by weight unless indicated otherwise termites are exposed to wood blocks 7 5 u00d7 9 u00d7 2 cm l h w coated with the protective barrier coating composition to be tested the blocks are placed in 15 cm diameter plastic petri dishes lined with a sand and vermiculite mixture to maintain sufficient moisture for termite survival a population of 650 termites is placed in each petri dish for up to two weeks at the end of the test the number of termites still alive are counted and the blocks visually examined for evidence of termite feeding damage a smooth pine board about 11 inches 28 cm by 3 u00bd inches 9 cm by u00be inches 2 cm is coated with the protective barrier coating composition using a 3 inch 1 6 cm wide draw down bar at the desired coverage rate using a wet film thickness gauge to measure its thickness after at least 4 days dry time at ambient conditions it is marked with lines every inch of length starting with zero at one inch from the end where the flame will be placed directly under the zero mark the coated board is mounted at a 45 u00b0 inclined angle in a draft free exhaust hood with a propane fueled bunsen burner placed about 1 u00bd inches 4 cm below the board surface at the lower end directly below the zero line and adjusted to have about a two inch 5 cm flame when placed under the board with the coated side face down the flame initially bends up to about the one inch line a stopwatch is used to record the maximum flame.