This document discusses wood restoration using borates and epoxies. It describes fungal decay, conventional rot repair methods, and issues with epoxy putties and pastes. The document then introduces a wood restoration system using borate-based preservatives like D.O.T. and fused boron rods to treat areas of decay, followed by epoxy hardener and epoxy wood filler to restore structural integrity. The system aims to stop existing rot, restore appearance, and prevent future rot from returning through a multi-step process incorporating borates and epoxies.

1. REMEDIAL WOOD PRESERVATION
USING BORATES
AND
WOOD RESTORATION USING EPOXIES
Jim Renfroe
Wood Care Systems 1

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15. FUNGAL DECAY
IDENTIFICATION, CAUSES AND CURES
• What is Fungal Decay?
• What Causes It?
• How Do You Identify it?
• What do you do about it?
• How do you prevent it ? `
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16. CONVENTIONAL ROT REPAIR
• Replace it with new wood
• Not good in historical restoration
• Not easy when it’s a large beam or timber
• Cut off the beam end or cut out the rot
• The fungus still lives in the remaining wood
• Use bondo or other fillers
• Cannot handle expansion/contraction
• Too brittle for nails or screws
• Paint over it
• Hides it temporarily
• Ignore it and hope it goes away
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17. EPOXY ROT REPAIR
• Liquids Consolidants
• Only consolidate dry spongy wood
• Full of solvents that are flammable with strong odors
• Do not penetrate through rot and into the good wood
• Do not contain fungicides that kill and prevent rot
• Putties and Pastes
• Don’t bond well to wood
• Brittle with spread too thin
• Split when nailed and will not hold a screw
• Shrink as they cure `
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22. DESIGN IS OFTEN THE CULPRIT
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24. INSPECTION FOR DECAY
• Probe for soft wood
• Chronic Paint Failure
• Discoloration from mold or algae
• Break in paint film
• Crack or check in timber
• Crumbly shavings from drilled hole
• Dull thud when tapped with a hammer
• Moisture content above 25%
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25. A ROT PROBLEM IS ALWAYS THE
RESULT OF A MOISTURE PROBLEM
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27. INSPECT DRILL SHAVINGS FOR DECAY
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28. A SMALL BREAK IN THE PAINT FILM CAN
CAUSE A LARGE PROBLEM
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30. ROT NEEDS 4 CONDITIONS
TO SURVIVE
• 1. Moisture
• 2. Food
• 3. Oxygen
• 4. Temperature between 40 and 90
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33. PROBLEM
How do we:
• stop existing rot?
• restore the wood’s structural integrity
and appearance?
• how do we keep the rot from returning?
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34. SOLUTION!
Develop a System that
incorporates BORATE based
wood preservative which are
safe and effective with
EPOXIES that are easy to use
and restores rot damaged wood
to like new condition.
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35. THE TOTAL WOOD
RESTORATION SYSTEM
1. Remove the compost
2. Treat area with DOT and
Borate Rods
3. Apply liquid epoxy hardener
to penetrate the surface and
prepare the surface to be
filled.
4. Fill with epoxy based wood
replacement compound
5. Sand flush, apply primer, then paint
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37. REMOVING PREVIOUS REPAIR
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38. BORATE BASED WOOD
PRESERVATIVES
• Highly effective contact poison for decay fungi
• Permanent – will not evaporate, volatilize, oxidize or
dissipate
• Safe and Easy to use
• Keeps rot from returning
• Makes the system a permanent repair
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39. D.O.T.
DISODIUM OCTABORATE TETRAHYDRATE
• A borate based wood preservative that comes as a powder that
you mix with water
• Brush or spray into cavity and into holes drilled for rods
• Borated pressure treated wood is available
• Sterilizes the cavity and then diffuses into the remaining rotten
wood, killing the fungus
• Leaves a residual amount of preservative where it is needed
the most
• Virtually non toxic to mammals
• No smell
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41. FUSED
BORON RODS
• Highest concentration of borate wood preservative
• Slowly dissolves when moisture content is high enough to
support decay providing a “time released” preservative
• Provides an internal treatment to compliment a surface
treatment
• Safe and easy to use. 6 sizes for virtually and wood size.
• Extends the life of wood
• Cost effective
• Contains 25% more boron than copper/boron rods
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42. TYPICAL INITIAL DIFFUSION PATTERN
AFTER 1 MONTH
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44. FUSED SOLID BORATE RODS
• Bor8 Rods – all boron
• Impel Rods – all boron
• Cobra Rods – copper and boron
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45. DRILL HOLES
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47. INSERT BOR8 RODS
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48. LIQUID EPOXY
• 100% solids. No solvents whatsoever
• Penetrates several cell layers deep
• Hardens punky wood
• Forms a permanent waterproof seal
• Primes the surface for epoxy wood filler
• Reinforces structural damage
• Easy 2:1 mixture
• Very little smell
• Can be used inside or out
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49. MIX ACCURATELY USING THE
MIXING BOTTLE
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50. APPLY LIBERALLY AND
COAT ALL SURFACES
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53. EPOXY WOOD FILLER
• Wood replacement compound
• Can be nailed without splitting
• Will hold screws for hardware attachment
• Sands easily
• Holds a sharp edge
• Impervious to rot, insects and water
• Can be primed with latex and painted
• Can be stained
• Add structural integrity
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55. M
I
X
S
C
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L
P
W
O
O
D
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59. FILL VOID WITH SCULPWOOD
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60. USE A BLOCK TO HELP SQUARE UP THE
SCULPWOOD
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63. READY TO PRIME AND PAINT
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64. APPLY TIMBR PRIME
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