# Do you finish your cedar hives?



## ChuckReburn (Dec 17, 2013)

Some I do, some I don't. It'll grey out like a fence pretty fast, and if it's prone to cupping will do so. I've used Deck sealer and paint. I've seen a lot of hives with spar urethane - it peels and looks dirty and horrible in a few years.


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## Orion7 (Jun 3, 2015)

I have red cedar hives and sealed them with "min wax polyurethane". They still have their color, but they have only been out for about a year. Still need to see if they stand the test of time. And I'm still waiting to see if they actually do help reduce pest. Like shb, wax moths, mites, etc.


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## Orion7 (Jun 3, 2015)




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## jfmcree (Mar 10, 2014)

I use tung oil. It really brings out the color of the wood. It hardens the exterior a bit and delays the fade to gray, but does not prevent it. I chose it because it is a natural product, versus a toxic paint. I agree that cedar is beautiful unpainted. The natural look, even when gray, is also very appealing. My hives blend in with their natural environment very well.

You can get a 50/50 blend of Tung Oil and acetic acid to thin it from the Milk Paint Company. The blend soaks into the wood more readily than pure tung oil.

Jim.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

In past I have read up on Cedar wood use. The conclusion was in 2 different articles that I read were no benefits. I think one was 32 hives and 16 were Cedar. I think the other was just like 3 hives and no difference in mite levels. I am sorry I never saved the articles. I am a first year bee keeper, so I did research it wanting to know if any benefits from Cedar. They cost a pretty penny, so I was curious as to if it did anything.


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## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

I wanted the natural look too. A polyurethane will crack and peel. You need a spar varnish for outside. I used Flood CFL clear. They have other stains too. I even put it on the red pine boxes. Still water proof. 6 months direct sun so far and still looks good.


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## cavscout (Apr 21, 2015)

Frustrateddrone I can purchase a 1x12x12 cedar board for $30 and make two deeps (ect). That's a lot less than purchasing them and they last longer.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

I have several five years old with marine polyurethane varnish. Quality of paint/coating has a lot to do with it. You get what you pay for.


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## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

cavscout said:


> Frustrateddrone I can purchase a 1x12x12 cedar board for $30 and make two deeps (ect). That's a lot less than purchasing them and they last longer.


Shipping will kill ya too. So ya you can build 2 cedar hives for a lot less than buying 1. Cedars a good way to go.


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## Orion7 (Jun 3, 2015)

I have a place locally to buy my cedar, in bulk, fairly cheap. I did however buy a few boxes from "www.Ozarkcedarhives.com". he had good prices and the quality was very good. I had one that was a little off and he replaced it without me returning the original. So if you want cedar, and you are not into building your own, this is a good place to look.


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