BORACARE

DESCRIPTION: BORACARE provides prevention and control of Termites, Carpenter Ants, Powderpost Beetles and Decay Fungi. Boracare can be used on all cellulosic materials including wood, plywood, particle board, paper, oriented strand board (OSB), cardboard, and wood composite structural components. Since Boracare is applied directly to the wood, it can be used in areas where environmental contamination is of concern. The active ingredient in Boracare is an inorganic salt and once in place will not decompose or volatilize out of the wood. Treatment is long lasting as long as the treated material is not exposed to rain, continuous water or ground contact. 1 gal. jug


USE: Boracare can be sprayed, brushed or foamed onto bare wood surfaces and voids. The product cannot be fogged. Wood treated with BoraCare will appear darker than normal for a few days until the chemical dries in. Boracare will not affect the paint or staining of the wood. Wood treated with Boracare is non-toxic to humans and animals. Boracare must be diluted with hot water in a bucket and then added to your sprayer. Failure to pre-mix in a bucket will cause your sprayer to clog.

Pretreatments can be done IN ONE TRIP.  No need to worry about weather delays or pumping chemicals into the soil, crews can remain on the job site during treatment, and treatment will last for many years.

Use Bora-Care on new construction. For termite pretreatments, Simply spray a two-foot tall continuous barrier directly to the wood using a tank sprayer or portable backpack sprayer. This includes the walls, piers, interior slab or basement walls, plumbing penetrations, pipe chases, bath traps, and any other foundation penetrations. Treating this way insures that all termite entry-points are treated.  You can also use Bora-Care as a whole-house treatment for general pest protection to prevent infestations of decay fungi and wood destroying pests such as drywood termites and destroying beetles.

Please read the label for more instructions.

• 91 of 98 people found this review helpful:

    I wouldn't buy this again
  By Doris on April 27, 2010
  Verified Purchase

  I had my home sprayed with this for the wood post beetles and they were gone...until today they came back. For over a week not a single one was sighted. This does work on contact but the reason that I bought this product was because it claimed to kill up to twelve months...I didn't even get twelve days of peace.

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• 77 of 81 people found this review helpful:

    Bora-Care is the BEST!
  By Michael on January 11, 2010

  I had a termite control company give me an estimate to spot treat my drywood termites and it was astronomical! I found that DoMyOwnPestControl.com had the same product Boracare for a fraction of the cost. I treated my infestation using the recommendations on the website and now I have a termite free home and more money in my pocket!

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• 35 of 36 people found this review helpful:

    Easy to mix and use, and I don't get sick
  By Larry on June 8, 2010
  Verified Purchase

  I have used half a gallon for remediation of dry wood termites on fascia boards by using 1:1 and 1:2 dilutions applied to bare wood and by injecting in drilled holes where the wood is covered by paint. I like this product as well as the Bifen IT, as they are fairly non-toxic to people and animals. I can use both of them extensively without feeling ill effects myself. I added Bifen IT to the Boracare solution to get a 0.12% Bifen IT concentration (double strength). The Bifen IT works as an quick termiticide and the Boracare provides long term protection. Now that I have stopped the active infestations, I can take my time and protect the rest of my house's fascia, rafter and joist board ends with simply painting a 1:5 Boracare dilution on the ends of the boards (where dry wood termites enter). I will need a 2nd gallon of Boracare to protect the entire house and will be ordering soon. For approximately $200 of products from Domyownpestcontrol, I will have done the remediation work and the whole house protection. This has been a lot of work, but I have saved many thousands of dollars, plus I can take my time and know that the job is done right.

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• 28 of 29 people found this review helpful:

    Bora-Care Product Review
  By Patrick on April 29, 2010
  Verified Purchase

  I don't know why the wood adjacent to my bath tub wet wall was moist?  There were no leaks and the plumbing vent to the roof was well sealed.  Condensation?  The bath drainpipe and water inlets come up through a hole in the slab. The subterranean termite varmints tunneled 10' or 40' under the house slab and surfaced at this point of exposed earth attracted by the moist wood. They swarmed the first warm days in Spring. I treated the exposed earth area with the Dominion 2L termiticide and then filled it with sand. I treated the slab, wood framing, floor and molding with a 2:1 mixture of BoraCare. I sprayed BoraCare down from the attic and drilled holes in the walls where there was no other access. I will finish by treating the ground around the house with Dominion 2L. My problem appears to be solved for under $200. Thanks DoMyOwnPestControl.com!

