boron boric acid mixture

[addicted]

Hey guys
 I tried mixing up a batch of boron and boric acid ( I searched navy boron mix) as a solution to soak the timbers for bugs. The mix did not dissolve well , nor did it work with a sprayer.  Once it dried it left a crystallized grit on the surface. Applying oil after that just turned the oil into a cloudy slurry. The last time I did this the timbers had a rough texture and the mixture soaked in quite well. This time however the timbers are smooth. Most of the oak show signs of powder post beetles. We also chase carpenter ants around the build site.
any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Rusty

[Don P]

The navy recipe requires heating. I've never tried it as it seemed a clunky way to get to DOT which is readily available. Solubor or Timbor is a wettable powder, designed to dissolve for spray application.

Any crystals on the surface need to be removed before finishing by brushing or light sanding or it will cause finishing problems.

If there are PPB's in the wood and it is not already installed  it would be better to kill them first with heat, they are below the level of penetration. If the wood is already installed such as the framing I need to leave in place in the current historic house I'm working on then solubor in place is my best option short of calling in the pro's to tent and fumigate, which isn't going to happen.