# Hive tops- Material



## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

Advantech.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Plywood sitting horizontal, whether treated or not, gets hammmered by the weather. Rain can sit on the wood, and the sun hits with full force on a horizontal surface. Paint can _help_ seal the plywood, but its still just thin veneer layers glued together. The best plywood choice would be Exterior rated plywood or Marine rated plywood, but the more common Exposure 1 rating is not suitable for permanent outdoor exposure.

Some of mine are covered with metal (more or less flashing, but mine came as [scrap] aluminum sold as underskirting for mobile homes). Others of mine are covered with a flexible vinyl used for outdoor inkjet-printed signs/banners. Whatever is free and reasonably weather resistant.

.


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## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

I use the basic design in the Build It" section but use whatever plywood I have available, cover with sheet metal, solder the seams and add a few screws to keep everything in place.


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

3/8" OSB on a telescoping top frame, painted, and covered with Al flashing that is stapled to the sides of the frame.


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

With plywood it really helps to fill and seal all the edges before painting. I make sure there are no gaps at all. I use glue plus sawdust to fill gaps and then paint over it when dry. Only two years in, so no idea how long these will hold up, but look like new still.


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## Ruthz (Sep 13, 2011)

What is Advantech?


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## NorthMaine (Oct 27, 2016)

Ruthz, 
Advantech is a brand of OSB with waterproof glue. It's made to be durable in exposed wet situations. Couldn't find the page I wanted that showed after a year, but check this out..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIpwFgcZdzU

But it's HEAVY.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

There are a group of Advantech threads here:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?317916-Advantech-(plywood-alternative)-for-woodenware


Also, I just realized that this thread is in the Commercial forum. _CTO322_, if you are of a scale to consider yourself commercial, then the thread is in the right place. If you on a smaller scale, this thread may get a wider response in the Bee forum, and we can move it.


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

Advantech was also recently discussed in this thread:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?341275-D-Coates-Nuc


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