The borate based wood preservative and remedial products featured in this PRG Product Bulletin have been developed to meet these needs. These products, when handled and applied according to the directions, are safe and easy to use. Borate based products are not completely new. Reports from the 1940's, on through to current research, document the efficacy of borates as wood preservatives. With recent EPA rulings to remove hazardous formulations from the market, borates are sensible and reliable choices.
Borate products are effective against both wood boring insects and decay fungi.
Research has shown that .084 lbs of borates per cubic foot of wood is sufficient to provide protection against most wood destroying fungi. The fungi can still germinate due to the protective shell of the spores, but the wood is protected since the fungi cannot develop without ingesting fatal levels of borate. The concentrations needed to kill wood boring insects are generally less than the amounts needed for controlling fungi. This means that by selecting the correct product, borate protection can diffuse deep into the wood, without the need for pressure treatment. Long term exposure to wet conditions can cause the borates to migrate out of the wood.