# Beehive Longevity



## IUBees (Feb 26, 2016)

I'm interested to learn how long different lumber types will last outside in the elements. A common consensus is that cypress and cedar, although expensive, will last longer than cheaper priced pine beehives. If I decide to go with pine, how often will I have to coat the exterior with paint? Any info and opinions from you all would help me a ton! 

Some more info: I'm located in Indiana, so I don't know if other types of wood are better than others for this climate/region.


----------



## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

I use painted pine. I've got original woodenware from when I first started 10 years ago but I've got woodenware that's gotten dry rot after 3-4 years. I paint it once and that's it. Cedar and cypress are more expensive and prone to cracking. To each their own but you'll find no easy consensus other than the majority use pine.


----------



## dtrooster (Apr 4, 2016)

Todays new growth cypress is no comparison to the old growth that made it famous for breaking termite's teeth. Maybe better than pine but not like you think. Keep paint on the exposed side and keep the endgrain sealed and most any wood will last a good while


----------



## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

Most old wood is tighter grained than newer lumber and it lasts longer. I have some boxes with re-purposed pine from long ago that has held up real, real well. For me, it's all about the surface.....just like my house. Tight joints, oil based primer and often, an oil based top coat make for long lasting woodenware. If oil based material is (sadly) scarce, then at least shoot for an oil based primer and two latex topcoats. Basically, the more protectant you can get inside the pores, the better. And, with tight grained wood, you have less pores to fill. 

That's here, in Pepperell, MA. Your mileage may vary. I consider my 200+ year old house a great testing site and I've learned a lot.


----------



## Munson (Mar 16, 2014)

I think the best thing I've seen is Pine Resin and Wax boiling the hive bodies. You can buy them from some places like shastinabeegirls. Meanwhile, I think it takes $12 to build two medium 8 frame hive bodies including paint. I try to be picky buying wood to build but it's fast growth and is not the same as old growth. Much weaker. This is what old growth looks like. https://www.google.com/search?q=old+growth+pine+standards&safe=on&source=lnms&tbm=isch


----------



## dtrooster (Apr 4, 2016)

Pretty much. Unless you get lucky and find some old reclaimed lumber just build it, paint it well and replace it when it's done for. Sealing the end grain probably most important


----------



## tech.35058 (Jul 29, 2013)

I tend to use what ever wood I can scrounge, have started edge gluing narrow boards to make wider boards recently ( we shall see how this works ....)
I usually hit the end gran with a disk sander, then smear it with titebond II to fill & seal. seems like a lot of attention to detail when I am building out of junk to start with


----------



## Charlestonbee (Mar 26, 2015)

Do you think wax dipping and painting pine will double its lifespan?


----------



## pinkpantherbeekeeper (Feb 10, 2016)

Charlestonbee said:


> Do you think wax dipping and painting pine will double its lifespan?


Could you even get paint to adhere to wax dipped? :scratch:


----------



## Charlestonbee (Mar 26, 2015)

I've heard your only chance to get pint to adhere is immediately after dipping. I've never seen or used a wax dipped box.


----------



## DavidZ (Apr 9, 2016)

Ravenseye said:


> with tight grained wood, you have less pores to fill.


wrong you have more pores due to more grain, pores are just smaller.


----------



## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

The key to longevity with woodenware is to keep water out. Seal all joints, especially box joints, and use Titebond glue spread very thinly on the top and bottom of the sides (obviously with the boxes separated until the glue sets!). Keep them painted and they should last decades.

Pine exposed to the elements around here lasts about 5 years before it gets significant rot. If it's close to the ground, termites will usually get into it before that if it's not sealed well.

Peter


----------



## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

I have some unpainted pine boxes...after 5 or 6 years they are starting to warp badly...well, they *started* warping years ago, but they are getting bad now.

They need to be coated with *something*. I'm experimenting with Flood brand products now. Polyurethane gets crappy too quickly...OK for supers but not so good for brood boxes.


----------



## GoodyFarms (Jul 10, 2016)

I've been using Eco Wood Treatment. It's a water based treatment. I soak each side of the box in a very shallow pool of the stuff for 6-8 hours. I have limited experience with it (going on 3 years with my initial 2 hives, now up to 14) but so far it seems to be doing the job. No rotting, boxes holding up well. It might not do so well in southern climates where it gets really hot as the wood darkens up quite a bit.


----------



## rolftonbees (Jul 10, 2014)

I think maintenance is the trick. Many older weeks here bring in some wood ware each year and work in it then take it back out. Scraping down, repainting, adding more nails or screws, filling holes, etc.

I was given some pretty ratty wood ware thst was warping and had gaps as it was rabbeted on corners not finger jointed. I was able to put it in good shape again with some glue, screws and a few minutes scraping with a hive tool and coat of paint.

I have tele tops that I have patched up also. 

I figure that about a third of my boxes will get s tune-up each year. Just to look for issues and prevent problems.


----------

