Has anyone here used one of the low-toxicity wood treatments, or does anyone know of organic wood treatment? I figure I've got maybe another year before the untreated wood in my flower bed must be replaced. We've got about 6-8 tall pines that I'm thinking of having milled this summer, but I don't want it to rot like some of our last timber did. I was looking at Bora-Care, and I had also read (in OG perhaps???) about using boiled linseed oil. Anybody know how long we'd need to let the wood dry prior to any applications? I know that boiled linseed is a fire hazard, and I am not sure how to use it. If anyone has used the Bora-Care, I'd love to hear about your experiences.
Or are there other treatments/preservatives that won't harm your health, ground/microorganisms, or plants? Humidity is a huge problem here, as are termites (I think we may have Formosan in the area), powderpost beetles, borer bees, fungi, pretty much if it eats wood, it lives here.
TIA!!!
~ True grits, more grits, fish grits and collards. Life is good, where grits are swollar'd.
Posts: 379 | Location: zone 8b, MS | Registered: December 22, 2003
I use boric acid, and it works fine, as long as the wood is not in direct contact with wet soil...so I wrap the wood that is in contact with wet soil either in concrete or in plastic bags (which don't decompose under the ground).
You'll need to let the fresh cut pine dry a year to 18 months or have it kiln-dried if you want it dry. While I'm not positive about this, I think you could put linseed oil right on the green wood and not worry about it. It's going to be in the ground anyway and it doesn't need to look pretty.
