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Bora-Care - Questions & Answers

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Bora-Care
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Displaying 741 to 760 (of 788 questions)
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  • Asked by William
    06/18/2011
    Q
    Can food coloring be added to Bora-Care rather than Turf Mark for an inexpensive temporary "marker"?
    I am trying to keep costs down and will not need much. That quart of Turf Mark would be a waste, but I would like to know where I have been for a few days at least.
    A
    Some of our customers have used this method, but it does not stay in the wood as long as the turf mark blue will and the color is not as bold.  But it is an option although you do need quite a bit of food coloring from what our customers have said.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    21 of 25 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by William
    06/10/2011
    Q
    Can Bora-Care be used on "pressure-treated" wood if it is not painted, or stained?
    A

    Yes, Boracare can (and in many instances MUST) be used on pressure treated wood.  As a termite barrier under Section VI of the label it is required to be applied twice to exterior wall sill plate and that is always pressure treated.  
    All pressure treated wood that is cut or drilled MUST have a field treatment or end cut application in order to meet building code (including sill plate in a home - see IRC 2016 and AWPA Standard M4). 

    It is also  useful to treat pressure treated wood as the heartwood is not treated properly by pressure treatment (especially refractory species such as Douglas fir, and the transition wood of pine decking is often the first to rot out and will greatly benefit from a treatment with Boracare with Moldcare at 5 years (see Lloyd et al., 2013).

    Posts, piles and poles also have the heartwood issue and can be treated but this is often best done with Jecta.

    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    144 of 158 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Jon
    06/06/2011
    Q
    How long does Bora-Care take to dry on wood surfaces?
    Hi, What's the normal drying time after applying Bora-Care before you can touch and paint any of the treated wood areas? Also, how many applications of Bora-Care should you apply to any bare wood surfaces in order for Bora-Care to sink deep into the wood you're treating so that it can protect from all future infestations and or any existing infestation that might be current? Thank you!
    A
    You should allow areas treated with Bora-Care to dry for 24-48 hours before touching or painting them. Most applicators apply two coats of Bora-Care for best results.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    111 of 118 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Define
    05/26/2011
    Q
    How long does Bora-Care need to kill an active powderpost beetle infestation?
    I treated reclaimed oak with Bora-Care and am still seeing dust piles on the wood two weeks later. I used a 1:1 mixing ratio and soaked the lumber. Do I need to apply more than once?
    A
    It depends on the thickness of the wood and the moisture content of the wood.  Powder Post Beetles can be very deep into the wood.  Bora-Care can take up to 30 days or more to penetrate all the way through a piece of wood and this will vary depending on how thick the wood is and the moisture content.  So 2 weeks has definitely not been long enough.  You should only need two coats if the wood you were treating was thicker than 8 inches.  You should give it at least another 3 weeks, and even then it could take a little longer if the beetles are all the way in the center of the wood.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    90 of 97 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Kevin
    05/13/2011
    Q
    How do I rid my home of drywood termites?
    A
    If you see droppings then there are "kick out"holes which you should be able to find on the wood where the termites that are inside the wood are kicking out their pellets onto the floor.  This will help you zero in on the wood that you are treating. 

    Both Termidor SC (fipronil for termites) and Bora-Care will work, but Bora-Care is typically the better one to use for this situation.  Termidor is not a wood treatment product, so for it to work you have to drill holes EXACTLY where the termites are and it has to touch the termites to work.  If you miss where they are, it will not work.  Also, Termidor does not really have any residual in the wood, so after you treat inside the wood with Termidor and it dries, that wood is exposed for future termite and beetle infestations.

    Termidor: http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/termidor-sc-p-184.html

    Bora-Care is usually the preferred choice if most of the wood is exposed and it is raw wood you are treating, meaning it is not painted, stained, or sealed, it is just normal wood.  Bora-Care is made only for wood, and you do not have to know exactly where the termites are for it to work which is a plus.  Bora-Care is sprayed evenly over all exposed surfaces of the wood and actually penetrates through the entire piece of wood.  When the termites in the wood try to consume the wood after it has been treated, they ingest the Bora-Care with the wood and die.  No matter where they are in the wood the Bora-Care will find them as long as you treated the exposed wood that you can see.  The other main benefit is that Bora-Care stays in the wood forever, so you will not have to worry about termites or beetles infesting the wood that you treated ever again.

