Treatment FAQ

how many treatment of borate is needed on wood

by Mr. Fred Kunde Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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How do you use borates in wood treatment?

Methods and Uses of Borate Application in Wood Treatment. Dimensional lumber is loaded into a pressure vessel, sealed and flooded with a water soluble mixture of borates and sometimes other addtives. The liquid under high pressure is forced into the wood. Later the wood is removed, dried and transported.

How long has boron been used in wood treatment?

Over the 60+ years boron-based compounds have found their way into other formulations globally that have significantly helped to establish borate efficacy in the world of wood treatment. Fire retardant in some wood applications depending on borate loading and type used

How much borate do you use per gallon of water?

I've seen it listed in Forest Products Labs papers as the borate source. I've used it at about 1 lb per gal of hot water. If you look up the MSDS's of Boracare, Shell Guard, you’ll see they use glycols to help maintain a wet edge, glycols dry slowly.

Is borate safe to burn wood?

Research and the experience of pest-control operators have shown that borate can be just as effective with far less health risk. Wood treated with toxic chromated copper arsenate (CCA) requires a mask for cutting and cannot be burned, but you won’t have to worry about wood protected with borate. It’s as harmless as table salt.

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How long does a borate treatment last?

Soil treatments are not only more difficult to apply, they lose their effectiveness over time – then a costly retreatment becomes necessary every 5 to 10 years. Borates are made with natural elements that are already present in the environment.

How long does borate last on wood?

indefinitelySince Bora-Care® is derived from minerals, once the active ingredient diffuses into the wood it will remain indefinitely. There are no natural forces that will degrade or break down the product inside the wood.

How do you use borate wood treatment?

0:002:04How to Use BORA-CARE Borate Wood Treatment - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipCare can be applied as a spray using a hand pump sprayer as a foam using a foam ER and foamingMoreCare can be applied as a spray using a hand pump sprayer as a foam using a foam ER and foaming additive.

How much borax should I use for wood?

Rachel discovered raw (untreated) lumber can be manually treated with a solution of 10 ounces of 20 Mule Team® Borax dissolved and well mixed into a gallon of water. Once mixed, the Borax solution is to be sprayed onto lumber and a gallon should do about 250 board feet of lumber.

Do termites eat borate treated wood?

Wood treated with borate will be guarded from both kinds. Unlike poison, borate doesn't kill instantly. Instead, termites swallow a small amount of the borate, along with the cellulose they're ingesting, then bring the food back and feed it to the others in the colony.

Can you paint borate treated wood?

The treatment of wood with Borate is a common means of offering rot resistance to the wood. However, painting borate treated wood can cause significant problems later, including early or total failure of the paint.

What does a borate treatment do?

Borate wood preservatives are low-toxicity treatments used primarily on indoor wood that is protected from weather. Borate wood preservatives have been used to treat wood for interior construction including joists, sheathing, sill plates and other uses for over 70 years.

What does borate do to termites?

Borax can kill termites by interfering with a termite's digestion, which can cause its death. While it can be injected in powder form into a drywood termite colony, it is difficult to fully expose all termites in a colony to the powder.

How do you use borate powder?

0:4011:55How to do a Borate Wood Treatment | DoMyOwn.com - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd a respirator if you're gonna get into crawl spaces. And we suggest that you mix the product withMoreAnd a respirator if you're gonna get into crawl spaces. And we suggest that you mix the product with a mixing wand with a corded or cordless drill.

How do you apply borax to wood?

A Borax component within the wood means this wood will be effective at repelling pest animals, inhibiting fire and curing faster by being treated with a simple Borax and water solution. Spray one side and then turn on edge and spray the edge, and turn and spray the back, and turn and spray the edge.

Is borax a good wood preservative?

From modern homes and offices to the wooden furniture within them, borax plays an important role in protecting wood and wood-product construction and materials from fire, fungi, and pests. Borax is even used for historic landmark preservation, such as buildings and ships, for total wood protection.

Does borax damage wood?

