# Best material for long lasting hive



## labradorfarms (Dec 11, 2013)

Im a soon to be Bee Keeper and would like some advise. What type of wood is best for my Bee Hive?
I want something that will last and preferabley free shipping....

I am looking hard at http://www.greenbeehives.com/starterset.html.
These are cypress.
I am also looking at the 10 Frame Traditional Growing Apiary Kit from Mann Lake. 

I need to purchase enough stuff for 2 hives.


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## KPeacock (Jan 29, 2013)

Lots of human homes have been built with estern white pine as the material of choice for the clapboard siding. it's just wood. Now imagine if it was well painted to keep out the weather. I'm not an expert and have only had my hives for a year, but I reckon that any wood will do just fine to keep the bees happy and if maintained (painted when required), the boxes will be keeping bees long after you are. These are just the thoughts of a rookie.


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## Ted adams (Mar 20, 2012)

labradorfarms said:


> Im a soon to be Bee Keeper and would like some advise. What type of wood is best for my Bee Hive?
> I want something that will last and preferabley free shipping....
> 
> I am looking hard at http://www.greenbeehives.com/starterset.html.
> ...


I purchased two hives from greenbeehives, they are well built and lids are heave enough they will not blow off in hi winds like some others will do. However they are a little more costly . I am happy with their products


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Protection from the elements is the key.
Wood is just the substrate by which the protection is adhered to. Properly protect any wood and it will greatly increase it's useful life. 
Buy quality protectant made for exterior use. I paint mine as follows. Exterior base primer (1) coat and exterior top coat paint (2) coats. Will last for years.
Many times people will skip the primer coat and wonder why big ole flakes of paint peel off. lol


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Considering that the majority of all of the hive bodies in existence in the US are not cypress and they last ages, I recommend going w/ what best suits your budget and that you not concern yourself w/ longevity. I have some boxes that are 40 or 50 years old. They are pine. 

How many more years would one expect out of cypress compared to pine? I would not expect it to be a decade or two. You could buy some of each and see which one lasts longer.

What is the weight difference between cypress and pine? You might want to think about the weight factor.


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

The old growth cypress would last forever, but it was cut from 150+ year old trees. Or well almost last forever. There are places in Louisiana that you can find cypress that is 80 years old or older and the stuff is still in good shape. Much of it now unpainted for many years (old barns abandoned camps, etc.). There are fence posts in some of the swamps and marshes that are pre 1950s and still solid. And that is standing in water most of the time. 

The cypress they now sell is not the same but still tends to resist rot much better than pine. (All the old cypress trees were logged off by WW2). But if the wood is painted, I would think they will both last for a long time. Like Kpeacock said, pine is used for housing siding and lasts a long time.

Good luck.


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## Spinner (Jun 2, 2013)

sqkcrk said:


> I recommend going w/ what best suits your budget and that you not concern yourself w/ longevity.


Spot on Sqkcrk! In fact, beeks are the most damaging to hive bodies with our misplaced hive tools tearing the corners out of boxes. I did more damage in my first year than for the remaining life my boxes. Pay attention to what you are doing, including good glue joints and a reasonable paint maintenance program, and hive bodies will outlast you.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

Thats a good deal. most of mine are cypress, I sell the same set for 250 unpainted, so thats a pretty good price.


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## ARGluck (Mar 10, 2013)

Being someone who has taught woodworking for a few years and produces all of my own stuff, do you have the ability to do the same? If I was wasteful and I would still be making a set like that for under $50. Granted I get wholesale prices but still, you should be able to save a lot of money if you have the craftsman skill set. If you don't have the ability, as has been mentioned a few times, maintain it well w/paint and the thing will last forever. Mine are all pine boxes w/copper over the telescoping cover and I don't see them going anywhere for a long time and I would consider myself a bit of a slacker when it comes to maintaining them.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

there is 30.00 worth of foundation alone. The cypress in them will run you around 2.00 a BF min. so figure 20.00 for each deep..... Not to mention metal top and time. 200 is a good deal for cypress.


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## ARGluck (Mar 10, 2013)

Good point on foundation. I was talking purely to produce the bodies, top, bot, etc and to just use pine though my cypress price isn't much more. Time is a consideration but if you see yourself doing this long-term you'd be surprised how quickly you can create hives and the satisfaction of creating is worth the time.


