Thread: keeping borers out

I think they sprinkle borax on green pine while they're stacking it to deter borers

Borax in water.
1Kg of borax to 20 litres of water.
Heat water with timber submersed to about 80 Deg C. hold for 2 hours and let cool. Then remove timber.

This works for Lyctus beetle.
Does not work for termites

Originally Posted by glock40sw

Borax in water.
1Kg of borax to 20 litres of water.
Heat water with timber submersed to about 80 Deg C. hold for 2 hours and let cool. Then remove timber.

This works for Lyctus beetle.
Does not work for termites

trevor stuff i wanna protect is 2 to 3 mtres in length mainly sapwood so cant submerse maybe just spray it on ?

i reckon glocks is on the right track. and i have the same problem. i use a product called david grays insect and termite spray. the biggest problem i have with any treatment that you apply to your timber when freshly sawn, is what affect will the chemicals have on your health when the timber is dry and ready to use. ie i wouldn't like to use treated pine for making furniture. so if you treat something, think of the end use. with lyctid borer i just put up with them and resaw the sapwood out. from memory the dont eat sapwood with a starch content of less than 7%

Originally Posted by mongrell

trevor stuff i wanna protect is 2 to 3 mtres in length mainly sapwood so cant submerse maybe just spray it on ?

G'day.
You can spray it on. But the mix has to be increased to 1kg per 10 litres of water. Once it is dripping wet, the timber has to be covered for 1 week. That is COMPLETELY covered...No light must enter. So...lay the timber on some black plastic. pour/spray mixture all over the timber. Wrap the plastic over the timber and seal with duct tape for a week.

After the week is up, open the plastic and strip the timber out to dry. But...(and there is always a but)...You have to keep the timber dry.

As to health issues, we are all sucking in boron/borax everyday. it is naturally occuring in everyday items and is not listed as hazadous to humans. It is however, a marine pollutant. So don't tip it down the drain.

I've always sprayed Borax in very hot water on to all my timber, logs and all, just the way the old man did and have not had any NEW borer problems at all. Doesn't help when the eggs are already laid under the bark though so I add a bit of insecticide (like Grays termite stuff) to the mix sometimes. The old man always reckoned that it didn't work properly if the water wasn't hot and I never saw a borer touch any of his stuff in 30 years