How to Use Borates to Protect Cedar Log Siding

People use a borate solution to protect their cedar log siding. Treating cedar log siding with borates helps prevent and eliminate most wood-destroying organisms. You can treat the siding in different ways when using borates. Siding or lumber treated with borates is no different to work with than untreated siding. You can sand, saw, glue and finish the siding like normal wood.

Brushing or Spraying on Borates

• 1

  Wash the wood siding with a power washer or mix a solution of liquid detergent and warm water in a bucket. To remove mildew, mix 1 quart of bleach, ¾ gallon of water and one teaspoon of detergent. Wet a soft-bristled long-handled brush and scrub the wood clean. Remove any mold, mildew or wax so the borates can penetrate the wood. To remove these problems, scrub the area thoroughly with the borate solution. If this does not remove the debris, you will need to use a sander, planer or grinder with a wire brush attachment.

• 2

  Put on protective clothing, rubber gloves, respirator and goggles before you mix and use the borate powder and solution. Borates can cause health problems if inhaled or ingested. It can also cause eye and skin irritations.

• 3

  Mix 1 pound of borate powder with one gallon of water. Check the label of the borate powder and find one that has a highly refined boron.

• 4

  Fill a sprayer with the borate mixture and spray the wood. An alternative method to spraying is brushing the borate mixture on the wood with a paint brush.

Bath Treatment

• 1

  Clean the wood. See section one, step one above.

• 2

  Put on protective clothing, rubber gloves, respirator and goggles before you mix and use the borate powder and solution. Borates can cause health problems if inhaled or ingested. It can also cause eye and skin irritations.

• 3

  Mix up enough borate powder and hot water to fill a large tank. The proportions depend on the size tank you have, but use 1 pound of borate powder to one gallon of hot water. You need a large tank to submerge the siding. You also need to keep the water and borate solution heated until you have finished the soaking process.

• 4

  Dip the cedar siding into the tank and leave the wood to soak for 2 to 5 minutes.

• 5

  Remove the cedar log siding. Stack the soaked cedar log siding and keep them covered with a tarp or plastic. The cedar siding will dry slowly, and in doing so, the borates will penetrate all the way through the wood.