Deck & Wood Care Products
We can cut this answer in half pretty easily by saying that Tim-Bor probably should not be used on most decks and fences. It actually IS labeled for decks and fences, but with the qualifying statement on the Label that "such structures must be protected from excess rain", and I have to believe that most fences and decks are readily exposed to rainfall. The reason for this is that Tim-Bor does not penetrate into the wood nearly as well as does Bora-Care , and being highly water soluble it would allow rain to re-dissolve the borate back into solution, cause it to run off the wood with the rain, and get into the soil, where it becomes toxic to plant life. There also would be an increased opportunity for continuing water to move the borate further down in the soil, potentially to any groundwater that may be near the surface. The temptation may be to use Tim-Bor due to the fairly noticeable cost difference for mixing up a gallon of use-solution. However, even though it costs more, Bora-Care is definitely the preferred product for use on outdoor wood surfaces where rain will be a concern. Bora-Care is labeled for use on decks and fences, including those exposed to rainfall, with the advice that you must do the application at least 48 hours in advance of any rain, snow, or even sprinkler irrigation that may hit that wood. If you treat and an unexpected rain is imminent, the treated wood must be covered to keep it dry. This allows the liquid application to dry and the borate active ingredient to get into the wood where rainfall will not remove it. It is even suggested that decks and fences then be coated with some protective paint, varnish, or other sealant that will cover the borate and keep it in the wood. Remember that Bora-Care can be applied only to bare wood, so if the deck has paint or any other finish already on it that must be removed first, or the borate cannot penetrate into the wood. However, once inside you really could expect many years of residual protection. As the labeling for Bora-Care states, it "protects wood as long as it is in service", meaning that the borate will last longer than the wood will. As an inorganic pesticide, derived from borax minerals, the borate (disodium tetrahydrate octaborate) simply does not chemically decompose. It more or less lasts forever, and particularly since Bora-Care has the ability to penetrate deeply into the wood the active ingredient stays there as a toxic substance to any insects or fungus that attempt to feed on that treated wood. One more interesting formulation of borates is the Impel
Rods, which
are small solid tubes of borate that can be driven into a hole drilled
into wood. These are useful for wood such as fence posts or deck
supports which are in contact with the soil, and where continual
moisture in the wood is likely. The moisture in the wood slowly
dissolves the borate cylinder (around 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter) and
allows the active ingredient to diffuse into the surrounding wood,
again providing a very long term protection of the wood in that area.
And, finally, if you were to use Tim-Bor on wood protected from
rainfall, it should also last for many, many years. I suspect that
Bora-Care
applied to the same wood might last even longer, due to the
majority of it being on the inside of the wood, whereas much of the
Tim-Bor remains very near the surface, but unless the outer surface of
the wood sloughs off there is no reason the Tim-Bor should disintegrate
either.
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