# hive painting



## windyhill (Feb 2, 2005)

I'm new to beekeeping. Have just put together my hives and frames. I have read about painting hives but do you paint the bottom board which is inside the hive??
Any help appreciated.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

The rule of thumb is to leave any surface that is interior from a bees reference unpainted.I paint the exterior of my bottom boards. 

Most important is to get the bottom board off the ground. I use cement blocks. Blocks also reduce skunk depredation. 

If you have only a couple of hives and are concerned about asthetics....... Use landscape blocks or paint plain block to match the hive.

Use top quality paint. Do not skimp..... Your time to repaint in a couple of years is more valuable than the couple of bucks you spend on top quality paint.

Good luck.


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## Todd Zeiner (Jun 15, 2004)

Ditto on using cheap paint. I tried to save $$ last year on some cheap water based exterior paint. It is already flaking off and looks terrible. The oil based high gloss stuff I used last year looks just like it was painted. 

I used clear spar varnish on a few and they look good too.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

If you're going to paint you can paint both sides of the bottom board if you like. Just don't paint the insides of the hives. You can paint the outside. You can paint the edges where the boxes meet (I hardly ever do).


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## carbide (Nov 21, 2004)

Like Michael, I normally paint both the inside and outside of my bottom boards. I haven't noticed any detrimental effects by painting the inside of the bottom board and I believe that it helps them to last a little longer.

Like others on the forum, I normally go to the local hardware store and buy paint that has been mis-tinted. You can normally find quality paint that the store is selling for $5 a gallon or less. As a matter of fact, I just picked up a can at lunchtime that is a nice light green with a 15 year warranty for just $5.


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## LaRae (Apr 29, 2005)

We are new to bees and we decided (durability, resistant to rot etc) to go with Cypress wood for the hives. We aren't going to paint them...however I am going to put a clear sealant on the outside. 


LaRae


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I like the cypress too.


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## LaRae (Apr 29, 2005)

Michael did you use any sort of sealant on yours and have you ever tried cedar hives?

I wondered how the bees would deal with the cedar since it has such a distinctive smell.


LaRae


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have a couple of cedar hives that someone else built. The bees do fine in cedar. I like cyprus the best because of weight, cost and durability. Especially for bottom boards and lids, but they are ok for boxes too. Pine is also light and cheaper.

For no color, I've used nothing (my favorite and the least amount of work), exterior latex base (no color) and boiled linseed oil.

I do like the linseed oil. All of them will turn gray and weathered eventually.


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## LaRae (Apr 29, 2005)

Yep pine is lightest and cheapest...but it is such a soft wood I wanted to avoid it for any exterior use. 

I'm wondering if a deck sealant would be a good idea? Some of them are clear and do a great job at repelling water etc.

I like the natural look, so don't want to do color.

Why do you like linseed oil?


LaRae


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

You can just wipe the linseed oil on or paint it or roll it. It just soaks into the wood. Never peels, but protects the wood. It soaks in very well on the end grain.


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## wayacoyote (Nov 3, 2003)

Michael,
How often do you have to reapply linseed oil?


I make sure to prime before I paint. And I want to make sure that it will prime the nails as well. 

Waya


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

As often as you like.







I usually never do again, but you could do it every year if you wanted.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

The old cabinet makers rule for linseed oil is:

once a day for a week
once a week for a year
once a year forever

essentially, it builds very slowly.


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## Steve_in_NC (Apr 9, 2000)

I doubt that painting the inside would hurt at all. The government of Queensland's website states:

"Paint both outside and inside the box with a coat of suitable primer or undercoat."

It is not clear if they are recommending a finish coat on the inside.

Queensland website:
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/bees/4894.html


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

Keith Delaplane can be seen, in his beekeeping video, painting both sides of his wooden ware with something (Cuprinol??) prior to assembling them. After assembling them he gives the outside a coat of regular paint.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Mann Lake sells preservatives simular to Cuprinol.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Personally I would not use the copper naphenate on the inside of any of the hive parts. I wouldn't use anything I wouldn't want to eat off of inside a hive.

I've never painted the inside of any hive with anything.


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

I don't paint the inside of mine either. The bees do a fine job of that themselves. I don't know for a fact if it was Cuprinol as it's been a while since I've viewed his video, but I'm fairly certain it was something green. Mann Lake sells both copper napthenate and copper quinolate. Copper quinolate is listed as a food grade preservative. Both are sold only in 5 gallon or larger amounts. The napthenate lists for $149.95 while the quinolate lists for $339.95. (My hives get the $5.00 or less per gallon mismixed hardware store paint treatment on the outside.)


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## Barry Digman (May 21, 2003)

If you're planning on expanding, get a paint gun. I thought I just finished up the last of 20 deeps, 10 bottom boards, and 10 outer covers. They're pine, and I primed and painted with a brush. After looking at them this afternoon it looks like one coat isn't going to be enough. The brush is a pain.


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

I brush the corners and all exposed grain areas and get a 4" roller for the rest and put in on thick. I first used an oil based primer and then one or 2 coats of a quality latex paint. I want them to last.

Dan


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

http://www.bushfarms.com/images/TenFrameToEight.JPG
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/EightTenEightHives.jpg

Here's some of my typical hives.









Mostly not painted at all. But a few of them are.


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

>Here's some of my typical hives.

Looks like the opposite of mine, eh?  

http://members.cox.net/bullseyebees/_sgt/m1m2_1.htm


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Yes. I've seen yours, Bill, and they are all works of art.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

Bill ,looks like we get our paint at the same place(the mis-mixed bin)
http://pic2.picturetrail.com/VOL1011/3600070/7409829/96788219.jpg


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## Barry Digman (May 21, 2003)

Now let's see some shots of the harvests. I'd go first, but I don't have a close-up lens. Seriously, it would be interesting to see how others (with fairly permanent setups) are processing. Shoot, I think any photo of equipment and hardware is interesting.


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

>Bill ,looks like we get our paint at the same place(the mis-mixed bin)

I am particularly fond of this years color scheme, rosybrown, plum, and aqua.









I tried to use my parafin/gum rosin setup last weekend, but the tank leaked and the parafin was starting to splatter on the burner.  I had to shut it down before it burst into flames. I wonder if I could add a little color to the parafin? I could throw in some crayons? Or perhaps some candle color?


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

I had a lot of 'salmon' boxes last year(wife says they are pink)but no they are 'salmon'.


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

She would say my 'rosybrown' is pink too.

I'm afraid that we are dealing in a bit of role reversal here. Real men would call rosybrown, plum, and aqua, pink, purple and greenish. If I keep this up, I'll have to move to San Fran  

I've tried two wood stains with poor results. Both times the lids cupped and/or warpped, which never happened with good paint. Have you used any stains with good results?


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

Never had any luck with stain so avoid it now.I prefer a high quality semi-gloss acrylic latex.Even pink if thats all I can find.By the way I mixed several colors in a 5 gallon bucket and ended up with pink  
San Fran aint all bad,there are plenty of gun nuts and hunters there.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

Consumer Reports has done a couple of tests on paints and stains in the last 5 years or so. In all cases, stains under performed good latex paint by a wide margin. 

Stains may be pretty but they are not durable.


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