If you are looking for the best wood treatment product for your home, Bora-Care, and Timbor is two of the top products on the market. But which one is best?
Here we will compare Bora-Care and Timbor to help you pick the best wood treatment product to protect your home from a variety of termites, insects, and fungi, as well as preserve the wood for years to come.
We believe Bora-Care is the best choice because it gives you a full range of protection from pests, is simple to apply and penetrates deep into the wood to protect it for many years.
Comparison Chart
| Bora-Care | Timbor | |
| Usage | Pretreatment Prevention Elimination | Prevention Elimination |
| Form | Liquid | Powder |
| Penetration | Deep Penetration | Protective Envelope |
| Target Pests | Drywood Termites Subterranean Termites Formosan Termites Carpenter Ants Powderpost Beetles Old House Borers Wood Decay Fungi Algae | Drywood Termites Carpenter Ants Powderpost Beetles Old House Borers Wood Decay Fungi Algae |
| Yield | Slab – 200 linear feet per gallon of 1:1 solution (½ gallon of concentrate) New Construction – 400 sq. ft per gallon of 5:1 solution (⅙ gallon of concentrate) | 1.5 lbs powder in 1 gallon of 15% solution – 200 sq. ft |
Key Differences
Bora-Care and Timbor contain the same active ingredient, so their key difference is in their form.
Bora-Care is sold in liquid form with an added glycol penetrant and is applied as a spray mist or foam. It is used extensively as a pretreatment in new constructions to prevent pest infestations and preserve the wood. It is equally effective when used to eliminate existing infestations.
Timbor differs in that it is sold in powder form. It can also be applied as mist or foam, but it has the extra flexibility to be applied as dust allowing treatment of hard-to-reach areas and as an alternative to fumigation.
Bora-Care will prevent and eliminate a wider variety of pests than Timbor and comes with an amazing 30-year limited warranty.
Technical Specifications
Bora-Care
- Active Ingredient – Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (Borate Salt). Low toxicity.
- Form – Liquid. Applied as mist or foam.
- Mixture – Diluted with hot water at a ratio of 1:1 to 5:1 depending on the treatment.
Timbor
- Active Ingredient – Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (Borate Salt). Low toxicity.
- Form – Water-soluble powder. Applied as dust, mist, or foam.
- Mixture – 1.5 lbs of powder per gallon of water for 15% solution.
Feature Comparison
Usage
Bora-Care can be used as a standalone to prevent and eliminate most pests and as a wood preservative in new construction and existing buildings.
Unlike some pretreatments, it is not used to treat the soil around the building; it treats the structure itself.
This is a big advantage as it means it lasts longer, does not wash away, and flows into the environment. It is easier to apply, is less disruptive to the construction schedule, and does not need retreatment.
Timbor, however, needs to be used in conjunction with other treatments to eliminate all pests, and it is not labeled as a primary termite treatment for new construction.
So Bora-Care is the preferred choice as it is suitable for all uses.
Form
Bora-Care comes in a thick, concentrated liquid form that needs to be diluted before application. It is diluted with hot water at various ratios depending on the application.
For example, 1 part concentrate to 1 part water for remedial treatment of all termites and 2 foot band treatment. And for a whole house preventative treatment for new construction, a solution of 1 part concentrate to 5 parts of water.
To use as foam, the Bora-Care solution needs mixing with a foam concentrate.
Timbor comes in powder form and can be diluted with water for mist spraying. 1.5 lbs of powder to a gallon of water for a 15% solution. 1 lb of powder to a gallon of water for a 10% solution requiring two coats.
Timbor can also be used as a foam but has the added ability to be applied directly as dust.
For this added flexibility, allowing it to be used in more restrictive spaces as dust, as well as needing less storage space itself, Timbor would take the edge in this category.
Penetration
Bora-Care is a deep penetrating treatment that can protect in one treatment. It includes a patented glycol mixture that soaks deeply into the timber drawing the active ingredient with it, resulting in much deeper protection and longer life.
Timbor is more of a surface and low-level treatment, forming a protective barrier around the timber in both its dust and liquid form. And it is more effective on wood with higher moisture content as this helps it absorb more deeply into the wood.
For deep penetration using Timbor, drilling of the wood is required, and the product is injected into the holes.
Due to the addition of the super absorbing glycol penetrant, Bora-Care is the clear winner when it comes to penetration.
Target Pests
Bora-Care and Timbor both protect against dry wood termites, wood-boring beetles, and carpenter ants. They are equally suited for killing and preventing wood decay fungi.
But Bora-Care protects wood from a wider range of pests, including subterranean and Formosan termites.
Timbor is more limited and needs to be used in conjunction with other treatments for full protection.
As Bora-Care kills and protects against more breeds of termites, it takes the lead in this category.
Yield
A gallon of Bora-Care concentrate can be diluted and used in different applications for a wide range of coverages.
A gallon of concentrated Bora-Care diluted in water at a ratio of 1:1 will produce 2 gallons of solution which will cover around 400 square feet in a crawl space application.
The same gallon of concentrate, when diluted at a ratio of 5:1, will produce 6 gallons of solution, which is enough to cover as much as 2000 square feet for a preventative attic treatment.
Generally speaking, Timbor is used in a 15% solution, and a gallon of the solution made from 1.5 lbs of powder has a coverage of around 200 square feet.
While Timbor is at the bottom end of the range of the coverage of Bora-Care, it is much cheaper than Bora-Care.
When the cost is taken into account, the coverage per dollar is more in favor of Timbor in most applications, so Timbor edges this category.
Although you should also bear in mind that Bora-Core lasts longer, it will need retreatment less frequently, so over time is probably more economical.
Conclusion: BoraCare vs. Timbor – Which One Should I Buy?
The best overall wood treatment and the preservative product is Bora-Care.
It is deeper penetrating than Timbor, and only needs one treatment. It is much longer-lasting than Timbor, as it protects the life of the wood and is backed up by a 30-year limited warranty.
Bora-Care is one of the best products on the market for new build construction pretreatment as it is easily and quickly applied to the structure and not the soil.
Together with its low toxicity, this makes it an excellent choice for the environment.
It is also a top product for preventing and killing a wide variety of pests as well as preserving the timber for years.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Whitewood vs Pine
- Goof off vs Goo gone
- How to Clean Wood After Stripping Paint
- Dremel ultra saw vs Saw max
- How to Remove Dried Glue From Wood
I am a woodworker with over 19 years of experience crafting everything from furniture to ornamental pieces. I take pride in my ability to bring out the beauty of the wood I work with, creating unique and lasting objects. My passion for woodworking has been a life-long pursuit and I strive to push myself further and further with each new project. I am dedicated to the craft and take great satisfaction in the final product that I create.Read More.
