Tim-bor Professional Help - Questions and Answers

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Tim-bor Professional

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Asked by Charlie from North Stonington, Ct

02/16/2015

Q

What is the different between BoraCare and Timbor? Both seem to be disodium octaborate tetrahydrate
Trying to kill powderpost beetles.

A

Bora-Care and Timbor are both borate products used to treat wood, but they could not be more different. Timbor is in a powder form that is mixed with water. It is much less expensive but it is intended more for protecting new wood only, or wood that you know does not have any issues.&…
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Bora-Care and Timbor are both borate products used to treat wood, but they could not be more different. Timbor is in a powder form that is mixed with water. It is much less expensive but it is intended more for protecting new wood only, or wood that you know does not have any issues. Timbor will only penetrate the outer layer of the wood (about 1/4 inch) so it is more for protection or for treating fungus on the surface of the wood.
If you have an active infestation of termites, powder-post beetles or wood borers deep inside the wood then Timbor would not make it through the wood to kill these insects, up to 4 inches with one application or 8 with 2 appliations. BoraCare is a liquid borate but has an additive, a glycol solution, which allows the product to penetrate through the entire piece of wood, therefore it should be used any time you have an active infestation because you are guaranteed it will kill anything in the wood no matter how deep it is. Also, BoraCare will last forever in the wood so you will never have to worry about any infestations in the wood that you treat ever again.

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246 of 258 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Aj

09/16/2009

Q

How long does a Timbor treatment last? How often would a crawlspace need to be treated?

A

The manufacturer states that Timbor will last for the life of the wood as long as the wood is not exposed to rain or flooding. It will stay in the wood forever because of how it bonds to the cells of the wood.

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181 of 191 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Carol

09/13/2010

Q

Recommended termite treatment(s)?
I have an 80 year old wood frame house set on piers over bare earth. I have had problems with drywood termites between the finish floor, subfloor and around the window frames. I have had the house tented twice. I would like to treat the house myself to get rid of any current activity and prevent against future activity. What products would you recommend? I have Timbor that I bought from you years ago, but I am wondering if I should plan on a more aggressive attack with another product?

A

Timbor is a great product, but it does not penetrate or last as long as another product made by the same company called Bora-Care. Bora-Care is the best wood treatment product available because it penetrates all the way through a piece of wood where Timbor will only penetrate the outer coating…
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Timbor is a great product, but it does not penetrate or last as long as another product made by the same company called Bora-Care. Bora-Care is the best wood treatment product available because it penetrates all the way through a piece of wood where Timbor will only penetrate the outer coating. If you have older wood then you should always use Bora-Care. Bora-Care will also stay in the wood forever, preventing any new infestations for years to come.

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116 of 119 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Mike

12/14/2009

Q

Can exterior house paint be applied over Timbor-treated wood?
Will a primer paint, such as Kilz, perform normally when applied to Timbor treated wood?

A

Any primer or paint can safely be applied to Timbor treated wood as long as Timbor is completely dry after treatment and dry to the touch. There should be no issues once it is completely dried.

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79 of 84 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by J.r.

10/12/2009

Q

How often would I have to replenish the surface if I used Timbor on a log home?
The surface will be stained with a Behr siding product for sealing/staining purposes.

A

Timbor is more typically used on wood that will not be exposed to weathering and the outside. You would need to re-apply the Timbor each time you re-sealed the wood with the Behr product. The same company that makes Timbor makes a product called Bora-Care. It is more expensive, but…
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Timbor is more typically used on wood that will not be exposed to weathering and the outside. You would need to re-apply the Timbor each time you re-sealed the wood with the Behr product. The same company that makes Timbor makes a product called Bora-Care. It is more expensive, but it is a liquid solution instead of a powder. The Bora-Care will penetrate deeper in the wood, and protect the wood indefinitely so you would not have to re apply the product ever again. Also, Bora-Care dries clear and is easier to paint or stain over whereas the Timbor leaves a white powder on the surface and is more difficult to paint or stain.

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74 of 81 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Vonna from Tampa, Fl

12/30/2013

Q

Is the remaining "powder" harmful?
I recently had timber applied to my attic. The access was through a pantry. Is the white "powder" residue left behind harmful?

