# Interior Paint on Exterior of Bee Hive Bodies



## pinkpantherbeekeeper (Feb 10, 2016)

Do any of you guys use interior house paint on the exterior of your bee hives? I know modern paint is tailored very specifically to its intended application. VOCs are a major difference and obviously their UV durability. 

I have been trying to find "Opps!" exterior paint at stores, and can only find interior. Some are down to $3 a gallon which would be wonderful to use because of the costs. 

If you guys are using interior paint, how often do you have to repaint, or how long does it last? 

Thanks all!!!


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## phyber (Apr 14, 2015)

I've only used exterior latex paint but I'd imagine enough coats of it and it would last for several years. Does a good enough job sealing windows shut...


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Interior is interior for a reason. It doesn't hold up to water/weather/UV. Either wait for exterior "oops" to show up or buy some. The time and money spent on applying interior paint will be wasted. You'll either have to repaint or watch paint peel and wood turn grey.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

>I have been trying to find "Opps!" exterior paint at stores, and can only find interior.

It is a little harder to find in the winter, wait until people start painting their houses.

Not only would it be a complete waste of time and money to use interior paint but when you try to repaint with exterior it probably won't stick very long and continually flack off.


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## max2 (Dec 24, 2009)

If you are worried about VOC's go for "Hospital grade" paint.

There is no small I can detect but it is not cheap


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## AJ7 (Aug 26, 2015)

I used some interior last summer, its what I had. One coat of primer and two coats of paint. Almost a year later and they still look good.


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## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

pinkpantherbeekeeper said:


> If you guys are using interior paint, how often do you have to repaint, or how long does it last?


I have used Opps Behr interior (paint & primer in one) on some nuc boxes that I wanted the queens to have some color variation when returning. Three years now, no peeling or bubbles. I wouldn't paint other boxes with it, but for this application, so far so good


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Oops paint works just fine. On bottom boards I would put a final coat of outdoor.

You could put some additives into the oops to make it outdoor I think.


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## burns375 (Jul 15, 2013)

I paint interior corners and knots.


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## archerman (May 19, 2014)

That is all I have used for 2 years now and have no issues with interior paint. I mix colors to make different shades and colors.


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## rolftonbees (Jul 10, 2014)

I have used interior and so far so good. I figure that the 60-80 dollar a gallon Sherwin Williams paint I get for 5 dollars a gallon as an opps is likely better than a lot of less expensive exterior paints.


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## Cottonwood (Apr 16, 2013)

Like a previous poster mentioned, not a lot of exterior paint is sold this time of the year thus less miss tints. I get most of my paints from the local independent paint stores. I suggest you check out the locals like Benjamin Moore and Sherman Williams in addition to the big box stores. I have two local stores that have given me a number of gallons of their best paint for free once they knew I would use it for the bees.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Home depot sells a barn and fence paint that is paint and primer in one. 2 coats will last in excess of 7 years under N.W. Pennsylvania conditions. The price is reasonable like $11.00 to 14.00 per gallon.


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

Adding some linseed oil might not hurt. Some say it yellows & molds in high humidity. There are many "hit's" for "exterior paint, & linseed oil". Here's one example:

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com...roducts-and-materials/22583/linseed-oil-paint


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Use the right tool (or materials) for the job. It's kinda like using a hammer to open your car window. It will work, but the damage is done. Exterior is formulated to weather the elements for longevity. It may look good for a few years but then WHAMMO! It will give way to the elements and you will be chasing the peeling paint from then on.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

Maybe some can but there's no way I could use interior paint in my neck of the woods and expect it to last. For me, it's more about the primer and how well it gets into the wood. If I can get the primer into the pores of the wood, I'm good. If the paint sits on the surface, I'm going to lose that wood and the paint above it in short order. I agree with the linseed oil suggestion too. When I refurbish my house windows, they all get linseed oil first, and the an oil based primer (with added linseed oil) before I think about a top coat. Getting the pores filled is important. It's like buying pressure treated lumber. The chemicals are forced into the wood by pressure so that the water can't do as much damage.


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## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

Had a sales rep tell me once the main differences was the amount Mildaside that Was in the paint. But then they ship me ten gallons of interior for a exterior job. I didn't catch it till I had a couple of gallons on the house.


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## pinkpantherbeekeeper (Feb 10, 2016)

Thanks everyone for the great answers!


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## rspading (Feb 6, 2016)

Do you have a Habitat for Humanity "Restore" in your area? The one here always has full cans of exterior paint people donate for $4-5/gallon.


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## pinkpantherbeekeeper (Feb 10, 2016)

Nothing real close. But I was wondering about those too. I have heard of recycling centers having paint. Anyone use that stuff?


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

rspading said:


> Do you have a Habitat for Humanity "Restore" in your area? The one here always has full cans of exterior paint people donate for $4-5/gallon.


What a great idea. We have a couple close by. Thanks for this great post!


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## dott (Aug 1, 2015)

I got a gal of paint from the " Restore" they shook the paint for me but when I got home and open it up it look like jelly. talk to a house painter and he said the paint had been frozen.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

I shop for "oops" paint all year. My buddy uses interior all the time, so we shall see how it holds up (I over-painted the one super he borrowed and painted and then returned because the paint was too thin). You won't see exterior paint on the "oops" shelf unless it's warm enough to paint outdoors, of course.

Paint will be fine for several years at least so long as it's not frozen (and alkyd paints usually don't freeze anyway). Even frozen is fine if you can re-suspend it properly, but if it's curdled it's already polymerizing and will not stick, it will turn to powder instead.

My advise it so check often and buy exterior grade oops paint when it's available. I've got some truely ugly colors (rust, bizzare orange, milk chocolate, John Deere green that isn't quite right), but they all stay on pretty well.

Note that highly pigmented colors (the darker ones) can take months to really set properly and are easily damaged until they are fully set. Takes quite a while at lower temps. 

Exterior paint is much more flexible than interior paint and tends to stay on the wood better. Interior paints are harder to withstand contact wear, and can crack as the wood expands and contracts outside.

Peter


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