Which paint?

[Derek Uchman]

Got some new wooden hives I want paint. Can't be bothered driving all the way to Thornes, besides I'm looking for a clear stain. What does everyone recommend?

I do have some very good wood preservative, but it warns "DO NOT USE ON BEEHIVES". Is this common?

[gavin]

You certainly don't want to be painting insecticide on hives. Linseed oil, generously rubbed all over (ooo - eerrr!) is all you need. Pretty sure I've used boiled rather than raw and not had any issues with it.

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/linseed.html

If it is true Western Red Cedar I'd just leave it alone. Budget 'English cedar' (larch?) and I'd put oil on every few years.

[fatshark]

I use Ronseal One Coat Fence Life (http://www.ronseal.co.uk/products/one-coat-fencelife) for cedar hives. Not to protect the wood, simply to make it a bit less obvious. Don't buy it at B&Q or similar unless you've got a kidney to trade-in. My local DIY store does it for about half list price (though I realise that's not a lot of help if you're in Monifieth).

[HJBee]

I was going to use Cuprinol Ducks Back on my home made rough sawn ekes. I can't see anything on the Tub that it's bad for insects / bees. Anyone used this?

[Little_John]

I build all my bee boxes out of recycled wood, mainly pallets - none have been pinched so far (I keep wondering why ?) - and I paint 'em with polyurethane floor paint, ex boot sales. Marvellous stuff - dries in a couple of hours, and as tough as old boots. Limited range of colours mind.
LJ

[lindsay s]

I was going to use Cuprinol Ducks Back on my home made rough sawn ekes. I can't see anything on the Tub that it's bad for insects / bees. Anyone used this?
Ducks Back will be OK as long as you air the hive parts for at least a week after painting. I’ve used Cuprinol garden wood preserver for many years with no problems. Unfortunately they have stopped making this product. Cuprinol keep changing the names and formula of their products so I’m going to have to use something similar. I prefer their solvent rather than their water based products. Whatever paint you use on single walled hives make sure it’s breathable and never use gloss. The weather has improved a lot up here today and I will be going to my bees shortly. My last visit was 12 days ago!

[Jon]

My last visit was 12 days ago!

I sense impending queen cells!

[HJBee]

Thanks Lindsay. Just the ekes so shouldn't be on there for a while (feeding an unexpected a/s excluded), I am painting tonight! H

[Maybee]

this was good to read, still looking at my VERY flat pack hive, it is supposed to cedar so I was thinking of coating with boiled linseed - has anyone mixed wax and linseed oil together to paint on?

[gavin]

this was good to read, still looking at my VERY flat pack hive, it is supposed to cedar so I was thinking of coating with boiled linseed - has anyone mixed wax and linseed oil together to paint on?

I seem to remember someone saying it gave a sticky surface. One way to use wax is to immerse your boxes in a vat of boiling wax! An occasional forum poster has used that approach.

[Derek Uchman]

Lots of great suggestions! Thanks very much for all your time and thoughts. It's floors and roofs I need to paint, and I know they ain't cedar. Quite fancy giving the linseed oil a spin as I want quite a natural look. I hail from Kirkcaldy -- the home of linoleum -- so the smell of linseed is something I'm extremely familiar with.

[Maybee]

I seem to remember someone saying it gave a sticky surface. One way to use wax is to immerse your boxes in a vat of boiling wax! An occasional forum poster has used that approach.

A boiling vat of wax eh?

[Rosie]

I remember him saying he got the boiling wax trick from a commercial outfit in NZ or Aus. They deep fried al their new woodwork in hot paraffin wax and never bothered to treat with anything again. I don't think I would try it but my advice is to treat the outside of your kit with anything that lets the wood breathe and that does not contain anything carcinogenic (like creosote) or poisonous to insects. If you seal the outside the internal dampness created by the bees will cause your sealer to bubble and and the wood to rot.

Boiled linseed oil is smart and works if you don't apply too many coats but raw is easier but will need regular maintenance if you don't want the wood to go grey.

I use any cheap water based shed and fence treatment but it only stays smart for about 4 years and refuses to properly soak into the wood until the bare wood has been weathered for about 2 seasons.

[Castor]

Ducks Back, Forest Green on all mine now. With a fence sprayer.


Jay Smith wrote that dunked all his in old engine oil for a week.
Possibly we should be visiting our local chip shops?

[gavin]

It must have been one of the most dangerous (and fun) things Peter has done!

http://www.queenrightcolonies.com/uploads/HotWaxDippingofBeehives.pdf

If anyone has ever tried this on a polyhive I'd like to see the pictures. :)

Good general advice on treating wood here (and more succinctly in Steve's post above): http://www.bbka.org.uk/files/library/care_of_wooden_hives-l007_1342859308.pdf

G.

[Paul]

Is Teak or Danish oil safe to use on a hive? I see Linseed being mentioned as ok, but I've not seen anything about the others.

I've got quite a bit of Teak oil that I was thinking of using on a hive I intend, hopefully, to build this year out of wood from old pallets.