# Painting hive parts



## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

I have one gal of paint that does that, seams like it don`t dry, won`t buy any more of that.


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

off the top of my head, i too will say it's probably the paint. i get the $5.00 gallon color mis-mixed paint at the hardware store when i see it. i had a gallon of it once that never seemed to quite completely dry.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

Tractor supply has paint hardener. I don't know what type of paint it will work in.


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

A lot of latex paint take a full 30 days to fully cure. I would bet that this what is going on. I wouldn't worry about it just use your hive tool to get them apart. Speaking as a painting contractor. 
My-smokepole


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## SL Tx (Sep 17, 2006)

I let it dry for a week or two to make sure all the smell is gone, then I put beeswax on the top and bottom surfaces. Problem solved.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

*Try the acrylic exterior paints.*

They dry to the touch in 30-40 minutes with low humidity.
I painted the primer and two cover coats in one day. Two days later the bees were the hives.
I painted the bottoms with the hive body upside down and they were flipped over to paint the covers.
Regards,
Ernie Lucas Apiaries


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

I have had the same problem with boxes sticking to one another after painting and I would imagine the majority of those that paint have also.

I just pry them apart or pop them apart and use them. If a big chuck of paint comes off touch it up...

I like the suggestion of putting bees wax over the paint...

However, I switched from painting to hot dipping my equipment in paraffin and rosin....and I love it! No more painting of woodenware.


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## Keith Benson (Feb 17, 2003)

Jeffzhear said:


> However, I switched from painting to hot dipping my equipment in paraffin and rosin....and I love it! No more painting of woodenware.


I would love to be set up to do that - but I am such small potatoes that I would never benefit from the economy of scale. If someone in my area was offering it as a service though - I would take advantage. I have never been a fan of painting.

Keith


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## ekrouse (Aug 26, 2004)

*Exterior vs Interior*

I have had the same problem with latex paint sticking together even a few weeks after painting. After looking into the issue, it turns out that exterior paint is designed to stay elastic (and thus stick together if held in contact long enough). The reason exterior latex is designed this way is the extreme changes in temperature and humidity cause wood siding to expand and contract and the paint needs to move with the wood, otherwise it would crack and chip like the old oil based paints.

-ekrouse


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

*Why White?*

Maybe because its easier to see, cheaper, or for whatever reason, but is there anything that shows that white paint is better then others for bees and production or would a good weatherproof stain or other colors be just as effective?


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

White is traditional. I suppose that it might be a little better in hot, sunny areas to keep the hives from over-heating and a little worse than a darker paint when you want the sun to heat the hives up. I chose white because my house and barn is white. They're over 200 years old so I'm always painting something around the house and it's nice to use the same paint on the hives.


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

Thats kind of what I figured. I went to the photos forums on this site and they are a rainbow of colors...some very nice. Reason I asked is that I stained mine instead of painting because I had lots on hand and I hate covering up wood grain with paint if I don't have too.

Thanks for the response.


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

Keith Benson said:


> I would love to be set up to do that - but I am such small potatoes that I would never benefit from the economy of scale. If someone in my area was offering it as a service though - I would take advantage. I have never been a fan of painting.
> 
> Keith


Keith, maybe someone on this forum does it in your area...maybe you'll hear something! It really is such the time savings...


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## bigeddie (Feb 19, 2008)

I'm a painter by trade. I just prime and apply 2 coats of100% acrylic exterior latex and do not have a problem. Could it be you are trying to put to heavy a coat on at one time? If this happens the paint will form a dry film on the outside but will take a long time to cure out. With oil base it's called solvent entrapment,film forms and solvent can't evaporate, same can happen with latex, moisture can't get out. Just a thought.

Eddie


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## Budvar (Feb 5, 2008)

*parafin wax*

I had the same problem when painting my two hives. 

Let the paint dry, of course. Then, got a stick of parafin wax, available in any decent food or dept. store. No need to heat it up, just wax the top/bottom edges of each hive body. No further sticking problems. 

Hope this helps.


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## hankdog1 (May 17, 2008)

I use the White Barn and Fence latex paint from lowes. It's nice and cheap and works well. Plus it's made by Valspar so ya know it's good stuff. Give it a try i have had good service out of it and it doesn't break the bank.


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