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## labradorfarms (Dec 11, 2013)

I thought it was a good deal also. My State has a grant of sorts for Bee Keepers. It will pay a little less than half of your cost for 2 hives. So I am buying my first 2 to get the grant.,. After I get them in. I plan on taking measurments and building my own boxes. I will still just buy the frames in stead of building them.. 

For my money I think im going with the cypress ones. But im still open to suggestions on the best play to buy who has or will have free shipping..


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

You might check Rossmans. its where I used to get all mine. Have no clue what current prices are.


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## labradorfarms (Dec 11, 2013)

gmcharlie said:


> You might check Rossmans. its where I used to get all mine. Have no clue what current prices are.


I do like there but from what I see they only sell unassembled..... Just starting out id rather buy them already together for now. One less headache .
Me building my own will come later.. In the spring aside from me just learning BK. Im also training dogs, gardening and working a full time job. So its going to be a little busy.


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## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

I've built my own for 40 years, but twice ran into really good deals on unassembled commercial hive bodies and once bought out a retiring beekeeper getting a fair amount of new woodenware in the process. One of those purchases was for cypress deeps for $8 each which at the time was much cheaper than I could build my own. One note about cypress, it is no more durable than pine. The old growth cypress would last forever, but the stuff they are cutting today is good for 20 to 30 years max. As noted above, a good paint job with at least 3 coats will significantly extend the life of wood.

For those looking to build their own, please get the proper dimensions. Measuring new hive bodies from a manufacturer as a pattern will get you into trouble fast.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Probably the best material for making bee boxes is old growth teak. Should last a century or two with no care and probably wouldn't take more than a back hoe to move. Shouldn't cost more than $60 for a shallow, either.

LOL, ponderosa pine or eastern white pine is fine. Western cedar is fine. Cypress is fine. Whatever wood you use, make sure it's properly dried before making the boxes -- it will change shape and width if it's not stable -- and glue the joints to make them waterproof and paint. I've been using a coat or two of boiled linseed oil, then a good coat of alkyd primer, then two coats of exterior latex. Three finish coats would probably provide some more corner protection and help keep the paint from getting scraped off there.

Repair paint problems before they get bad and you should have boxes as long as you want to keep bees.

Remember to never pry boxes apart by putting your hive tool into the crack between boxes over the front or rear, the wood is thin there and will collapse. Always pry a couple inches away from the ends and don't pound the tool in, it irritates the bees.

Peter


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## SS1 (Jun 1, 2013)

Best material for hive bodies??
Galvanized steel!!!!



No, just kidding!!

Lot of good advice above, not much to add to that...
I bought boards on sale at Menards yesterday.. 5 bucks for a 12' long 1x8 that will make two med boxes for 2.50 each.. Ply I bought for just under 15 bucks.. 1 sheet will make 8 Bottom boards or tele covers.. 2x8's for about 6 bucks to make frames from.. as someone posted its less than 50 bucks.. closer to 35 if you buy the metal for the tele covers in 50' rolls..
Its all about what YOU want to do.. If you dont want to make your own equipment, then its not as easy for you to replace things when they go bad, so buying Cypress or Cedar may well benefit you. I have seen hives made of black walnut that I wouldnt let outside of my house they are so beautiful!! You wont go wrong starting with two cypress hives.. I did, and still use them. I urethane'd them and they still look great.. but as someone else mentioned.. be ready to touch up those corners!!!


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Best material? One word............................... free!


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## Pete O (Jul 13, 2013)

Good glue, galvanized screws, a good primer paint followed by good exterior paint will make pine last as long as you are around.

Of course repainting every few years is necessary regardless of the wood type.


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## labradorfarms (Dec 11, 2013)

Looks like im going with Greenbeehives. I have checked a dozen places and even with the others offering free shipping. Green bee hives has the best price on Cypress Hives.. 209.00 bucks is not bad from what I saw..


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## Val T (Oct 30, 2016)

Has anyone ever used Engineered siding to make the sidewalls on a hive? I have some scraps of that just begging to be made into a hive. 
The inside is not smooth is why I ask. Would that be a problem?


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## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

I had seen a presentation by Marla Spivak at a convention that suggested that the bees need rough surfaces to pack in propolis to self-medicate . The thought is that we should increase the rough area inside the hives and not breed out high Propolis bees. Now the other chemicals in the siding I cannot attest to.


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