    Bora-Care:  http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/boracare-p-100.html

    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    23 of 24 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Jen
    05/12/2011
    Q
    Can I use this on hardwood floors on the inside of my home?
    Including stairs
    A
    You can use Bora-Care on any raw wood inside or outside your home, including hardwood floors.  However, it can only be applied on raw wood.  You CANNOT apply Bora-Care to any wood that is painted, stained, or sealed.  So unless your hardwood floors are unfinished, you cannot spray them with Bora-Care.  If your flooring is already finished with a stain and sealant, then you either have to sand off the finish and the re-finsh after applying Bora-Care, or you can drill holes into the infested pieces and inject Bora-Care.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    5 of 6 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Dvorah
    05/04/2011
    Q
    Can we actually use a do it yourself treatment against Drywood termites? If so how?
    We see no evidence inside the home, but the professionals saw droppings in wood that is attached to the outside of our home.
    A
    Both Termidor and Bora-Care are good for treating drywood termites.  They do it in different ways though.  Termidor is considered to be one of the best treatments around, however it is typically meant for subterranean termites and it is poured into the ground.  When using Termidor to treat drywood termites you have to drill holes into the wood and get the Termidor directly into the void where the termites are for it to work. Termidor will not penetrate through the word, you have to get it in the right place.  Also, Termidor does not have any long term protection qualities in the wood.  Bora-Care is a wood treatment product and will penetrate through the wood. When applying Bora-Care you do not have to get it directly where the termites are.  You would typically just spray it on the surface of the wood and the Bora-Care will penetrate through the wood and kill the termites inside.  Also, since Bora-Care is a wood treatment product, it will stay in the wood forever and protect it forever.  The down side is that Bora-Care can only be applied to normal raw wood.  It cannot be applied to wood that has been painted, stained, or sealed.  So, if you are exposing the studs or normal wood anywhere on the house or replacing any wood then usually Bora-Care is what you want to use since it will protect the wood long term.  If you have an infestation in wood that is painted and you will not be replacing it, then typically you would drill holes into the wood and use Termidor
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    50 of 57 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Matt
    04/28/2011
    Q
    How would I apply Bora-Care to a localized wood termite infestation under exterior stucco?
    The wood above a window is infested (droppings are visible on the interior sill). We can't go through the inside because the wall is covered with rock so need to go through the exterior stucco. How much would I need to use and how would I inject it?
    A
    The only way to get the Bora-Care into the area where the termites are would be to drill holes through the stucco into the studs or through the window trim.  We suspect maybe they are in the window trim based on your description.  Since Bora-Care can only be applied to wood that is not painted, stained, or sealed,  you have to drill a hole into the center of the window trim and inject Bora-Care by using a sprayer or some other method  that might be available to you to get the product through the drill hole.  Or you can remove the wood or stucco to get into the interior of the wall, but this is usually not a feasible step in the process.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    10 of 10 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Thomas
    04/21/2011
    Q
    Do borate treatments leave a visible residue?
    A
    It depends.  We have two main borate treatments.  One is Timbor, which is a powder that you mix with water.  Timbor will leave a white residue because it is a powder.  The best wood treatment borate product on the market is Bora-Care which is made by the same company that makes Timbor.  Bora-Care is the preferred choice because it not only penetrates deeper into the wood and lasts longer, for the life of the wood, but it also dries clear so you can easily paint, stain, or seal whatever it is you are treating.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    4 of 5 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Brian
    04/18/2011
    Q
    How long do I have to wait to stain a log home after applying Bora-Care?
    A
    You should wait at least 48 hours after the application of Bora-Care before applying stain.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    2 of 2 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by P.
    04/15/2011
    Q
    I would like to apply Bora-Care to the wood piers on my house.
    The piers are 8 inches thick and were treated when originally installed 40 years ago. How many coats will I need? Can the piers be stained afterward? The house sits up on piers that are 10 feet tall.
    A
    You do not need two coats of Bora-Care unless the piers are more than 10 inches thick.  You should mix at a ratio of 1 gallon of Bora-Care to 1 gallon of water.  You can paint, stain, or seal after the Bora-Care has had at least 24 hours to dry.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    1 of 2 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Ferdinand
    04/12/2011
    Q
    Can I spray Termidor SC on the wood studs to prevent wood from getting termites?
    I want to use a termite spray inside the wall on the wooden studs before the wall is closed with insulation and drywall to prevent it from getting termites etc. But till now I see that Termidor is one of the best spray but I read that it can only be used outside. PS. I'm building a extra room inside my porch and I want to treat all the walls (studs) with a termite spray.
    A
    Termidor SC will not penetrate wood and the residual left behind will only last for about 6 weeks at most. You need to use Bora-Care for your application. Bora-Care will penetrate several inches in to the wood and it will last for the life of the wood.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    68 of 70 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Doug
    04/07/2011
    Q
    How do I treat the wall next to my concrete patio?
    My concrete patio butts up next to my home. We have a crawl space, so do I treat in the crawl area only or what?? The termites have come up into the house on the patios cold joint.
    A
    Bora-Care is a great product to treat your crawl space with, however if these are live subterranean termites then Bora-Care may not be the best option.  Termidor can be used inside the house as a spot treatment and in the ground.  Termidor and Bora-Care are for two different treatments.  Termidor is meant for the soil, but can be used on wood as a spot treatment.  The main benefit of Termidor is that the termites will take it back to the colony under the ground and kill the colony at the source.  Bora-Care is a wood treatment product only, but it will not take care of the termite colony below the soil; it will only kill the termites that are in the wood.  So, you treat with Bora-Care later down the road in your crawl space since that wood is exposed and easy to get to, but you would want to wait until after you have treated this termite colony with Termidor, since Termidor will kill the termites at the source.  You should follow the instructions in our How To Do A Termite Treatment article paying close attention to the section about drilling holes, which is what is required on a patio.  You can also inject Termidor into the wall void by drilling a hole from the inside where you think they are.  You just have to touch a few termites with the Termidor for it to work.  Termidor can take up to 90 days to kill the entire colony depending on the colonies size. 
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    3 of 3 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Wayne
    03/28/2011
    Q
    Can BoraCare be sprayed with a paint sprayer (Wagner for example)
    A
    Bora-Care should be applied by a hand pump sprayer or painted on as suggested on the label.  Bora-Care is a very thick product and when applied through fine nozzles like a mister or a paint sprayer, it has been known to clog the nozzles on these sprayers.  It is meant to be applied through larger openings in hand pump sprayers or painted on.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    7 of 8 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Susan
    03/19/2011
    Q
    Can Bora-Care be used on painted furniture?
    A
    No. Bora-Care can only be used on unfinished or stripped furniture.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    2 of 2 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Susan
    03/19/2011
    Q
    How can I treat painted rocking chairs for powderpost beetles?
    These are very nice, made from reclaimed oak and now beetles are causing sawdust can they be treated since painted?
    A
    The only way to treat the chairs with an insecticide is to strip the paint and apply a product called Bora-Care. If that is not an option you can check with local pest control companies to see if they offer a fumigation chamber or heat chamber that would be the correct size to treat the chairs.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
  • Asked by B.
    02/21/2011
    Q
    What is the shelf life of Bora-Care?
    A
    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.
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    113 of 117 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Kate
    02/14/2011
    Q
    I have a 100 year old home with log joists in my crawl space and basement that are about 6" to 8" in diameter.
    Will spraying Bora-Care as termite (and powder post beetle) treatment be adequate? Or would you recommend drilling and injecting Bora-Care into the logs? If so, at what spacing? How much in each injection? Also, I have evidence of both termite and powder post beetle damage (inactive). Would you recommend spraying the entire crawl space and basement ceilings, rather than just around the edge as recommended for termites?
    A
    You do not need to drill holes into any beams, but you should treat the entire crawl space.  Most people end up doing that for adequate protection because termites and beetles can travel inside the wood away from the perimeter.  One application of Bora-Care is usually enough, but if you have 8" beams, then you would probably want to do a second application only on the larger beams since anything over 8" thick requires two treatments.  Typically one gallon of Bora-Care will treat up to 500 square feet of surface sub-floor in the crawl space mixing it 1:1 (1 gallon of Bora-Care with 1 gallon of water).
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    4 of 4 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Michael
    02/12/2011
    Q
    Termidor vs. Bora-Care - Which one should I use for dry wood termites?
    I have dry wood termites in my home, and I am wondering if i should use Termidor or Bora-Care?
    A