Function. Borax kills termites and other rot-causing organisms. Borax is a desiccant that dries out water-damaged wood and helps seal and protect it from future rot. It is also a natural pesticide that kills termites, fungus and other wood floor enemies.

What is the function of borate in wood?

Borate compounds {i.e. borax, boric acid, Etidot 67 (disodium octaborate tetrahydrate) } convert to boric acid when they come in contact with wood whose pH is 4 – 5. In solution boric acid works as a weak Lewis acid which accepts an hydroxyl (OH -) to form a tetrahydroxyborate ion.

What is the best borate for wood chipping?

The laminate or particle board formed can be treated during the production process with various borates including zinc borate. Zinc borates are preferred in wood chip applications due to their ability to dissolve slowly and their compatibility with the resin systems used.

What is an amorphous boron rod?

Amorphous boron rod – Fused borate rods are typically composed of borates and used primarily for maintenance. A hole is drilled into the heartwood of a utility pole or other structure which would be suseptible to continual moisture. The rod is placed inside the drill hole and a plastic cap is placed to cover the hole.

Why are borate compounds not labeled?

That is why borate compounds are not labeled for use in the ground. The potential for constant availability of water will change the direction of the borate treatment in the soil around the structure. The reverse leaching process will slow considerably as the concentration of borate in the wood structure is reduced.

What is a boron azole?

Ammoniacal Copper Quinolate with boron (ACQ-B) and Copper Azole with boron (CBA)are compounds that have found wide use as an alternative to Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), has previously been used for the residential market. Borate acts as an anticorrosive and preservative value. These compounds are typically pressure impregnated into dimensional lumber.

When was borate invented?

However, it is believed borate’s value began in the 1800s. In 1877, Dr. Hugo Zerener in Germany developed a patent composed of a mixture of water glass, sodium chloride, boric acid and diatomite for impregnation of wood against attack by Serpula lacrymans, decay fungi.

How long does it take for termites to kill?

Using the same criteria of borate concentration, wood moisture content and number of applications, it could take weeks or longer to kill these organisms.

How long do you dip logs in borate?

A number of log home manufacturers dip their logs in a solution of borate before they are shipped to the customer. Although there are set standards for the “Dip Diffusion” process, very few companies actually meet these standards, since it requires dipping green, unseasoned logs in a hot, concentrated borate solution and then storing the logs in a covered building for a minimum of two weeks. Most log suppliers simply dip their logs in a borate solution for a few minutes then allow them to dry. Although this procedure does not meet set standards, it has been used for over 20 years and as long as the borate concentration in the dipping solution is maintained at or above 10%, we rarely hear of this process not providing adequate protection to new logs.

What is pressure treated lumber?

Pressure treating wood with preservatives dates back to the 19th century when railroad ties were impregnated with creosote under pressure. Since then, a number of chemical formulations have been used for pressure-treating logs and dimensional lumber, but most have been discontinued due to their toxicity or health and environmental hazards. Due to their low mammalian toxicity and environmental friendliness, borates are now being used by a number of pressure-treating companies for treating both logs and dimensional lumber. The one limitation of borate pressure-treated lumber is that it cannot be used for wood in contact with the soil, since the moisture in the soil will extract out the water-soluble borate within a few years.

How much does borate cost?

You can’t lose with borate because it’s relatively inexpensive. The cost is $95 to $120 per gallon, and you can treat about 800 board feet of wood, the equivalent of 150 2x4s, 8′ long, or the average amount of lumber in an unfinished basement.

What is the advantage of Borate?

Borate’s advantage is that it acts across a spectrum of wood destroyers-from termites, anobiid beetles, lyctid beetles, and carpenter ants to brown or white wood rot. Another plus is that it migrates and reaches moist areas where insects or fungi are active.

What is borate powder?

There are borate powders, granules, poultices, and gels-each is designed to deliver the borate to the site where it will do the most good. Borate powder-and-water formulations (such as Tim-Bor, Board Defense, or Spectracide Terminate) are common for typical applications such as spraying.

Why haven't you heard of borate?

