Yes, Boracare MUST be diluted with warm/hot water and should be mixed prior in a large bucket prior to adding to your sprayer (Do NOT mix BoraCare directly in your sprayer) Cool water makes the mixing process difficult and can result in a clogged sprayer. View our How to Mix BoraCare Video here for a demonstration.
BoraCare is mixed at a 1:1 ratio (Water to BoraCare) for an active infestation and a 5:1 ratio (Water to BoraCare) for preventative. For example, 1 gallon of BoraCare + 1 gallon of water or 5 gallons of water + 1 gallon of BoraCare.
View the full product label for more information.
How much indicator dye you need per gallon, depends on the product label of the product you are planning to use with Bora-Care.
For example, Turf Mark Blue is used at a rate of 2 to 4 oz (59 mL to 118 mL per 100 gallons of water, 0.02 oz to 0.04 oz (0.59 mL to 1.18 mL) per gallon of water, for termiticide treatments on wood.
View the product label for Turf Mark Blue HERE.
When applied outside it is very important to seal the treatment by using a sealant material, like a Thompsons water seal to lock in the protection, otherwise it can fade due to excess moisture being absorbed into the wood. Bora-Care can only be applied to raw wood and after it is applied to wood outdoors it must be sealed. However, you could apply it each year if you wanted to, but it is not necessary if you seal it.
Boracare can be applied to any raw wood surface and finished in any way a end user needs. There is no issue with using wood glues on wood that has been treated with Boracare, however you may not have let the wood dry enough before trying to attach them together to allow the glue to form a proper adhesive to the surface. The Boracare replaces the natural moisture content of the wood with its glycols to protect it through and through. If the wood is too damp still after an application, you may not have the wood accept the glue and stick/dry as quickly as you may expect.
No, Bora-Care should not need to be reapplied if the original application is applied to all accessible wood surfaces (raw wood in bare state), allowed to dry and then sealed with a paint, stain or sealant to lock the Bora-Care application in.
Please view our Powderpost Beetle Treatment Guide for more information.
The manufacturer of Bora-Care, Nisus, has stated that there is no problem with aluminum or any other metals with a Bora-Care application. There have been over 1.5 million houses treated over the past 15 years with no reported adverse effects and Nisus, the manufacturer has done direct corrosion studies with Bora-Care and aluminum that show no corrosion. We encourage our customers to make direct applications to the wood that needs to be treated to get the best use out of Bora-Care.
No, Bora-Care can only be mixed with water and should not be mixed with any type of paint, stain or sealant. Boracare should be directly applied only to raw wood in its bare state. This will not penetrate through paint, stain or sealants therfore applications should be made prior to painting or applying any type of finish. Boracare is designed to move through raw wood and stay for the life of the wood.
Please view the full product label for more information.
Bora-Care is a one-time treatment unless the wood is removed or water conditions like exposure to rainfall or flooding weaken the treatment. If you are applying 2 coats of Bora-Care because you can only access 1 or 2 sides of the wood to be treated, then you need to wait at least 20 minutes between coats, allowing the Bora-Care to absorb before applying the second coat.
Please view the full product label for more information.
Bora-Care can be used on an raw unpainted/unstained wood that is used for building furniture including tables. Please view the full product label for more information.
You should be able to seal the wood with anything labeled for this purpose without affecting the efficacy of Bora-Care.
We do not recommend applying Bora-Care to firewood. Burning wood treated with any insecticide would release the active ingredients into the air. Burning the wood without treating with any chemical will kill anything in it.
Drying times after Bora-Care can vary depending on the thickness of the lumber, humidty and air temperatures. It’s recommended to allow 72 hours for the Boracare to completely dry before sanding, painting or staining the wood. Once the application has completely absorbed throughout the wood and dried, there should not be any sticky residue left on the surface. Lumber that is greater than 10 inches thick do require 2 applications or if only 1 or 2 surfaces of the wood can be treated.
Please refer to the Lumber Bulletin and the Bora-Care Total Wood Preservative for Use Prior to Installation of Lumber Section on page 13 of the product label for more information.
Boracare can be used on ANY raw wood that is not painted, stained, or sealed. Since it dries on clear, there should be no problem with stain, paint, or seal when you are done or while applying a clear coat finish. Please view the full product label for more information.
When applying Bora-Care to a ceiling, you can either spray or use a paint brush to make an application. If you decide to spray, you can lay a tarp down to protect the floor and any items below. If you use a paint brush to apply Boracare we would still suggest using protection for the items below. There could be a bumpy residue left which can be sanded off if needed.
BoraCare can be used anytime of year as long as the wood itself is not damp or high in moisture. To ensure your BoraCare application lasts the entire life of the wood, it is recommended to apply a water sealant, stain or paint within 30 days of the application.
The beetle activity you are seeing could be new beetles coming into the barn. We would recommend inspecting the wood inside the barn for any holes or debris to determine if there is activity inside the wood that has been treated.
If reapplication of BoraCare is determined necessary, we would suggest applying a paint, stain or sealant within 30 days to ensure the life of wood protection.
Bora-Care will last the entire life of the wood to protect against wood destroying insects, wood rot and fungi. As long as the pine siding is untreated and in its raw state, BoraCare will absorb completely throughout the wood and last the entire life of the wood when “locked” in with a water sealant, paint or stain.
For siding measuring 13/16 in (¾ inch) thick, refer to the Lumber Charts on pages 12 to 14 of the product label for linear and square foot coverage that one gallon of BoraCare will cover at the 1:1 or 2:1 ratio.
All areas that need to be treated with Bora-Care will need to be stripped and sanded prior the application for the application to be effective. All exposed areas will then need to be sealed prior to a rain event.
