Terry from Makanda, Il writes
I have some rough cut white oak hardwood that is being air dried. It is slabe cut and has the natural edges of the tree. There seems to be powderpost beetles in the sapwood. Several questions 1) Should I plane the wood to final size before treating with Boracare? Boards will end up in the 3/4 or 7/8" thick size. 2) Can I paint Boracare on the oak? 3) Should I treat both sides? 4) What mixture percentage is best? 5) How long should I wait after treating with Boracare before staining the oak wood? 6) Since I am storing the oak with other hardwoods (black locust and hickory) in the air dry garage, should I treat this wood also?
Yes, 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. Yes, Boracare can be painted on the oak. Yes, you can treat both sides. You will use a 1:1 ratio of Boracare for an active infestation. Once the product is dry, you can do whatever you want with the wood, such as staining it. If you would like to treat the other wood, you can. If you have not seen activity though, it may not be necessary. Let me know if you have any additional questions.
Answer last updated on: 11/24/2014
