Borax Treatement

[gobbypunk]

Hi everyone ,so quite a while back there was a few posts about spraying boards with Borax to treat against mould and wood munching Beatles so I have been using it for yrs but a few weeks ago I mentioned it to a matey who also mills and sells timber and he was saying its bad for you its banned etc etc but you can make slime for the kids our of it everything I have read is just conflicting so do any of you have any info on it .

      Thanks.  Mark  

[sime42]

10 minutes ago, gobbypunk said:

Hi everyone ,so quite a while back there was a few posts about spraying boards with Borax to treat against mould and wood munching Beatles so I have been using it for yrs but a few weeks ago I mentioned it to a matey who also mills and sells timber and he was saying its bad for you its banned etc etc but you can make slime for the kids our of it everything I have read is just conflicting so do any of you have any info on it .

      Thanks.  Mark  

 

I too was similarly confused when I looked into Borax a while back. Lots of conflicting information. I decided in the end that it might not be great, but it's really not too bad, and a hell of a lot better than lots of the nasty chemicals in other wood preservatives.

[Forest2Furniture]

It's banned as a food additive in the UK.

I used to use boron to treat timber but moved to Lignum Insecticide Pro.

It's more expensive that the boron powder but no one wants there hard

earned timber being turn to dust.

[gobbypunk]

So doing some reading I am even more confused in the US they seem to use it a lot but then there is Boron that seems to be the same a Borax ,its just a nightmare

[Stubby]

5 hours ago, gobbypunk said:

So doing some reading I am even more confused in the US they seem to use it a lot but then there is Boron that seems to be the same a Borax ,its just a nightmare

Always found it to be an excellent flux when brazing with brass rods . 

[Steven P]

i was recommended boron by the pest controller - said I could do it myself with no special requirements (the manufacturer said the same though I did put on goggles and a mask when crawling upside down under the suspended floor)

 

It is also fire retardant (I checked this - well, you would wouldn't you)

 

the supplier looks like they are going for more lignum based treatments now.

 

 

Not sure what surface treatments you could use, apparently varnish will prevent some things, not sure what other things you could use (and of course, if it gets scratched there is a weak spot)

[Macpherson]

It has had and has dozens of industrial  uses since the 1800's, it's also one of the micro-nutrients essential to all life.

 

It's been restricted in this country since Brexit and is banned in many countries since the 1960's due to being discovered to be also natural treatment for arthritis and inflammation... I sense eyes rolling..

 

Until recently I bought it on ebay it was very cheap and went a long way. the last lot I bought was from RYE oils I think. Although restricted there must exceptions due to all the industrial uses including treating timber.

 

Borax is a near pure common salt mined from dried lake beds [ Sodium Borate Decahydrate ] not to confused with Boric acid which can be bought on ebay.

 

I put a link to an interesting article on ' our broken bodies ' thread quite a while ago, but I doubt if many read it.

 

Luckily some folk haven't heard of it's restriction.. This would mix with 5 Gallons of hot water and last you a good while.

 

Borax Powder | The Soap Kitchen™

WWW.THESOAPKITCHEN.CO.UK

---

Our borax powder is a superior quality thickening agent, for use in small doses in creams and lotions - The Soap Kitchen™ - Leading UK soap supplier.

 

[gobbypunk]

Hi Mac ,yeah I do remember that link as I did read some of it as I am starting to get Arthritus in my ankle ,its quite mad how a few people have recently said to me its real bad for you but all the info is confusing and then Boric Acid seems almost the same its done my head in obviously I wear gloves and a mask when spraying it but what about after its been absorbed by the boards can it be harmfull when cutting or sanding ?