Bora-Care - Questions & Answers

Bora-Care should not be taking that long to dry.  Typically it only takes 24 hours.  Usually when this is the case, it means that too much was applied to the wood.  This may or may not be the case.  We would like you to call the manufacturer, Nisus, as they are the true experts on their own product and can better troubleshoot your situation.  You can reach them at:  Nisus: 800.264.0870

We recommend that you contact Nisus, the manufacturer of Boracare, as they are the experts on their own product and they may have the specific information you are seeking. You can reach Nisus by calling 800-264-0870.

Bora-Care would definitely be what you want to use.  You can lay the boards out, spray or paint on the Bora-Care solution, flip the board and treat the other side, and then stack it.  Should not be an issue.  How for the bora-care goes depends on the thickness of the wood.  Please see page 10 of the bora-care label.  Table A on page 10 will tell you how many lineal feet of board the bora-care will treat based on thickness. The table tells you how many lineal feet a DILUTED gallon will treat.  Since you mix Bora-Care 1 gallon to 1 gallon of water which makes 2 gallons of diluted solution, you will double the figure shown.  For instance, it says if you have 2 x 4 wood it will treat 600 lineal feet.  You will double this amount so you will be able to treat 1200 lineal feet of 2 x 4.

First identify them as either Subterranean or drywood termites. If drywood termites Boracare is usually chosen if you need to protect the wood for long term control of wood infesting pests. Boracare penetrates into untreated wood and will eliminate current infestations of termites and it will prevent infestations of termites, carpenter ants, powderpost beetles and wood destroying fungus when used as directed on the Product Label. If Sub-termites you may want to use a termite foam such as Termidor Foam.

If you are having subterranean termite activity, boracare is not the product you need to use. You need to treat the home with a product like Termidor and trench around the foundation. You can see all the instruction for how a homeowner would kill and prevent infestations on their own with the Termidor in our instructions for How To Do A Termite Treatment. Boracare is only to be used on wood in its raw natural state and applying it to mulch would not repel the termites nor would it stay in the mulch very long being exposed to the outdoor elements. The termites were undoubtably attracted to the home because of the mulch as it is a prime environment for them to thrive in a heavily moisture containing wood area. We always discourage home owners from using mulch around the house and if you must use it, you need to keep a 6 inch barrier of just dirt between the foundation of the home and where the mulch starts. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Boracare is a viscus solution so it could have the potential to clog your sprayer. Please contact the manufacturer Nisus at 800-264-0870 to verify Boracare will not clog your specific sprayer.

You will need to either open the wall completely and spray or paint the studs with the mixed solution of Boracare, or use a termite injection tool to inject it directly into the wood. Another option would be to use an expanding foam like Termidor Foam or Premise Foam to drill holes on either side of the studs and inject it in to run down and expand around the stud, or drill holes into the studs in search of the galleries they have eaten away and shoot the foam into these spots for direct treatment. If you have drywood termites these treatment methods should get rid of the entire colony in the wall. If you have subterranean termites you will need to do a trench treatment to properly eliminate the infestation and protect your home. You can see the directions and products needed to complete the treatment in our article called How To Do A Termite Treatment. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Boracare would be a great option for any exposed raw wood surfaces as it will last for the life of the wood and is not in direct shot of rain. However, if you are dealing with subterranean termites, which it sounds like by your reference to mud tunnels, you would need to treat the soil around the base of the structure to eliminate the colony as the Boracare will not get rid of the ones in the ground. Termidor is the number one product on the market for termite control and will eliminate both the termites currently in the soil around the structure and inside the structure, but will also protect it from any future infestations for at least the next 10 years. You can see our article on How To Do A Termite Treatment for the steps you would take to eradicate the colony and protect your structure without having to lift it higher from the ground. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Drywood termites are usually very localized and can be treated by removing the infested wood and replacing it. If you choose to keep the wood you will need to treat it with a product such as Boracare. The wood must be unpainted, unstained or untreated. If the wood has been painted, stained or treated in any way you will need to sand it down to apply a product such as Boracare. Boracare will penetrate into the wood to kill existing termites. After 72 hours the wood should be sealed to sela in the boaracare. Boracare will then last the life of the wood.

Boracare should only be used to prevent carpenter ants. We do not recommend using it to treat a current infestation. Once the ant gallery has already been establsihed Boracare will not be very effective.  You can treat the current infestation by using carpenter ant bait or by direct treating with aproduct like Phanotm  Aerosol or Termidor Foam.

We really cannot guess what the insect may be. We recommend either trying to gather a sample of the pest for a pest ID or calling a pest control operator in to give a free or low cost inspection to help you make the pest ID. Once you know for sure what pest you have, you can choose the correct treatment method.

The best product we recommend to use for wood boring insects is Boracare. Boracare will penetrate up to 4in into raw untreated wood. The active ingredient in Boracare 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.

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.

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.

Subterranean termites and dry wood termites are two very different insects that require two very different treatments. We recommend that you get your termite infestation identified before you select a treatment method to be sure you are choosing the proper treatment method. Here two articles that can help you learn the differences between the two types of termites: Drywood Termites or Subterranean Termites. If you are still unsure after reading the articles you can always call in a professional company. Almost all termite companies will offer a free inspection and they will tell you what type of termites you are dealing with and how they recommend treating for the. At that point you can choose to hire them or do it your self. Termidor SC is the top termite product on the market. Termidor is completely undetectable by termites and once termites touch it they contact, ingest and spread the termiticide until it eliminates the entire colony. Termidor controls all types of termites including Subterranean, Formosan, and Drywood termites though the application method will be different for each type of termite. Both Termidor SC and Bora-Care are able to be shipped to California. We offer fast, free shipping. Please let us know if you need anything else. 866.581.7378

Bora-Care will only work on completely raw natural wood with no stains, paints or finishes on it. If the feet of the furniture are in the natural untreated state, then you can apply Bora-Care to them. You will want to take the furniture outside to treat or put on a surface that will prevent the Bora-Care from getting on other surfaces as the wet version is very thick. Once the application dries into the wood, it will not come out of the wood and get on the carpet and will leave no visible residue on the wood. Only the wet mixture could potentially cause damage to the carpet if sprayed.

Nisus recommends on the Bora Care product label that applicators use goggles, respirator, protective clothing, and chemical resistant gloves.

If you are dealing with drywood termite the best product for treatment in an attic whether for eliminating a current colony or just as prevention, would be the Boracare. Boracare can be applied with a paint brush or sprayer directly to any raw natural wood surface to protect the surface for the life of the wood. The Boracare will soak in and penetrate the wood to treat it as a whole and will not be removed unless consumed by an insect or the wood itself is removed from the home.

Boracare needs to be mixed and diluted with water no matter how much or little you are using. So if you only need a few ounces, mix 1 or 2 ounces of Boracare with 1 or 2 ounces of hot water. As long as you keep the dilution at the correct rate you can mix up as little or as much as needed.