix and apply the Bora-Care because of its thick consistency.
Bora-Care should only be applied to raw, natural wood. For more information on treating for powderpost beetles, please take a few moments to review our treatment article for successful eradication.
Bora-Care should only be applied to raw wood. It will not penetrate through any wood that has been pre-treated. Polyurethane is equivalent to applying paint, so the best process would indeed to be strip the finish and apply Boracare as this is the only product that will penetrate through the wood and eliminate the existing infestation and prevent future infestations.
The insulation should be removed so that the Bora-Care can be applied directly to the wood. It is safe to place back once surfaces treated are completely dry. You can foam Bora-Care into the wall voids. The insulation may soak up a bit of the applications but here is how the pros handle it: You will need to use a stud finder to locate each stud. You should then drill a hole at the top of the wall on either side of each stud and you should drill a second set of holes at the bottom of the wall on either side of each stud. You will apply the foam using the top holes and you will know the foam has successfully coated the wood when it comes out of the bottom holes on either side of the studs.
No, Boracare will not affect the romex wiring when applied to raw wood. The rate is 1:1 for an active infestation.
Bora-Care can be mixed with an impeller-type mixer that would be used with an electric drill.
Yes, the logs should be dry before applying Bora-Care.
It is best to apply Bora-Care to wood that is free from dust or other debris.
Bora-Care should only be applied to raw wood that does NOT contain epoxy, sealants, varnishes, paints, stains, etc.
For any left over mixture of Bora-Care, we recommend that you contact your local city or county sanitation department for proper disposal instructions in your area as they can vary. Your brush can be washed with soap and water or you can dispose of it as well.
Bora-Care is only available in the gallon size. Unfortunatly it does not come in any smaller quatities.
Bora-Care will only penetrate the wood it is applied to. For floor that is stained you will either have to pull it up and treat the unfinished underside or sand down the top to the raw wood and apply.
You need to be very careful about using any kind of termiticide around a body of water that contains fish or other aquatic life since most termiticides could harm the fish. If you are removing the infested pieces of wood, then you may not need any other treatment for active termites. Something you can do is to use a wood treatment on the new wood and any other raw wood on the bridge and/or the pergola. Boracare can be used on raw wood, then once the Boracare is dry, you would want to use a water sealant to protect the treatment. Be sure that you apply the Boracare away from the water so there is no runoff, overspray, etc. into the water.