The reason you may not have heard of borate is that until the 1990s toxic chemicals were the standard means of treating termite outbreaks and wood rot problems. For prevention the most commonly used methods were pressure-treated green lumber and ground poisoning.

Is borate poisonous to mammals?

While borate is not poisonous to mammals, it’s toxic to insects and can wipe out whole colonies-an especially important characteristic for termite control. Subterranean drywood termites, the pests threatening houses in the Southern states, the Southwest, and California since the 1940s, have been bad enough.

Is borate toxic to wood?

Borate gets new attention as a less toxic safeguard against wood rot and wood-destroying insects, such as termites. Renewed interest in borate as a bait toxicant has grown with the increased threat of Formosan subterranean termites, which destroyed this window sill in the Southern Regional Research Center Library.

Does borate protect wood?

With precautions, borate treatment can even protect wood in contact with the ground. The key is to provide an ongoing source of borate to replenish any that leaches out, to reduce or eliminate any source of oxygen (which is necessary for decay), and to protect the wood from water.

FIGHTING BACK FIRE, FUNGI, AND FORMOSAN TERMITES

Wood is one of nature’s foremost renewable resources. A resource that begins in the form of trees that absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen, and ends as construction that outperforms steel for tensile strength, sound absorption, affordability … and beauty.

Protection from termites and pests

Wood is among the world’s most sustainable building materials. Yet in many areas, wood construction is hampered by the prevalence of damaging pests such as the voracious Formosan termite.

Protection from moisture, rot, and fungi

Borates are extremely effective at protecting wood from decay fungi (wood rot) by combining in solution with groups of biochemicals that are vital to metabolic processes at the cellular level. These combinations are then unable to take part in the metabolic pathway, and so the cells of the fungi starve.

Protection from flame

Boron compounds make effective flame retardants in lumber and plywood. Such compounds can be used in conjunction with other chemicals, including ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate or zinc chloride, or used alone.

Environmentally sustainable product protection

Wood plastic composites (WPCs)—a combination of wood and plastics—are a safe, environmentally sustainable, and long-lasting material for use in outdoor decks, fences, railing and window frames.

More about Borates in Wood Protection and Biocides

Wood composite products are increasingly important to the construction industry as builders around the world look for materials that are versatile, strong, an... Read More

Does boric acid kill PP beetles?

The Wood Doc was correct when he said boric acid will not kill PP beetles in sawn lumber, but the statement can be misleading. The treatment does not go in very far, and will eventually leach out only if the wood becomes wet repeatedly, a problem for air dried wood that is exposed to driving rain.

Do beetles eat treated wood?

If not it will crystallize as the wood dries and remain as a barrier. As beetles emerge and eat the treated wood they will die. Any new larvae which emerge from newly laid eggs on the surface will die as they eat their way into the wood. Either way the life cycle is stopped effectively eliminating the infestation.

Is borax less toxic than malathion?

We'd like to use something less toxic than Malathion to initially treat the wood. I'm looking for a formula to make a borax / boric acid solution in the hopes that it will be less toxic to the applicators and environment, and will be more cost effective than available products.

Do lyctids like wet wood?

The good news however is that the lyctid PPB does not like really wet wood .

Can borax be applied to wood?

Second, if applied to dried wood, the borax is in a water solution and if applied to dried wood, will not penetrate very far into the wood, yet the PPB will often be quite deep. Wetting a dried wood like oak can increase the risk of serious checking and honeycomb. We're just looking at prevention in fresh sawn wood.

Does Malathion kill wood?

Interesting that Malathion is a quick acting pesticide and its toxicity disappears quickly, within a few hours. It may kill some pests in wood but a better bet, if fumigation is not needed, would be to use a repellent of which there are many on the market.

Does borax kill PPB?

Go to www.borax.com for more info. Note that borax is not designed to kill PPB in sawn lumber. First, the PPB is not in green wood, so it would not be used to kill PPB, but rather to prevent them from getting into the lumber. If the lumber is air-dried, then the borax will leach out and not do much good.

How to treat wood boards with borax?