    Since you have droppings then that means dry wood termites is your issue and you probably live in CA or FL.  If you see droppings then there are "kick out"holes which you should be able to find on the wood where the termites that are inside the wood are kicking out their pellets onto the floor.  This will help you zero in on the wood that you are treating. 

    Both Termidor SC (fipronil for termites) and Bora-Care will work, but Bora-Care is typically the better one to use for this situation. Termidor SC is not a wood treatment product, so for it to work you have to drill holes EXACTLY where the termites are and it has to touch the termites to work.  If you miss where they are, it will not work.  Also, Termidor SC does not really have any residual in the wood, so after you treat inside the wood with Termidor SC and it dries, that wood is exposed for future termite and beetle infestations.

    Termidor: http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/termidor-sc-p-184.html

    Bora-Care is usually the preferred choice if most of the wood is exposed and it is raw wood you are treating, meaning it is not painted, stained, or sealed, it is just normal wood.  Bora-Care is made only for wood, and you do not have to know exactly where the termites are for it to work which is a plus.  Bora-Care is sprayed evenly over all exposed surfaces of the wood and actually penetrates through the entire piece of wood.  When the termites in the wood try to consume the wood after it has been treated, they ingest the Bora-Care with the wood and die.  No matter where they are in the wood the Bora-Care will find them as long as you treated the exposed wood that you can see.  The other main benefit is that Bora-Care stays in the wood forever, so you will not have to worry about termites or beetles infesting the wood that you treated ever again.

    Bora-Care:  http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/boracare-p-100.html

    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    291 of 311 people found this answer helpful.
  • Asked by Boyd
    02/11/2011
    Q
    How much Bora-Care is needed to pre-treat 1200 square feet of porch flooring?
    A
    Typically, one gallon of Bora-Care will treat up to 500 square feet of flooring when mixed 1:1 (1 gallon of Bora-Care mixed with 1 gallon water).
    Was this answer helpful to you?   Yes No
    3 of 3 people found this answer helpful.
Displaying 741 to 760 (of 788 questions)