# super paint



## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Put a good brand primer and two coats of a good exterior paint on over the primer. Most use exterior latex. I use either an exterior stain (three coats) because I like the look of the stain or various different colors of exterior latex. Different colors help the bees identify their hive. What ever you use, let them air for at least a week. Not too sure on the dark colors for supers in your area.


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## dudelt (Mar 18, 2013)

I cannot say that dark colors are good for your area or not. If the outside temperature is 100 degrees plus and you add the heat generated by the dark paint, you might have issues. Where I live we have only had 2 days over 100 degrees in recorded history, so it is not an issue. Personally, I would use whatever cheap exterior "oops" paint the store is trying to get rid of. Or if you aren't worried about the cost of the paint, get whatever color you like. Most of mine are painted with left over house paint.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I pre-prime/ seal my knotholes and edge or end grain areas with white pigmented shellac (BIN and Zinsser are good brands). Some people do the same thing with Titebond III glue. Then I give them a primer coat and two top coats of good quality exterior paint. Sand lightly between each coat. I also use flat paint. Picking the colors is a huge deal for me so I treat myself to full-price paint.

Each of my hives is different color (which matches the names I give my queens, all flower names: Iris, Peony, Daffodil, Buttercup, Dahlia, etc.) This turned out to be a royal PITA in practice, and I often have different color boxes and parts on the same stack, but every once in awhile I get things squared away, and then my apiary looks so purty.

Suit your self on color: bees can't see colors like deep cranberry red, for instance. I try not to paint my hives really dark colors to avoid increasing solar gain on hot days. (This means my hive, Peony, isn't deep red, for instance- she's a bright pink.) My hives are insulated in the winter, but I wouldn't want the re-radiation of warmth from a dark hive on cold nights even if they weren't.

I never buy cheap-quality paint, for anything. The cost of painting is in the time it takes to do it well.

Enjambres (who worked her way in college doing house painting)


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## photobiker (Mar 23, 2015)

Enjambres, I haven't seen anyone mention using shellac on knots in a long time. Nice to see some people remember the old ways of doing things. I still have a partial bag of orange shellac flakes from the old days of making furniture and cabinets. Oops paint is the way to go if you can find what you are looking for. Seems most is interior paint.

Ralph


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## westtnbeekeeper (Oct 26, 2015)

There are usually several cans of oops paint at any given hardware store in my area. Most I have found are earth tones... Grays and medium dark shades of green. I would prefer lighter shades but its not a huge deal to me. It does get pretty hot here in some years. Not uncommon to see weeks in the mid 90's and 100's can happen any given day in July and August. Most of the oops paints are not there because they are cheap. Most just didn't agree with the customer after they were mixed. If you pick and choose and pay attention to what you are buying those 8 dollar a gallon exterior paints were originally 30, 40, and sometimes 50 dollars a gallon.:applause::applause:


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## Retroguy (Jul 16, 2014)

My dad was a huge fan of shellac; not just for knots & end grain either. We'd put a fresh coat of shellac on our hardwood floors every 3 years or so. Heck, he even gave me a good shellacing once in a while.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

I personally would never apply a dark color to my boxes even if it was a free coating. Whatever you do dont use cheap paint if you are not into the thrill of "scrap and repaint." Big bucks primer will help keep you off that track. With paint the old adage of pay me now or pay me later was never more true.


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## tazke (Mar 23, 2015)

Honey-4-All said:


> I personally would never apply a dark color to my boxes even if it was a free coating. Whatever you do dont use cheap paint if you are not into the thrill of "scrap and repaint." Big bucks primer will help keep you off that track. With paint the old adage of pay me now or pay me later was never more true.


Very well said!
Although I buy any color of high quality oops paint. I just got a 5 gl bucket of Gray, I use it as the first coat (I prime first) then second coat is lighter color.


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## Outdoor N8 (Aug 7, 2015)

Perfect example of "what works in one part of the country, will not work for bees in another".

If i painted any part of my hive, HB or Supers, a dark color; the solar gain at 7k ft would have the wax and honey running out the bottom board. On an average 85F day, there is a 12deg. difference between white boxes and light khaki.


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