# Thompson's Water Seal?



## afss (Mar 19, 2009)

i was just thinking the same thing.. goes on fast, lasts a few years on flat surfaces, probably a lot longer on vertical. If others have had no problem using it i likely will be using it myself.


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## bruce todd (May 11, 2010)

I paint my hives, but if you like the natural look Cabots is really good. There Australian timber oil is a great product. Be careful with rags. There is always a spontaneous combustion risk with any product like these. Just my 2 bits.


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## PeteS (May 1, 2010)

I just painted a screened bottom board and hive top feeder with TWS. I read the directions first and it did not mention that any of the ingredients were any type of insecticide so I used it. The only problem that I can see is that it may take some time for it to cure ( all the volites to evaporate) otherwise I think it's good to go. I have an English garden hive that I plan to stain and use the TWS as a cover coat.
Pete


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## beekeeper1756 (Mar 20, 2010)

Try boiled Linseed Oil. The only problem with it is nothing will really stick to it. I just finished my bee vac and put the linseed oil on the outside. To stop the air leaks between the hive bodies, I tried to use duct tape. Worked for a while but then even the duct tape couldn't stick.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

My problem with TWS was that the fumes seem to linger for a very long time. Much longer than paint.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

You can also get a deck stain with a weathered wood look.
Most of my equipment has green deck stain on it. 
I did do one hive with Thompsons this year.


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## stormbringer (Apr 15, 2010)

What about shellac? all natural, dries hard...


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## honeydreams (Aug 10, 2009)

If I could post photos here Do to the fact I don't use photobucket ect.. I could show you my hives I use Jasco termin brown wood preserve makes my hives look great. i know I should not promote a nother site but If pm me I will direct you to see some of my hives.


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## PaulH (Mar 1, 2010)

stormbringer said:


> What about shellac? all natural, dries hard...


I like shellac for indoor furniture but it will break down pretty quickly outdoors.


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## scubadds (May 11, 2010)

I used the boiled Linseed oil on my cypress boxes


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## tim adams (Feb 18, 2010)

I just use TWS on some new nucs and it was so easy I liked it! I did put some bees in one after about 3 days and it didn't seem to dried out yet and they are doing good. The other ones are still sitting outside drying and after 2 weeks they still feel oily but I put one on a trapout this morning so we'll see if they like it.
Tim Adams


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## jbford (Apr 17, 2009)

I used linseed oil on cypress supers last summer. By fall they looked awful, raised grain and moldy; went back, sanded lightly and primed with oil-based primer then painted.

If you want that natural look, don't use linseed oil, use a deck-type product like Thompsons. If you don't like the solvent smell, water-based versions are available and they work fine.


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## Walliebee (Nov 17, 2006)

In case you overlooked this on the label of boiled linseed oil...

"Use of this product will expose you to arsenic, beryllium, chromium, cadmium and nickel, which are known to cause cancer; and lead which is known to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm."

No thank you... not around any honey I want to produce and eat.

Look at this site. They carry toxic free materials like purified linseed oil. They also have pine tar that you paint on as a natural wood preservative.

http://www.solventfreepaint.com/index.htm

TWS works too.


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