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• 25 of 28 people found this review helpful:

    BoraCare user review
  By Kevin on May 8, 2010
  Verified Purchase

  Used product on wall studs, when I was repairing a wall due to termite damage. My project lasted about three days. I used a 1:1 mix and I did not pay too much attention to the one day usage. The product crystalized in my sprayer - took awhile to clean the sprayer.

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•   Great product for fungus control. Fast shipping from this co
  June 14, 2013

  We purchased a home that was not occupied for approximately two years, well long story short. The vents around the entire perimeter foundation to the sub area were kept in the closed position for quite some time, causing a moister build-up there(BAD). The rim joists, also around the entire perimeter was dripping wet and fungus had started to grow. We mechanically mixed Boracare with a drill, and dry wall mud mixer bit with HOT WATER (super thick stuff, MUST be mixed well. They kid you not in the Boracare instructions!) and applied it with a small garden sprayer under the house to said rim joists. Lets just say, the offending fungus, is no longer among us! This stuff worked better than I thought it would (seriously). Fungus was DEAD in a matter of hours. Also, Do My Own Pest Control .com was a great company to work with.. Happy customer here!

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• 1 of 1 people found this review helpful:

    Pre-Construction Use
  By Mark on May 14, 2013

  I built a 3000+ SF block house with a wood cathederal ceiling and beams. I had all wood hand brushed with Bora-Care prior to installing and after five + years I have not had a termite etc. problem!!! This is in an area infested with flying termites!! Both neighbors have had to treat their homes for termites as do most of the residents here....I'm sold on this product.

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•   Bora-care
  By Dan on April 16, 2013
  Verified Purchase

  It would be hard to rate this product on effectiveness, as I don't have anything to compare it to. However, it was easy to dilute in hot water as instructed, and was easy to apply to bare wood with a weed sprayer and spray bottle. Product is clear, and after 2 days can be painted over. I used on exposed bare wood and facia boards before priming and painting, where previous wood had dry rot and termite damage.

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•   BORACARE
  By Daniel on April 14, 2013
  Verified Purchase

  Very easy to apply. I used a stronger solution 1 to 1 ration because of the active fungi. dried totally in 2 days and was ready for primer paint. Primer went on smooth no problems.

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•   Boracare
  By Allen on April 11, 2013
  Verified Purchase

  Product was as easy to use as advertised and has eradicated my termite infestation. I would highly recommend this product to all.

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• 0 of 1 people found this review helpful:

    Handy Product
  By Luke on April 10, 2013
  Verified Purchase

  The exact type of product I needed. Only time will tell how effective it is, but Boracare is simple enough to use and very specific directions provided for a variety of use-situations. A word to the wise - when they say mix mechanically with warm water - they mean it - when using 1:1 ratio for Subterranean Termite prevention. It's a very thick syrup consistancy. FYI - I was using it while residing and old church building that had prior subterranean termite activity, but no present activity.

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•   Excellent
  By Bryan on March 4, 2013
  Verified Purchase

  Product as ordered, fast delivery and great pricing. No need to worry about counterfits as you do on a lot of other internet providers.:)

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• 1 of 1 people found this review helpful:

    Seems like a good product
  By D000d on February 26, 2013
  Verified Purchase

  Mixing with warm water works well. For my application I used a brush which works fine for the tops of horizontal surfaces. A lot runs down your arm if you try to paint it on the underside of a horizontal surface. Time will tell if the insects are repelled/killed by the application. Price seems high, but DoMyOwnPestControl.com had the best price that I could find.

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•   Time Will Tell
  By Jeff on February 25, 2013
  Verified Purchase

  Giving this 4 stars but really, it's only been a couple of weeks since applying the product. I used Boracare to treat a 130 year old hewn oak beam that I was making into a fireplace mantel. Wood showed signs of powder-post beetle infestation. I followed manufacturer's directions and gave two applications. Product was not hard to mix with a paint mixing attachment on a drill and using hot water. Product is about the consistency of honey. Gave it two heavy applications. Took about 5-6 days to dry enough to stain and poly the wood. It did leave a little bit of salty residue on some surfaces where it puddled and dried. I just brushed this off with a stiff brush and wiped the whole thing down with mineral spirits prior to staining, and seemed to have no adverse effects on stain color/absorption. Wish it came in half gallons, as I only needed about a quart for this project.

