How to Fireproof With Borax

We use many naturally occurring fire inhibiters every day. Some of them are used to put out the flames while others inhibit the spread of fire. One of the lesser known fire inhibitors available to the consumer is borax. Borax is a natural mineral mixture that is soluble in water and can reduce the spread of fire on properly treated surfaces.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Borax
• Boric acid
• Sprayer
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cup
• Gloves
• Pot

1. Put 4 cups of boric acid in a pot on the stove until it reaches 212 degrees (when the liquid begins to boil). Stir the boric acid as it reaches its boiling point and then lower the stove to a medium temperature range. Let the boric acid reduce its temperature for two minutes.

2. Pour 1 cup of dry borax into the boric acid and begin to mix them. Continue to add dry borax into the pan with heated boric acid until the boric acid is unable to absorb any more borax. You know you've saturated the boric acid completely when flakes of borax reach the bottom of the pan yet will not dissolve in the liquid.

3. Turn the stove off. While the liquid is still warm, fill a hand-pump, pressurized sprayer with the solution. Close and tighten the sprayer's lid and pump the handle to pressurize the air inside the sprayer.

4. Spray the fireproofing liquid on natural construction material like wood or fiber and other flammable materials. Four cups of solution should cover at least 1,000 square feet of surfaces.

5. Let the fireproofing solution dry completely before handling anything treated. The solution must be allowed to dry to get the benefit of the fire retardant properties. Apply more solution on surfaces that are in close proximity to potential fire sources.

Tips & Warnings

• Boric acid and borax minerals can be deadly in high doses. Animals and people can fall sick when enough borax is ingested. Keep the materials away from pets and children or clean the treated surfaces after the solution has dried. Borax will work even after the traces left behind are so minuscule they pose no threat to humans or animals.
• A borax fireproofing liquid can age wood that it has been applied to. Finished wood and decorative wood pieces should not be sprayed with this solution because it alters the appearance of finished wood products after it has dried.

References

• Merriam Webster Dictionary (Borax)
• Green Builder Forum & Tips (Fireproofing)
• Fireproof a Christmas Tree with Borax

Resources

• Fireproofing Mixtures