# Bare Wood, Paint, Oil?



## rantcliff (Sep 16, 2007)

Again - new to this game. Getting ready to buy my first hive parts. Saw on Michael's site that the "Lazy Beekeeper" would not paint his hive bodies. So - thoughts? Seems like if I don't paint them or something they will act like sponges to any water. Has anyone tried sealing them with something like a deck sealer? Other ideas?


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## WVbeekeeper (Jun 4, 2007)

it seems that MB is now dipping his woodenware in a wax/rosin mixture and not taking the do nothing approach. for the most part, i would think you could use sealer or paint of any color. some people will use different colors, stains, and sealers for the aesthetic quality. it's mostly personal preference, although some methods will preserve your woodenware for longer amounts of time without the periodic upkeep.


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## Show-me (Aug 3, 2007)

rantcliff said:


> Again - new to this game. Getting ready to buy my first hive parts. Saw on Michael's site that the "Lazy Beekeeper" would not paint his hive bodies. So - thoughts? Seems like if I don't paint them or something they will act like sponges to any water. Has anyone tried sealing them with something like a deck sealer? Other ideas?



When I started beeking as a kid we build our own hives and painted them, that was 25 years ago and I have 3 left.

To paint or not to paint would depend on you level of beeking. Three hiver like me, I primer and paint everything. I got time and plenty of left over paint form other projects.


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## BigDaddyDS (Aug 28, 2007)

My PERSONAL opinion is to paint everything, with *double coats *on any exposed end grains. It's the exposed end grains that'll suck up moisture and it's where rot will begin.

And PLEASE paint them all one color... It drives me buggy to see supers painted all different colors, with no rhyme or reason. But, that's just a personal thing with me.

As far as deck sealer goes, as long as you let it dry and there are no residual fumes or oils (tackyness), I don't see a reason why not. But, read the labels carefully, as some deck sealers may contain pesticides to keep termites and other such nasties from eating wood work. Your bees won't appreciate your thoughfulness even though they're just crawling on it.

Good luck to you!
BDDS


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## Maine_Beekeeper (Mar 19, 2006)

I paint all of my woodenware - we started out with 2 coats primer and then paint, often two coats also. Used to be I painted shapes and several different colors on each box - they look nice and are fun to do when you have the time. (And theoretically they help the bees distinguish their own hive, thought mostly my intention is to make the beehives look like yard art)
Almost all of the top coats are satin exterior leftover paints picked from the mis-mixed bins at Lowes and Home Depot. 
This year I've also been using solid stains which don't require primer. They come in nice housepaint colors - lots of good earthy colors that look nice and also help the hives blend with the landscape. 
2 more cents.


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## Legion© (Sep 7, 2007)

BigDaddyDS said:


> And PLEASE paint them all one color... It drives me buggy to see supers painted all different colors, with no rhyme or reason. But, that's just a personal thing with me.


Of course, you could paint them a different colour every year to keep track of when you introduced that equipment - making it easier to know when to rotate it out for preventative maintenence (repainting etc).

I'm using cheap paint that I pick up from a recycling place, so I've usually only got a couple of litres of any one colour. My partner tells me I have to use pink next year (this year we painted blue) so we can have girl and boy hives. I told her 'they're all girl hives' of course


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>it seems that MB is now dipping his woodenware in a wax/rosin mixture and not taking the do nothing approach.

Lately I was buying a lot of equipment and wanted to make sure it would stay as nice as possible for as long as possible so this is what I did:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesdipping.htm

A good chunk of the ones I dipped were ones that had not been painted. They took the wax better than the new ones.


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## indypartridge (Nov 18, 2004)

BigDaddyDS said:


> And PLEASE paint them all one color... It drives me buggy to see supers painted all different colors, with no rhyme or reason. But, that's just a personal thing with me.


I love seeing an eclectic collection of colors! To each his own, I guess.

For me, with just a few colonies, painting the boxes is part of the fun.


