# Bottom Boards Made from Treated Lumber?



## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

Shouldn't be any problems actually. Mann Lake sells both treated bottom boards and treated migratory top covers.


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## Greg Lowe (Feb 3, 2012)

http://youtu.be/Hnt4Gb_c7aw

In this video John Pluta says he uses treated with no problems.


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## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

We use cedar but no treated lumber in our hives. We do use plywood, with whatever glues that may have, in some bottom boards and covers.


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

the mann lake treated bottom boards appear to be regular lumber treated with some kind of green stain. I would paint the inside top of pressure treated tops myself.


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## Snookie (Dec 13, 2013)

Wow Combination Top/Bottom

Thanks for the video

Going to make one, out of treated material:}


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

All of my old covers were cut from pressure treated plywood, as are all of my pallets. The pallets are the bottom boards. Or is that bassackwards?


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## AugustC (Aug 7, 2013)

If you are concerned about woods treated or containing glues apply a few coats of shellac. It will seal the wood and it is much the same as the bees own propolys so you're saving them a job


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## jjohnsind (Apr 24, 2014)

I always thought pressure treated lumber had to season outdoors for about a year before it would take a stain or paint. I built my hive stand out of treated lumber this year and it would NOT take paint (too wet). I'll try again in a couple of months.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

NOT a good idea to use treated. Link below shows the chemical now (ACQ, AC2) used as a preservative is harmful to humans. The older treated was actually much worse than the treated now.
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/remodeling/question278.htm


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I sat at dinner with several of the prominent bee scientists as they discussed how bad of an idea it was to use the treated lumber from the lumber yard. Mann Lake uses Copper Napthenate to treat theirs and it is not at all the same stuff.

Number 5 has the effects of copper napthenate.
http://www.extension.org/pages/5806...can-bee-research-conference-2009#.Uj-KhdKsiSo


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## Kamon A. Reynolds (Apr 15, 2012)

It shouldn't hurt the bees. If you feel it might risk their health then paint the inside of the pressure treat. (Oh no..... what about the paint?!) 

The only concerns are does some of the chemicals escape in a vapor form.

EVEN if they did leach it would be so small of a amount it would not kill your bees. (might kill mites you never know) This falls under the category of where do I personally as a beekeeper draw the line. No right or wrong.


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## Bee Whisperer (Mar 24, 2013)

Chemistry may not seem like a big deal, but it is. People don't even use treated lumber in homes or raised gardens because of the things that can bleed over. I wouldn't think it would be good for the bees or the honey. I wouldn't eat it.


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

Hmm, with all the talk about using treated wood inside the hive I'll quit worrying about having used it for runners under my bottom boards. 

Ed


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## pndwind (Feb 17, 2013)

Bee Whisperer said:


> People don't even use treated lumber in homes.


They don't? :scratch:


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

our friends in D.C. have determined that we are not supposed to use treated lumber inside our homes. as always they know best.


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## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

Darn fascists insist we shouldn't drink arsenic either.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

In residential construction, the building code _requires _that sill plates (wood boards which connect the foundation to the rest of the house) be made from pressure treated lumber.



> *2306.4 Plates, sills and sleepers*. All foundation plates or sills and sleepers on a concrete or masonry slab, which is In direct contact with earth, and sills which rest on concrete or masonry foundations,[HIGHLIGHT] shall be treated wood [/HIGHLIGHT] or foundation redwood, *all marked or branded by an approved agency.* Foundation cedar or No. 2 Foundation redwood marked or branded by an approved agency may be used for sills in territories subject to moderate hazard, where termite damage is not frequent and when specifically approved by the building official. In territories where hazard of termite damage is slight, any species of wood permitted by this code may be used for sills when specifically approved by the building official.
> http://www.conradlumberco.com/buildingcodes-uniformbuildingcodes.shtml


The top surface of wood decks are often made from pressure treated wood. One example is YellaWood. 

There is generally no reason to use pressure treated lumber in the _interior _of a home. Normally pressure treated wood would be use in situations where the wood would be subject to water exposure. If you have standing water _inside _your house, you have bigger problems than whether or not the wood is pressure treated.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

For a time, there was a fad going around to use pressure treated as a foundation to a home. I'm guessing there had to be concrete footings, but the rest of the basement walls were all treated wood. Wonder why that never really took hold. lol


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

I have a shop/barn that has a pressure treated wood foundation - its a pole/post barn style construction, and the 'foundation' is the 6x6 treated wood posts that are sunk 36" in the ground. It is my understanding that it is also possible under the IBC code to build a residence with this construction technique.


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## rweaver7777 (Oct 17, 2012)

Just wondering WHY you are considering treated lumber? Part of the reason for treatment is to apply a PESTICIDAL property to the wood. And you're going to put this on a beehive?


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

You're right about residences built using poles. Pole buildings are very resistant to earthquake and wind shear forces. I believe, though, that the poles either have to be positioned on the outside of exterior walls or either sealed by boxing them in or painted sealer of some type if the poles are positioned in the interior dwelling space.

Ed


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