Treatment of hives

[Richard]

I am hoping to start my first hive in late May and I am have bought the best hive I can afford (made of red cedar) and am assured that the components will last a long time, but I wonder if it might not be prudent to treat the outside surfaces with linseed oil and/or possibly with a wood preserver (I would, of course, ensure that it is 'bee friendly' before using it).
All advice would be very welcome. Richard

[Neils]

You don't need to treat cedar, it will go grey over time but should last years.

There is a thread covering the various products/methods people use Here (http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/showthread.php?766-How-to-protect-new-hive).