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

Hi, I just made another spare base for the SBB as I had some scrap lumber in the yard and did not want it wasted. One thing I did different, I cut a kerf in the bottom edge so the water cannot creep to the inside. I painted it yesterday, after a bit of sanding, with boiled linseed oil. I figure that it is the cleanest approach for the hobbyist. I would love to do what MB is doing but it would not be reasonable for just three or four hives. My inner covers are all done with linseed oil and most of the bottom and top edges of the boxes are as well. The interiors are bare and the exteriors are painted with left-over primer and house Latex all in an almond color. Looks good enough in a suburban neighborhood so the kids know where the bees are when they look for that stray baseball etc. Take care and have fun


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## rantcliff (Sep 16, 2007)

*Boiled Linseed Oil?*

What do you mean by boiled Linseed Oil? Is that something you buy commercially, or do you boil it before applying it, or do you boil the wooden ware in it?


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## Apuuli (May 17, 2006)

You can get it at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. I've been using boiled linseed oil starting this year on cypress boxes. I'll have to wait a couple of years to see how it holds up compared to paint on pine.


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## B. Haning (Sep 14, 2007)

I treat the corners of the hives where the end grain is exposed with a green copper based deck preservative. I put some of the preservative in a pan and stand the corner of the super in the solution for several minutes while the wood soaks up the green solution. After the perservative dries I use one coat of primer and 2 coats oil based paint. Since I started preserving the corners I haven't seen any rot at the dove tail joints.


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## JC (Jun 3, 2006)

I talked to a commercial beekeeper about painting versus dipping. He said that dipping only works well if you can apply pressure. He paints all his equipment. He applies latex putty over the box (finger) joints. He also sands the corners of the supers to prevent the paint from collecting on the corners. Additionally, he paints the edges on the top and bottom of the supers. 

I use Coronado’s oil base primer and acrylic semi-gloss white latex (mildew resistant) for a top coat.


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

Hi, as APUULI says, boiled Linseed Oil can be bought at the large hardware stores. I am sticking with the "boiled" Linseed oil as any other can be toxic. Take care and have fun


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

My vote: paint - definitely! Get a high quality exterior latex paint (a good primer helps too). Two coats of exterior latex will hold up for many years. I also vote for white, as it helps with the intense Hampton roads heat.


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

Legion© said:


> Of course, you could paint them a different colour every year to keep track of when you introduced that equipment - making it easier to know when to rotate it out for preventative maintenence (repainting etc).
> 
> I'm using cheap paint that I pick up from a recycling place, so I've usually only got a couple of litres of any one colour. My partner tells me I have to use pink next year (this year we painted blue) so we can have girl and boy hives. I told her 'they're all girl hives' of course


Personally I love to see the different colors. I got some really good brown exterior latex paint that was mistinted for $5 a gal. I sure wish I could use it up as I am ready to move on!

I agree, paint everything. It doesn"t take that long. I set a long 2x4 between 2 saw horses and can get 10 mediums painted all at once. You just rotate them on the 2x4. Come back in a few hours and hit them again, then you're done!


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## CSbees (Aug 7, 2007)

Painting supers different colors helps with drifting. I personally use all whites but color code my mating nucs with light blue.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

quote from the warning label from a can 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."

Boiled linseed oil is not boiled in the traditional sense, it has heavy metals and chemicals added to create a chemical reaction that speeds drying. It will also spontaneously combust if left in a wadded up shop towel or rag.

Some of the problems with straight linseed oil, boiled or raw, are: 

No UV (ultraviolet) light resistance
Linseed oil is mildew food


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## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

Well, I must have an awful old can of boiled Linseed Oil. Yes, it does warn about spontaneous combustion of rags, but then that can happen with any oil based thinner as well. It has none of the mentioned warnings listed, however, it does say to not feed to animals! Our wood items are well dry before they come in contact with the bees!
Oh, well I have used it for many years now, anywhere from furniture to boats to beehive equipment with no detrimental effects. I will just keep using it as it is for me a coating mostly containing natural elements.


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## MapMan (May 24, 2007)

Ross said:


> quote from the warning label from a can 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."
> 
> ...



The terminology is probably included for the State of California's "hazardous" chemical labeling requirements, based on Proposition 65, concerning a listing of carcinogens... For interesting reading, do an internet search on Acrylamide and household products and Proposition 65...

To get UV protection, mix SPAR varnish with BLO.