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•   Great folks to work with
  By gr on February 11, 2013
  Verified Purchase

  This is my second order from do my own pest control, and i am certain not my last. shipping is fast and products are top notch as well as tips and instructions. i used this boracare to treat some powder post beetles in old barn wood - works like it should. had a buddy who treated his rough sawn barn framing and siding with it before he built the barn, now thats a smart idea if you have powder post beetles and carpenter bees like we do in our area.

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March 2, 2010 E. asked:

QWhat is the difference between Boracare and Timbor that makes the price of Boracare cost so much more?
What is the difference between Boracare and Timbor that makes the price of Boracare cost so much more? They both seem to control the same pests. Container size appears the same. Is Boracare more highly concentrated therefore dilutes to cover more? I am confused. Can these be applied by a novice? What protection must one take?

A

Boracare 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 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.  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. 

Just to recap if you have an existing infestation, you should use BoraCare.  If you are just treating wood to be used in new construction or surface fungus, then Timbor is fine to use.  Both products are very safe, virtually odorless and do not require respirators unless you are in a enclosed space with no ventilation.  You should always wear gloves and protect your eyes anytime you apply pesticides or herbicides.  All you need to apply either product is a one or two gallon hand pump sprayer.  Timbor is used at 1.5 lbs of Timbor to each gallon of water.  Bora-Care is mixed 1:1, one gallon of BoraCare to one gallon of water which will make two finished gallons. Both products should be mixed in a 5 gallon bucket and then poured in your sprayer to use.  We sell these products to homeowners every day and they are very successful treating their issues and you can have great success too.  Remember that we are always here to help.  Good Luck!

76 of 77 people found this answer helpful.
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February 12, 2011 Michael asked:

QTermidor 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

35 of 35 people found this answer helpful.
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December 17, 2009 Lloyd asked:

QOnce Boracare is applied on raw wood, can the wood be painted at a later date ?

AYes.  Wood treated with Bora Care can be painted, stained or sealed once it is dry which usually takes 24 hours.

24 of 24 people found this answer helpful.
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December 2, 2009 Joe asked:

QMy house is approx. 2000 sq ft of crawl space . How much Boracare would I need for the job?

AHow much Bora-Care you need depends more on the size of the wood you are treating than just square footage.  Also its the lineal footage of the wood more than square footage.  Here is a link to a worksheet that you can fill out and it should give you the correct amount needed based on the size of wood you have and how much you need to treat.  Typically, each gallon of Bora-Care, after mixed 1:1 with water, will treat about 1000 square feet of space, but if you have larger sized wood (for example:  2 x 8 instead of 2 x 4), then one gallon of Bora-Care may only treat 800 square feet.  The worksheet should be able to get you an exact estimate.

17 of 18 people found this answer helpful.
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June 10, 2011 William asked:

QCan Bora-Care be used on "pressure-treated" wood if it is not painted, or stained?

ANo, Bora-Care will not work on pressure treated wood either.  Pressure treated wood is made to not let moisture into it, and since Bora-Care depends on moisture to allow it to penetrate through the wood it will not work on pressure treated wood.  Bora-Care will only work on raw wood.  Wood that is not painted, stained, sealed, or pressure treated.  Also, pressure treated wood prevents against all of the things that Bora-Care does anyways, so it does not need to be treated.

15 of 16 people found this answer helpful.
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June 2, 2013 Steve from Metairie, La asked:

QDoes it do any good to treat pressure treated wood with Bora Care?

ABoracare must be used on untreated wood. It is preferred over other treatments such as timbor in treating furniture because Boracare dries clear and will leave the furniture in its natural state. It will also absorb much further into the wood so you know the infestation is treated. Boracare is diluted with water at a 1:1 - 1:5 ratio depending on the pest you are targeting.

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June 2, 2013 Nathan from San Francisco, Ca asked:

Qsafe to use on bedroom set?
I built a jungle themed room for my daughter. I used Eucalyptus saplings to make the bed frame. We saw a few beetles scurrying around initially and killed them on the spot. Recently we are seeing a lot of holes in the wood and the occupants of those holes sure look like powderpost beetles. My research led to Boracare and this page. My concern is how safe is the product if I were to use it on the bedframe? I've read the MSDS and product label but still not very clear on safety. If I apply Boracare and let it dry, will the bedframe be safe enough for my daughter to touch? Thanks

AThe Boracare once dry is completely safe so as long as you keep your daughter away from it during the treatment process and until its dry she will be fine. Keep in mind Boracare is only designed for wood in its raw natural state. If you have put any sort of finish/stain/sealant on the wood there, you will have to sand it all off to apply the Boracare. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

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May 27, 2013 Chad from United States asked:

QWhat is the best product for crawl space fungus
I have been told that my crawl space has wood decay fungus. The "professionals" want over $2000 for treatment. Would you recommend Timbor or bora-care for this application. My home is approximately 2000 Sq feet, so how much of either product?