A Borax component within the wood means this wood will be effective at repelling pest animals, inhibiting fire and curing faster by being treated with a simple Borax and water solution. Spray one side and then turn on edge and spray the edge, and turn and spray the back, and turn and spray the edge. That covers the entire board. Continue to spray boards until the solution is used. A gallon of solution will treat about fifty 2"X4"X8' studs.

How to get borax on wood?

Take the pump sprayer and the Borax to a water supply and mix up a batch of Borax wood treatment.

How to prevent wood from aging?

Avoid the aging by using a diluted solution. Borax can accelerate the curing time for fresh wood to dry. When kiln-drying treated wood, be sure not to over dry by using a standard method of measuring curing time. Borax is a poison at concentrated levels.

What is pressure treated lumber?

Pressure treated lumber for outdoor construction is what most of us recognize as a piece of treated wood. The procedure infuses a compound into the wood fibers to slow decay and make our decks last longer . You can also treat wood with Borax though, a less commonly known way to cure wood with high water content, inhibit fire, ...

Is borax poisonous to pets?

Borax is a poison at concentrated levels. Pets, children and adults can have adverse reactions to the ingestion of the Borax solution. Call a poison hotline immediately following and ingestion event. A veterinarian should be called if a pet is affected. Pressure treated lumber for outdoor construction is what most of us recognize as a piece ...

Can you use borax to treat wood?

You can also treat wood with Borax though, a less commonly known way to cure wood with high water content, inhibit fire, and keep wood rotting insects away. Borax is a water soluble mineral that you can treat a number of products, including for use in the building industries. Advertisement.

Can borax poison grass?

The Borax solution can leach out onto the ground and can poison some types of grasses. Prevent Borax overdose to plants and animals by preparing a quality work area with the protection of an edge guard or with towels to catch any run-off of Borax solution.

Why is boron important for building?

Boron is a micronutrient necessary for healthy growth and function in plants and animals.

Why is it important to preserve wood for construction?

For that reason, protecting and preserving wooden structures is even more important as builders seek to fill the growing needs of our growing global population.

What is Tim Bor?

This formulation means that Tim-bor is an affordable and durable treatment in a variety of applications and in numerous wood products including:

What are the enemies of wood?

Even with modern advancements, builders still must contend with the natural enemies of wood: insects, fungi, and moisture. Fortunately, with Tim-bor for wood protection, these enemies no longer present a barrier to using wood as a primary construction material.

Can wood frames be prefabricated?

Wood frames and even whole segments of wooden structures can be pre-fabricated offsite, then delivered in just-in-time fashion to a building site, where they enable crews to substantially reduce building time, labor costs, transport fuel, and energy use.

Is Tim Bor a good preservative?

The borates in Tim-bor are excellent wood preservatives that provide effective protection against fungi responsible for the biodeterioration of natural-fiber products and insects such as the Formosan termite and wood-boring beetles.

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Pressure Treatments

  • Pressure treating wood with preservatives dates back to the 19th century when railroad ties were impregnated with creosote under pressure. Since then, a number of chemical formulations have been used for pressure-treating logs and dimensional lumber, but most have been discontinued due to their toxicity or health and environmental hazards. Due to t...
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Dip Treatments

  • A number of log home manufacturers dip their logs in a solution of borate before they are shipped to the customer. Although there are set standards for the “Dip Diffusion” process, very few companies actually meet these standards, since it requires dipping green, unseasoned logs in a hot, concentrated borate solution and then storing the logs in a covered building for a minimum …
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Topical Treatments

  • Back in the late 1980s, Perma-Chink Systems developed the very first borate preservative that could be applied to wood in the field during or after construction. Since then, hundreds of thousands of log and conventionally constructed homes have been borate treated using the technology originally developed by Perma-Chink Systems. What made this possible was combini…
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Conclusion

  • The success rate of properly applied borate treatments is truly astounding. In the 20 years that we have been involved with borate treated wood, the number of reported complaints is miniscule, and most of them involved insects that do not consume wood for nourishment like carpenter bees, parasitic wasps, house ants, and other pests that are not included on the label. We occasionally …
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