A

Timbor is not harmful to pets or wildlife. In fact, this product and other wood treatment products like it are made from Borate, a natural occuring element in the earth. It should not be harmful to you or your family either through skin contact - though we would recommend refraining from tou…
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Timbor is not harmful to pets or wildlife. In fact, this product and other wood treatment products like it are made from Borate, a natural occuring element in the earth. It should not be harmful to you or your family either through skin contact - though we would recommend refraining from touching your eyes or injesting it if you have gotten some on your hands or skin. Simply wash it off with soap and water.

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48 of 50 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Nick

09/29/2009

Q

What is the shelf life of Timbor?
How long can Timbor be stored? Does it have an expiration time limit? Is it harmful to humans? Can it be used in kitchens?

A

Timbor is a wood treatment product that is mixed with water in a one gallon sprayer and applied to raw, untreated, unsealed, unpainted wood. It can be used on any raw wood anywhere in the house. Timbor is made from the element Borate, which is a natural occuring element in the earth.&nbs…
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Timbor is a wood treatment product that is mixed with water in a one gallon sprayer and applied to raw, untreated, unsealed, unpainted wood. It can be used on any raw wood anywhere in the house. Timbor is made from the element Borate, which is a natural occuring element in the earth. It is very safe and non-toxic. Timbor will last for years on the shelf as long as it is not exposed to moisture or water.

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38 of 44 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Jose

04/10/2011

Q

How much Timbor should I spray over the wood to be treated is enough? Can I apply either too much or too little?

A

You only need to apply the Timbor solution so the wood is wet. You should not apply the product so it starts to drip and runoff, that is too much. Just enough to wet the surface and evenly coat all exposed sides of the wood, like you are spray painting it.

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37 of 41 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Robert

03/18/2010

Q

Would you recommend Timbor or Bora-Care?
I recently had my house treated due to termite infestation. After they finished treating my house, the inspector said he noticed some fungus on some of the floor joist's and recommended me using Timbor. With no signs of any infestation, and assuming that their treatment took care of the termites, would you recommend Timbor or Bora-Care?

A

Timbor is perfectly fine for treating fungus because fungus is a growth on the surface of the wood. Timbor only really is for protecting new wood that you know does not have any issues or wood that you only need to treat the surface for because Timbor will not penetrate very deep into the wood…
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Timbor is perfectly fine for treating fungus because fungus is a growth on the surface of the wood. Timbor only really is for protecting new wood that you know does not have any issues or wood that you only need to treat the surface for because Timbor will not penetrate very deep into the wood. However, what you want to be sure of is that the growth is in fact fungus, and not mold. Timbor or Bora-Care will not treat mold, so you would want to purchase Bora-Care with Mold Care if in fact it was mold.

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33 of 40 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Joerg from West Point Va.

03/27/2013

Q

Can Timbor also be used to treat black mold growing on wood surfaces?

A

Timbor is not labeled to treat mold at all and will not work for this use. Boracare with Moldcare is the only product that we carry for treating mold on bare wood. Boracare with Moldcare will kill the mold spore but you will need to use a product such as Mold-Clean prior to apply Boracare with Moldc…
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Timbor is not labeled to treat mold at all and will not work for this use. Boracare with Moldcare is the only product that we carry for treating mold on bare wood. Boracare with Moldcare will kill the mold spore but you will need to use a product such as Mold-Clean prior to apply Boracare with Moldcare to remove the mold stain.

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31 of 37 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Rob from Brevard, Nc

01/07/2012

Q

How long does it take Timbor to kill the bugs that have infected my wood? It will be used to build furniture.

A

Depending on thickness of the wood, Timbor can take up to 30 days or more to completely kill the insects inside the wood. However, it will only kill beetles that are active since Timbor kills the insects when they eat the wood, they ingest the Timbor at the same time. Beetles can remain …
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Depending on thickness of the wood, Timbor can take up to 30 days or more to completely kill the insects inside the wood. However, it will only kill beetles that are active since Timbor kills the insects when they eat the wood, they ingest the Timbor at the same time. Beetles can remain dormant for years, and so if some beetles are dormant now, they will not die. They will not die until they become active and begin eating again.

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28 of 30 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Karl from Arlee, Montana

09/26/2011

Q

To stop existing wood rot, will flooding it with Tim-Bor stop it or must I use Bora-care?
Do you have a product that treats fence posts?

A

Bora-Care is the best product for treating wood by far. If you have existing wood rot then you definitely want to apply Bora-Care because it penetrates deeper than Timbor and will have a better chance at stopping the progression of the wood rot.