AWe would recommend using Boracare with Moldcare as it will treat and prevent mold and wood boring insects. Boracare with Moldcare will treat 1250 square feet of a crawl space or attic when mixed at the labeled rate of 1 gallon of bora-care with mold care and 5 gallons of water. Please see label for complete application directions and yield amounts.

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May 24, 2013 Justin from Titusville asked:

Q1100 Lineal Feet of 1 x 6 Heart Pine (100 Years Old) which have active powder post beetles.
Planning on using Bora Care to Treat it and also to spray an 80 year old house (gutted to Studs). Plan to use the Heart Pine for floors/Wall. Is it safe to cut/machine/plane it after treating with Bora Care?

AYes, it is safe to work with the wood after being treated with Boracare. Please make sure to read the product label and that the treated area is dried before using the wood.

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May 10, 2013 Michael from Fremont, Ca asked:

QIs Boracare safe to spray onto electrical wiring, low voltage wiring and other new construction materials?

ANeither Boracare, or any liquid is safe to be sprayed into electrical wiring of any sort. This would be an extreme shock hazard and damage your equipment and wiring. Boracare is strictly a raw natural wood treatment product for wood destroying insects like Termites, Carpenter ants and Powder Post Beetles. If there is a particular pest you are trying to treat for you can let us know and we can recommend a product that can be used in the areas you mentioned.

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May 5, 2013 Melvin from Oxford asked:

QCan Boracare be used on pressure treated lumber after it has dried in place for several months?
I plan on having exposed truss ends on my house (no soffits). If the trusses are treated will Boracare still work to kill carpenter beetles.

ABoracare is not labeled to be used on pressure treated lumber. If you still want to try to use it for this use we recommend that you contact Nisus the manufacturer for further information 800-264-0870

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May 5, 2013 Timothy from Glenville, Pa asked:

QWhat is the solution for exterminating existing termites, future termites, & future mold/fungi?
As a contractor I often get into a project which starts as a roof or siding leak and evolves into termite, ants, & mold infestation. I want a product that will exterminate the existing problems and provide treatment for the future.

ABoracare, if applied to raw untreated wood will penetrate up to 4in and provide protection against wood boring insects for the lifetime of the wood. For mold care, Boracare with Moldcare would be great option.

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April 30, 2013 M. from Sacramento, Ca asked:

QDrywood termites in fence, side of house, and crawl space
Should I spray the entire fence including drilling numerous small holes to kill the drywood termites in the fence? I think the house will have to be tented since extensive activity in walls and crawlspace. I don't want re-infestiation from the fence.

AHere is a link to treating drywood termites.  Using Boracare it is not required to drill holes into the wood. The Boracare will penetrate 4in into the wood and last for the life time of the wood if applied to raw unpainted wood.

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April 29, 2013 Vanessa from Brunswick Georgia asked:

QWhat is the best termiticide to treat termites in the studs of the house?

AFirst identify them as either Subterranean or drywood termites. If drywood termites Boracare is usually chosen if you need to protect the wood for long term control of wood infesting pests. Boracare penetrates into untreated wood and will eliminate current infestations of termites and it will prevent infestations of termites, carpenter ants, powderpost beetles and wood destroying fungus when used as directed on the Product Label. If Sub-termites you may want to use a termite foam such as Termidor Foam.

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March 28, 2013 Doug from Beaumont, Tx asked:

QTreatment With BoraCare Followed By Thompson Water Seal
I have read that when Bora Care is applied to untreated lumber and dries, it can be painted, stained and etc. I am currently building a home and will use untreated 4x8 plywood (3/4" thickness). I will apply Bora Care at the recommended rate and let dry, Subsequently, I want to treat the plywood with a water sealer such as Thompson Water Seal as a temporary sealer until I get the home dried-in. Of course the water sealer will penetrate the plywood to some extent. Will the water sealer have any adverse effects on the Bora Care?

AThe Sealer should not have any effect on the Boracare treatment as long as you allow the Boracare application to dry before applying the sealer. We recommend waiting at least 3 days before sealing (but not longer than 6 weeks).

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