# Repainting Bottom boards



## zhiv9 (Aug 3, 2012)

I have a fair number of bottom boards where the wood is still sound, but there isn't much paint left on them. In the past, when I have repainted bottom boards, I found that the new paint always pealed on the hive side. I am assuming this is due to the propolis film put on by the bees. Any tips remembering that time is money?


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Why paint them. I never paint mine and they last for years.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

If you want them to look pretty plus maybe last a little longer you can paint the outside, but painting the inside will likely get the result you have experienced as the bees care for internal wood surfaces themselves and place their own protective layer, which is repellant to most paints.

A good waterblast of the inside may remove the bees protective layer and allow paint to stick, but it would have to be strong enough to also damage the wood.


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## Fishmaster50 (Apr 30, 2015)

Painted some new ones this winter with a oil base paint. Problem is now to glossy water beads up and da bees get stuck in the water. Not many but hate to see it.


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## Zombee (Mar 20, 2016)

If time is money than just don't paint them. I have never painted my bottom boards. Inside or out. In fact I don't even paint my pine boxes anymore. I do however char them with a propane weed burner on the outside. Great preservative! And they look cool. Of course the bees take care of the inside. All my new equipment is eastern red cedar that I make myself. No painting or charing required.

Rock


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Clean Them Up and paint the outside the bees take care of The inside.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Am building my bottoms with treated wood and don't paint them at all. Same with covers.
Why paint if you don't have to? I like the rustic un-cared for look. lol 
Time is money and so is the paint that only lasts a couple years.


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## Jerry T Indiana (Apr 7, 2014)

Zombee could you explain a bit more how charing preserves them? Any pics?


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I hit all my bluebird boxes with a torch. It makes them look "old" or "weathered" but it also help preserve them as the torch seems to melt the exposed sap / resin and creates a coating. That said, all my bird boxes are cedar so I'm already ahead of the game. Charring them seems to make them last longer.


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## Bkwoodsbees (Feb 8, 2014)

A few seconds with a wire brush then prime them with Zinser bullseye oil base primer then latex paint.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Jerry T Indiana said:


> Zombee could you explain a bit more how charing preserves them? Any pics?


It is called creosote. When I built my log cabin in Alaska I placed every log in a fire until the sap boiled and busted the bark away. The sap becomes creosote that preserves the wood.


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## Zombee (Mar 20, 2016)

Terry, 

The preservation part has been covered. 

Seems I am always away from home lately but I did find this picture. The darker/gray boxes are about 3 years old. The more golden boxes had just been torched. The yellow are SBB I didn't torch.

(The configuration looks strange but the deeps on the bottom are simply supports raising the hive off the ground a bit. The hive starts at the SBB)

Rock


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