You won't have spontaneous combustion if you treat the rag like all used cleaning/paint rags - place within a tightly closed metal container.

Personally, I use two coats of 100% acrylic latex primer and one of 100% acrylic latex topcoat. Paint is cheap compared to the time it takes to apply the paint, so I want to use a good binder in the paint. Oil-based is the best for exterior use, but I hate the cleanup.

MM


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## stingmaster (Jul 27, 2007)

*color is the spice of life...*

I always paint. I think it is a real drag when you have tons of supers looking you in the face needing a new paint job. I actually search out those wild, "awfull" colors in the mis-tint bin. I even mix them to create new, more awfull colors! Frankly, it helps keep the boredom at bay...a bit anyway...when you can pretend to be the Picasso of the hive world. The other good thing is that when buying mis-tint, you can get super high quality paint for near to nothing. If I were buying dull, old white, I could not afford that super good stuff.
I have fun, as best I can. I just got done painting 6 hives the most amazing Disney Tinker-Bell Pink! I have a lot of people stop by after seeing my hives from the road. It is always the color that causes them to stop and comment. Kind of like free advertising! My hives look like jewels in the morning sun...


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## beenovice (Jun 19, 2007)

stingmaster said:


> I always paint. I think it is a real drag when you have tons of supers looking you in the face needing a new paint job. I actually search out those wild, "awfull" colors in the mis-tint bin. I even mix them to create new, more awfull colors! Frankly, it helps keep the boredom at bay...a bit anyway...when you can pretend to be the Picasso of the hive world. The other good thing is that when buying mis-tint, you can get super high quality paint for near to nothing. If I were buying dull, old white, I could not afford that super good stuff.
> I have fun, as best I can. I just got done painting 6 hives the most amazing Disney Tinker-Bell Pink! I have a lot of people stop by after seeing my hives from the road. It is always the color that causes them to stop and comment. Kind of like free advertising! My hives look like jewels in the morning sun...


Any pics ?


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## Aisha (May 2, 2007)

I like one coat of Minwax Gel Stain (Honey Oak) and one or two coats of Minwax Spar Polyurethane. It gives it a classy look with the woodgrain showing, and it's super fast to do. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wellspring-hypnosis/617286473/in/set-72157600837638772/

Don't paint the inside where they bees live.


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## rantcliff (Sep 16, 2007)

*Heat problems wth natural coloration?*

Some have suggested that the light paint is necessary to help keep the hive cool. For those of you using natural coloration - do you find overheating a particular problem?


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## Mitch (Jul 7, 2003)

I am all for light colors.

I guess the mis tint or dicount bin is great if you do not mind all the different colors.The thing i dont get is how beeks can invest good money in there wood wear and then want to get away a cheep as they can when protecting there wood.I look at as an investment i need to make to protect the rest of my investment.

I have had good luck with fence and deck stain for a primer coat the 2 coats of paint all both latex top shelf.Then some here would be proud of me i did get a gallon of fence and deck stain at the mis tint bin it is very dark green.I use it to color the primer coat nice mint green, this way i can see where i am at when putting on the white coats.Works great.

Bob


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## TX Ashurst (May 31, 2005)

Wood breaks down ovewr time from either of 2 causes: water, and UV rays (no treatment will protect it from physical damage). 
Boiled linseed oil gives the very least possible protection from the elements. It lets water and UV pass through it.

Varnishes give good water protection, but little UV protection. Spar Varnish gives better UV protection.

For the very best protection of the wood, use something with pigment in it. Deck and Fence stains have some, and the darker they are the better they work, but they are all trasparent (to UV) to some degree. Paint is different than deck stain only in that it has enough pigment to block all, or almost all, UV rays.

So your best bet for long-life is paint, but beehives present one particular problem. Water vapor from the bees' respiration, honey curing, and cooling will always move from the inside of the hive, through the wood to the outside. This naturally has a tendency to separate the paint from the wood, and that is the reason to use a GOOD primer, even 2 coats. Primer is like thin paint with extra binding agents to give better grip to the paint you add later, but it isn't very good protection from the elements by itself. So after you prime, put on 1 or 2 coats of a good, exterior paint, and you will have the best protection there is.


