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Borate is a mineral that is mined from California. When borate is applied to wood, it makes the wood poisonous, so pests will not feed on the treated wood. If borate powder or a wood product containing or coated with borate powder is consumed, it kills the microorganisms that produce enzymes in the insect’s stomach, which means the insect cannot absorb nutrients and will die.

Spring and summer are beautiful times of year, but one of the biggest issues for log home owners is that termites and other wood boring insects come out of hibernation. Warm months are often full of the perfect weather for these insects to thrive, and each year, these bugs cause hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage to wood structures. While wood homeowners cannot control where these bugs live, they can control how appealing their home is.

One of the most common fears for log homeowners is moldy or rotten wood. Both issues are caused by damp, humid environments, and both mold and wood rot can damage the wood of the home. While mold does not necessarily mean the wood has log rot, it does mean conditions are ripe for log rot, and permanent damage to the wood may not be far off. Learn more about the difference between mold and log rot, and how to prevent both on your log home.

Log cabins and wood homes are some of the most beautiful homes to live in. However, just like with any building, log homes require some maintenance to ensure their longevity. Wood homes need to be cleaned, stained and protected regularly to prolong the quality of the wood and extend the life of the wood home. But how often do you need to treat a log home?

Log homes are some of the most beautiful and majestic homes. They are unlike any other type of home in both comfort and style. However, over the years, log homes have received a reputation as difficult to maintain. In many cases though, this is not true. Just like any home, with proper care and maintenance, log cabins and wood homes can last for many years. That proper care and maintenance is key though; log homes do have unique problems.

One of the main questions with log homes is their durability. Oftentimes, a downed tree in the forest will quickly rot, growing fungi, mosses, and other plants, and becoming a home for woodland critters. Potential homeowners may think of these downed trees when picturing a log home and wonder how durable a wood home really is.

Borate is a product used as a wood treatment that is used to protect wood from pests, bugs, wood-boring insects and decay-causing fungi. It has been widely used for more than four decades to preserve log homes, frame houses, wood artifacts and even wood boats. It is a naturally occurring mineral salt mined in California, and is completely safe to use in the home and on wood products that are in high-traffic areas.