In order to get the best results, Bora-Care needs to be applied to raw wood and at least one full side of the wood that needs to be treated in order for it to be absorbed, treat and protect the wood. If it's just squeezed into the cracks and crevices the treatment will not be effective because most of the solution will be left on the painted/stained wood. If you would like to spot treat, then you can spot treat the areas of activity with Jecta, which is a ready to use form of Bora-Care, but you would have to drill into the wood to make the treatment.
Bora-Care penetrates faster when applied to all sides and you get a more complete application, but if you can only apply to one side it can still penetrate up to 4 inches with 1 application.
The idea when actively treating for mold and wood boring pests is to treat the termites first with Bora-Care at a 1:1 ratio and then come behind that and treat with Bora-Care with Mold Care at the 1:5 ratio. Per the manufacturer, this can be done in back to back days.
Yes, Boracare can be applied in your garage. It will not affect metal or wiring.
Bora-Care should be sprayed on all exposed sides of the raw, unfinished wood that you’re trying to protect. If will not absorb properly into adjacent wood that has not been treated.
Bora-Care will not work for carpenter bees. For carpenter bee control, we recommend our Carpenter Bee Control Kit.
Bora-Care can be sprayed in a non-ventilated area but we do recommend wearing a respirator mask in that case.If there is a humidity issue already, we recommend fixing that problem first with a Dehumidifier if the situation calls for one. If there is a risk of mold, you can treat first with Bora-Care, at a 1:1 ratio, and after at least 48 hours you can treat with Bora-Care with Mold-Care, at a 5:1 ratio, to treat or prevent mold.
One gallon of Bora-Care will treat approximately 100 lineal feet of 2 x 4 stud wall. You would want to make sure the product has completety dried before restacking. This can typically take up to 48 hours
Bora-Care can only be applied to raw wood that has not been painted, stained or sealed. You would need to sand the wood down to the original raw state before applying.
Bora-Care is only for use on cut timber not currently still growing.
Termites do not attack live, healthy trees. If the tree has been damaged by termites it would be advisable to remove the tree. They are natures recyclers so they go after dead/decaying wood more with high moisture content as well. Most people are primarily concerned with protecting the big investment, their home. Please take a moment to read over our article on "How to do a Termite Treatment" for complete details. In most cases, termites out in the yard are completely normal and can be left alone. However if in non fruit bearing trees and you can locate and directly spot treat the nest in the tree you can use something like Termidor SC after drilling into the gallery to be sure you are making contact where they are actively are.
Boracare can be applied to concrete, however, it would be best to treat the wood itself before it is stained or finished. Treating the slab only would not offer the same protection.
Sawdust from Boracare treated wood would be no more toxic that untreated wood, though you should avoid breathing in either. You should cut the wood to the final size before treating with Boracare. You do not want to waste the product on wood that will not be used and as Boracare can take up to 30 days to completely penetrate.
Boracare is only able to penetrate into raw, untreated, unstained or painted wood therefore it would not penetrate into plywood with varnish on it. You will need to sand down to the raw wood or pull up the flooring to expose the unvarnished underside and treat that.
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.
When treating an active infestation, Bora Care should be used at a 1:1 ratio on raw wood. It appears that the product may not have been applied at the correct rate to get control of the active infestation. Please be sure to review the product label for more information and complete application instructions. Also, please take a moment to review our Powderpost Beetles article here for more information on this pest. Boracare will last for the life of the wood but will only kill the beetles that are active and feed on the wood so you can still see activity as they can lay dormant for years until conditions are right for the young to hatch and become active.
You will want to use a slower spray to apply Bora-Care, as the product needs time to coat the wood and not have excess runoff.
