Woodworm Boron Surface Treatment — Safe & Effective Across Ireland
The first-line, non-invasive treatment for active Common Furniture Beetle in accessible Irish timber. Single-visit, 4–6 hours, low odour, safe for children and pets — carried out by PCA-qualified Enviroteck technicians.
What is boron surface treatment for woodworm?
Boron surface treatment is the modern, non-toxic, single-visit way to eliminate live Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum) — the species responsible for around 95% of all woodworm in Irish homes. A clear, water-based solution of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) is brushed or low-pressure sprayed onto every accessible piece of softwood — rafters, joists, purlins, floorboards, skirting, panelling — and diffuses into the outer 3 mm of the timber, exactly where the larvae feed.
The result is two-fold. First, every existing larva inside that 3 mm zone receives a lethal dose within days. Second, the boron leaves a permanent residual reservoir inside the wood that prevents re-infestation for the life of the building — adult beetles emerging in future seasons cannot successfully lay viable eggs on treated timber. It's the only widely-available wood preservative that kills the current generation and stops the next one in a single application.
Boron is also why woodworm treatment in 2026 looks nothing like the solvent-heavy permethrin work of the 1980s. There's no overnight evacuation, no week of solvent smell, no need to vacate young children or pets. The product is water-based, low-odour and child-safe within hours of application — which is why it has become the conservation officer's preferred first-line treatment for protected structures and the standard recommendation for occupied family homes across Dublin, Cork, Galway and the wider Munster region.
When boron surface treatment is the right choice
A side-by-side of our two woodworm methods — most Irish homes only ever need boron.
Quote to sign-off in a single visit
On-site quote & moisture profiling
A PCA-qualified surveyor inspects every accessible rafter, joist, purlin and ceiling timber. We record moisture content with a calibrated meter, identify the beetle species from the flight-hole pattern and frass, and check for any underlying damp or condensation issue — because boron only kills woodworm in timber that's structurally sound and below 22% MC. You receive a written report and fixed-price quote within 48 hours.
Preparation & HEPA cleaning
Insulation is rolled back and any stored items moved aside. The entire void is HEPA-vacuumed to lift years of dust, frass, cobwebs and any bird or rodent debris — this matters because dust forms a barrier the boron solution can't penetrate. We mask any non-timber surfaces and lay dust sheets through the access route so your living space stays untouched.
Two-coat boron application
We apply a 5% w/w disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) solution by brush or low-pressure spray, then a second coat once the first has tacked off. The solution diffuses into the outer 3 mm of every treated surface where 100% of Common Furniture Beetle larvae live, killing them and leaving a permanent residual reservoir that prevents future re-infestation.
Sign-off & photo report
Insulation is reinstated, the access route swept, and we walk you through before/after photos and the product data sheet. You receive a written record of the work carried out.
What the work looks like
Quote, application, before-and-afters and the materials behind every treatment.
Boron woodworm treatment, county by county
Weekly coverage across these five counties — full island catchment for surveys.
Dublin
Georgian & Victorian terraces, semi-d attics, dormer conversions
More than half of our boron work in any given month is in Dublin — Rathmines, Rathgar, Drumcondra, Clontarf and the Georgian core. The classic call is an inherited family home where the buyer's quote has flagged 'evidence of historic woodworm activity' in attic timbers. We can usually treat the entire roof space inside a single visit, with no need to vacate, and our written guarantee satisfies every solicitor we've dealt with on the south side.
Cork
Harbour-side period property, Douglas, Ballincollig, Mallow
Cork's mild, humid climate keeps timber moisture content stubbornly high — which is why we see fresh Common Furniture Beetle activity even in roof voids that were treated 30 years ago with permethrin. Boron's deep, decades-long residual life is far better suited to the local conditions. We cover the city and full Munster catchment with same-week quote appointments.
Galway
Salthill, Knocknacarra, Connemara cottages & restored townhouses
Connemara cottages and west-coast period property are a specialism — exposed pitch-pine purlins, lime-plastered ceilings and salt-air-driven dampness all need a treatment regime that won't damage original fabric. Boron is the only preservative our conservation-officer clients in Galway will sign off for protected structures, because it's reversible, water-based and leaves no chemical residue on lime plaster.
Limerick
Georgian Newtown Pery, redbrick terraces, North Circular Road
Limerick's Georgian quarter has some of the finest original pine roof structures in the country — and almost all of it shows historic woodworm at quote. Our team treats one or two of these properties most weeks and can phase the work around tenanted floors. Free written quote and fixed-price quote with no obligation.
Kerry
Killarney, Tralee, Dingle Peninsula farmhouses & holiday lets
Farmhouse roof timbers and stone-built holiday lets across Kerry are particularly vulnerable — long unoccupied winters allow timber moisture to climb and woodworm activity to take hold unnoticed. We coordinate boron treatment in the gap between winter close-down and Easter re-opening, with a single 4–6 hour visit per property and full written guarantee for the letting agent.
A Victorian semi-d, two weeks before completion
Buyer's structural quote flagged active Common Furniture Beetle across attic rafters and ceiling joists. Sale agreed, completion in 14 days, solicitor required written remediation evidence.
On-site quote within 48 hours of enquiry. HEPA cleaned the entire 62 m² roof void, applied two-coat 5% DOT boron solution to every accessible timber, photographed every elevation, sealed off insulation work for the next contractor.
Single-day treatment. Sale closed on schedule. Total cost: €780.
Three recent jobs
"The team treated the entire roof void of our Rathmines Victorian in one afternoon. Buyer's solicitor accepted the report on the spot — sale closed two weeks later."
"We were dreading having to vacate with two small children. The Enviroteck surveyor explained the boron is genuinely safe within hours — we were back upstairs that evening."
"Our holiday let in Salthill had visible woodworm in the attic floor. They worked between guest changeovers and gave us paperwork the booking platform was happy with."
Six reasons Irish homeowners choose us for boron treatment
25+ years on Irish timber
Founded in Enniscorthy in the late 1990s, we've treated thousands of homes from Donegal cottages to Dublin Georgians. We know how Irish damp behaves.
Fully insured & PCA-qualified
Every job carried out by directly-employed, PCA-trained Enviroteck technicians — no sub-contractors.
Safe around family life
Boron's mammalian toxicity sits below table salt on the HSE LD50 scale. No need to vacate, no respirators needed by occupants, no impact on pollinators.
Heritage-property specialists
Listed-building work for the Office of Public Works, the Heritage Council and dozens of conservation architects across Leinster and Munster.
Solicitor-grade reporting
Written quote report, photo evidence and guarantee certificate formatted to the standard mortgage lenders and conveyancing solicitors expect to see.
Nationwide coverage
Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Kerry weekly; full Leinster, Munster and east-Connacht catchment for surveys within 48 hours.
Related treatments
Injection Treatment
For Deathwatch and House Longhorn Beetle in heavy oak beams — deep heartwood protection.
Learn moreHeat & Fumigation
Chemical-free whole-void thermal eradication for severe or widespread infestation.
Learn moreDry & Wet Rot Treatment
Where woodworm is paired with fungal decay — combined quote and treatment programme.
Learn moreDamp & Rising Damp Quote
Fix the moisture source first — boron only protects timber kept below 22% MC.
Learn moreFourteen questions Irish homeowners ask
Get your free boron woodworm quote
A PCA-qualified surveyor will visit your property, confirm the species and extent of any infestation, and provide a fixed-price written quote within 48 hours. Most enquiries are returned within one working hour.