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25 of 27 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Abdul from Milton, Wv

08/22/2013

Q

How do I mix Timbor for 15% solution - it asks for 1.5 Lb / Gal. Got no scale.
How do I measure 1.5 Lbs to make 15% solution. Does the included scoop measure 0.5 lb?

A

The scoop that comes with the Timbor measures 1 lb.

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24 of 31 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Louise from Gilford, Nh

10/17/2013

Q

Can Timbor be applied with a sponge or hand-pump sprayer?
I have a small cellar and would like to apply Timbor to the ceiling without having to buy or rent a tank and hose sprayer. Thank you.

A

Timbor can be applied with a paint brush or a gallon pump sprayer. To create a 15% solution, mix 1.5 pounds of Timbor to one gallon of water. This solution ratio ensures that only one application needs to be performed. Please be sure to read the Timbor Product Label before use for complete inst…
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Timbor can be applied with a paint brush or a gallon pump sprayer. To create a 15% solution, mix 1.5 pounds of Timbor to one gallon of water. This solution ratio ensures that only one application needs to be performed. Please be sure to read the Timbor Product Label before use for complete instructions.

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23 of 25 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Patrick from United States

02/23/2014

Q

Is Timbor harmful to to copper plumbing or romex wiring
When treating a craw space, to I have to be careful to remove all residue from exposed plumbing and wiring?

A

Timbor is not known to be corrosive to plumbing or water of any kind.

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19 of 22 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Phil from Las Cruces N.m.

12/18/2013

Q

I am a pest control company, can Timbor be used for commercial and residential termite pre-treat applications?
Is Timbor a stand alone product for VA and FHA Pre-Treatment Guidelines?

A

Yes, Timbor can be applied to raw wood in commercial or residential areas as directed on the product label. If you are treating any wood with an existing infestation, you should always use Bora-Care. Bora-Care will penetrate through an entire piece of wood much deeper and ensure proper contr…
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Yes, Timbor can be applied to raw wood in commercial or residential areas as directed on the product label. If you are treating any wood with an existing infestation, you should always use Bora-Care. Bora-Care will penetrate through an entire piece of wood much deeper and ensure proper control, and it will protect the wood you are treating forever. Bora-Care is manufactured by the same company as Timbor. For information on restrictions and guidelines, we recommend that you contact the manufacturer, Nisus 800.264.0870.

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18 of 20 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Charlotte from Proctor, Wv

08/05/2015

Q

What is the approximate drying time for Tim-bor?

A

The dry time for Timbor honestly is dependent on the ability of the wood to aborb the product and how heavy you treat. It could be a few hours before the surface of the wood is dry or even a day.

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17 of 20 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Margrey

05/25/2010

Q

I have a house made of Douglas Fir. I treated it 9 years ago with Timbor. When do I retreat the house?

A

If you have sealed the outside of the house, then Timbor can stay in the wood a very long time; sometimes 20 years or more. If the house has not been sealed or protected lately, then it would probably be time to treat again. The treatment will last longer after you apply it if it is seal…
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If you have sealed the outside of the house, then Timbor can stay in the wood a very long time; sometimes 20 years or more. If the house has not been sealed or protected lately, then it would probably be time to treat again. The treatment will last longer after you apply it if it is sealed and protected.

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15 of 16 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by David from Greencastle, In

01/11/2016

Q

Can I treat raw lumber with Timbor to put on interior walls?
These walls will not be covered with anything.

A

Timbor can be applied to raw wood for the interior walls. Please refer to the product label for complete application instructions. If the wood will remain exposed as decorative structural wood, then you may want to use Boracare instead of Timbor; Timbor sometimes will dry with a visibly white textu…
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Timbor can be applied to raw wood for the interior walls. Please refer to the product label for complete application instructions. If the wood will remain exposed as decorative structural wood, then you may want to use Boracare instead of Timbor; Timbor sometimes will dry with a visibly white texture that may not be as appealing in living spaces. It is also much easier to apply stain, paint, or sealant after applying Boracare.

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15 of 15 people found this answer helpful.
Asked by Carol from Tangent, Oregon

04/07/2015

Q

How environmentally safe is Timbor?

A

Timbor is made from the element Borate, which is a natural occuring element in the earth. It is very safe and non-toxic when used as directed.

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14 of 15 people found this answer helpful.