Borcare can be applied to untreated wood only.
No Bora-Care, like any other borate product, cannot be used on trees or plants. It is for cut lumber only. Borates will kill any living plant, shrub, grass or tree. Termites do not attack live, healthy trees. If you have termites in a tree you would need to treat the nest directly by drilling holes into the dead parts of the tree where the colony is infested. This can be done with something like Dominion 2L. Most people are primarily concerned with protecting the big investment, their home, and Dominion or or Termidor would be the best product to use for that. Termidor is the top product and can last 10 years in the soil, whereas Dominion will only last 5-7 years. It is only labeled to be used adjacent to the structure, though.
As long as the top is sealed then you can safely apply Boracare to the underside if unsealed and it will penetrate through the wood. It would be recommended to allow the butcher block to dry for 24-48 hours before using again. Any food contact surfaces treated with Boracare must have a sealant applied after the Boracare has dried.
If you have wood that you want to treat that is not already treated, painted, stained, etc., then you can apply paint, water sealant, or stain as long as a Boracare or Timbor treatment is dry. For Boracare you will usually need to wait at least 24 hours to make sure the application is completely dry. If you are treating wood that will be outside or otherwise exposed to rain and sunlight, then you should apply a water sealant to prevent the Boracare from breaking down over time.
The only way to get Boracare into a wall void would be to use it as a foam. You will need to use a foaming agent and a poly foamer. The mixing ratio is 2:1, meaning 2 parts water to 1 part Boracare. We would recommend using the high expansion formula so there is less moisture. Keep in mind Boracare can only be applied to raw wood.
Once Boracare is applied, it is recommended that you wait at least three days for the product to dry and soak through the entire piece of wood. Do not wait longer than six weeks to re-sand/stain/seal the floor.
You would indeed remove all food products from the cabinet. You would need to apply the Boracare to the raw wood, let it dry for at least 48 hours and then seal the wood with stain, paint, etc. After that has been completed you can put food products back in the cabinet.
Boracare could be used on the underside of the bed where it is not stained. It is safe when used as directed on the product label. Since you are treating a baby bed we would recommend not using the bed until the product has completely dried, about 48 hours. After that time it will be safe to use the bed again. Bora-Care is a very safe product once dry and it is considered a green product as well.
Bora-Care is a very safe product and it is considered a green product as well. Typically, it takes about an hour for the surface of the wood to dry. After application has dried completely, it should be perfectly fine for children and pets to re-enter the house. Please read the BoraCare product label for complete usage instructions. Boracare does have to be applied to raw, untreated, unpainted wood.
You could use a product called Boracare on the barrels but you would be required to seal the inside of the wine barrel after application. The red/white wine stain will not affect the application, only if it were stained with an actual wood stain or sealant.
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.
Undiluted Bora-Care should be used within three years of the date of purchase. Once diluted, Bora-Care should be used immediately. Bora-Care that is left for more than a few hours after it has been diluted will start to separate from the water and will be impossible to get back into a proper diluted form.
It is recommended that you keep pets and children out of the area treated with Boracare until the product has dried completely and any odor has dissipated.
It would be recommended to complete any sanding/planing before applying Boracare.
Boracare will not be absorbed into wood that is stained or treated. If the wood is stripped down to the bare, exposed wood, then you could apply Boracare before re-painting or re-staining the wood. If this is not possible, then you may want to consider having a local pest control company fumigating the piece of furniture to kill any existing insects in it.
It is important to keep pets and/or animals out of the area while Boracare is being applied. Once the product has dried completey, it is safe for individuals or pets to return to the area.
No, there are no fumes that will come out of a crawl space.
No, Boracare is not labeled for carpenter bees.
For carpenter bees, we would recommend using our Carpenter Bee Kit. It has everything inside of it to do a complete treatment for bees.
Please also check out our Carpenter Bee Guide for wonderful tips on how to treat and prevent them in the future.