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## Aisha (May 2, 2007)

rantcliff said:


> Some have suggested that the light paint is necessary to help keep the hive cool. For those of you using natural coloration - do you find overheating a particular problem?


I live in Texas so it's a hard call because it's going to be really hot regardless of color. We have 100* days every year. I put a mylar shield on the south side to reflect the sun. Also, the Minwax Spar Polyurethane is UV resistant. So I make some adjustments for the heat. Telescoping lid is cracked 1/2 inch and top super is screened for ventilation with sbb down below. 

Color probably matters, but I don't know how much. Light oak stain is light, but I am sure it is not as good as bright white.


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## Hampton (Apr 24, 2007)

I use white oil based primer and white oil based barn and fence paint from Lowes. For about $25 I can get a gallon of each and put two coats of each on. The paint seams to go a lot farther than the primer. I like the white but I suppose I could have the store put a little color in if I wanted. I cut lumber for a guy last spring. His wife painted their boxes all pastel colors. To each their own.


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

rantcliff said:


> Some have suggested that the light paint is necessary to help keep the hive cool. For those of you using natural coloration - do you find overheating a particular problem?



I actually think that the darker colors are better, especially for the supers. It keeps the top a little warmer, making it better for the honey in the summer, and helps in the winter with solar gain. Of course it depends on where you are. But with the SBB and the ventilated tops I use I have them bearding less than 7 days out of the year. So I figure that on all the other days they must be happy with the temps.


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## rantcliff (Sep 16, 2007)

*Ventilated Tops?*

Can you explain what you mean by ventilated tops? I understand you can put a stick under the top to allow some ventilation, but are you talking about a particular top design that helps ventilation?


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## randydrivesabus (Apr 27, 2006)

i don't think the rain (or any other precip) is going to affect your hive body much. It's a vertical surface and the water will not sit on it to make it rot. the sun is the worst enemy of lumber.


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## WVbeekeeper (Jun 4, 2007)

2 or three coats of this;
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=47564-000000807-20000&lpage=none
it is water based = easy cleanup, and dries extremely fast. then follow up with a couple coats of high quality exterior paint(color of your preference). i think i've read somewhere that bees are the most attracted to violet, then blue. am i right? if so, violet or blue might be a good color to paint your swarm catch boxes.


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

rantcliff said:


> Can you explain what you mean by ventilated tops? I understand you can put a stick under the top to allow some ventilation, but are you talking about a particular top design that helps ventilation?



http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/beekeeping_plans.phtml

Tim calls them "all season inner covers."

Here are the plans:

http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/plans/all_season_inner.pdf

I am sold on them. In the winter you put styrofoam in. I built mine so you can get a gallon jug feeder on top with a medium super above.

Even on the hottest days the bees seldom beard with these. When other hives are bearding, these hives are cool!


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## MapMan (May 24, 2007)

David - thanks for the ventilated tops info - I've been looking for some top entrance/vent options - look easy to build, too.

MM


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## pahvantpiper (Apr 25, 2006)

I don't care if one has a few or a few thousand hives, I think it's money well spent to paint your boxes and preserve your wood as long as possible... the stuff ain't cheap. Here's what I do on thousands of boxes:

spray(with a pump sprayer) each box with a 3 to 1 mixture of boiled linseed oil and laquer thinner. If you don't put in a little laquer thinner it won't spray. Or I'll use Penetrol or a wood sealer. Then I paint each box with a coat of oil based exterior wood primer. Finally 2 coats of a good exterior latex paint. If I had less than 100 hives I would sand the edges of the boxes or route them to round them. The edges are what go first so more attention should be paid to them.

-Rob


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## Show-me (Aug 3, 2007)

MapMan said:


> David - thanks for the ventilated tops info - I've been looking for some top entrance/vent options - look easy to build, too.
> 
> MM


Here is my idea on the top vents. I'm using the same plan Dave provided. Thanks. I will buy the cheapest deep I can get and rip it down to equal one thirds. Now I got three for the price of one. Cut my groove for the inner cover and bam!

Being a smaller beek has its advantages. We can pamper our bees more and try things that larger beeks don't have time for.

How much is to much ventilation in the winter? I use a solid bottom board with entrance reducers and have a 3/4 inch hole in the top deep.


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