# anything wrong with building a hive out of 3/4 plywood?



## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

hi guys want to know if i could build a Langstroth Style hive out of plywood? most long 10 by 1 by 8 feet board are treated and i hear treated wood is not good for bees, most store in the island where i live sale the treated broad because it rains here a lot. the traps i build are made out of plywood and if i paint them it should hold in the foul weather we have here


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## geebob (Apr 4, 2011)

In relatively dry Wisconsin some temporary boxes that I built (and painted) lasted two seasons. I'd be surprised if they lasted one in PR. I'd strongly advise 1x12 lumber.


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## rtoney (Apr 20, 2011)

Would not be anything wrong with them, lifetime of hive is relative to your climate and upkeep. Good luck.


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## Bsweet (Apr 9, 2010)

Plywood will not last as long solid board and will weight more. That said the bees won't care and should do fine in them.


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## theriverhawk (Jun 5, 2009)

And they will be heavier than Hades...


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## Nichols747 (May 21, 2010)

They will be heavy, but last year I made some 5-frame nucs out of 3/4, mid summer, put swarms in them and overwintered them under cover. They weren't even painted, and held up ok to occasional rain in the PNW. I'm going to make more nucs this spring, paint and seal them very thoroughly, and run them into the ground!


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

Nichols747 said:


> They will be heavy, but last year I made some 5-frame nucs out of 3/4, mid summer, put swarms in them and overwintered them under cover. They weren't even painted, and held up ok to occasional rain in the PNW. I'm going to make more nucs this spring, paint and seal them very thoroughly, and run them into the ground!


funny i did the same but with 1/2 inch plywood came out petty good here the link to it http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?266252-How-does-my-first-build-top-bar-noc-trap-looks


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## Tnmedic (Mar 22, 2012)

Just this morning I got 9 mediums out of a sheet of plywood. About 1/2 price of boards.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Plywood will work to make boxes, and is preferable to treated lumber. In most cases, won't last as long a solid wood, even in a tropical environment, but I'd not let that stop you from making boxes. You won't do well with treated lumber for bee boxes, I don't think. 

Shipping for pre-cut boxes is going to be prohibitive for you, so go ahead and use plywood for now.

Peter


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

Thanks guys for the info i will cover them with a good sealer because it pours down here and my pigeon loft is made of 3/4 plywood and its cover with several coats of paint sealer so far no water is going into the plywood in my loft i even wash the floor with water and soap once a week , maybe i just have to paint it every year to keep them in good shape


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## nbaum (Mar 12, 2012)

I made several hive bodies and supers out of 3/4" birch plywood. Its the kind thst has about 18 plys. My company has a lot of plywwod drops they do not use of this super high quality material. I just made them this year so I don't know how they will last but I have seen this material which is used for concrete forms stand up to 100 plus concrete pours without delamination.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

I am not sure what you can find in P.R. but here we have a formed metal roof part called a drip edge. If you get that made out of aluminum you can cover the top edge of the boxes so the end grain will not soak up water. You would face the drip edge inward and fold the top piece down over the outside of the box. The inside formed metal would support your frames. I would attach this metal from the inside of the box. The corners would have to be mitered and caulked to do a good job of covering all the end grain.
Another way of preserving the open edges of the wood is to fiberglass and resin but that may be more costly. Maybe you could just use a coarse cloth and resin.


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

Acebird said:


> I am not sure what you can find in P.R. but here we have a formed metal roof part called a drip edge. If you get that made out of aluminum you can cover the top edge of the boxes so the end grain will not soak up water. You would face the drip edge inward and fold the top piece down over the outside of the box. The inside formed metal would support your frames. I would attach this metal from the inside of the box. The corners would have to be mitered and caulked to do a good job of covering all the end grain.
> Another way of preserving the open edges of the wood is to fiberglass and resin but that may be more costly. Maybe you could just use a coarse cloth and resin.


good idea but i have not seen any aluminum sheet for sale but they do sale thin Galvanized Steel sheet , so i be able to use that


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

It will work fine but is harder to bend.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

A bead of weather resistant glue, spread with a finger would seal the endgrain too.

If I was suggesting a siding material, I would recommend 3/4" vinyl J channel. No bending, no sharp edges, but still more trouble than a bead of glue and some finger swipes ...


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

I wouldn't be opposed to vinyl J channel. I am not hept up on the glue because of the prying and wedging that occurs between the boxes.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

Acebird,

Your ingenuity, has lead th OP to believe that it's a good idea to clad over the edges of his nucs with galvanized steel...

Chapeau!


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## Mrobisr (Mar 10, 2012)

Gentlemen,
I have been lurking for a while without posting, but I have to say something on this subject. Standard CDX plywood will last if primed and painted with a couple QUALITY coats of any paint, promise. I personally use 100% acrylic and yes expensive, but I have plywood that is years old and looks absolutely new. The biggest mistake of any painter is to not paint the edges that is the key (any lumber). If you ever see siding on a house and the bottom is rotten that is because the bottom edge wasn't painted. Water does not drip straight down it will make that slight curve inwards and the bees only care about the inside.


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

Mrobisr said:


> Gentlemen,
> I have been lurking for a while without posting, but I have to say something on this subject. Standard CDX plywood will last if primed and painted with a couple QUALITY coats of any paint, promise. I personally use 100% acrylic and yes expensive, but I have plywood that is years old and looks absolutely new. The biggest mistake of any painter is to not paint the edges that is the key (any lumber). If you ever see siding on a house and the bottom is rotten that is because the bottom edge wasn't painted. Water does not drip straight down it will make that slight curve inwards and the bees only care about the inside.


Well we got you to finally say something ,lol, just joking,=)
yes if very true , a good paint job and primer sealer goes a long way in preserving the wood for a long time it the barrels against the elements ,i have a pigeon loft that the outside is completely made out of 1/2 inch plywood and i put on 4 coat of primer sealer .and it been pouring here for the last month and not a touch of wetness on the wood


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

The reason for the cladding on the top edge (I never mentioned the bottom edge) is for two reasons; 1. to survive prying with the hive tool and to have a lip to hang the frames.


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## fish_stix (May 17, 2009)

If you pry on the sides of the box you won't tear up the frame rests and the boxes will last many, many, many, many years. However, if you insist on prying on the ends they'll only last for many years. What the devil are you prying with, a rail bar? Use a proper hive tool and solve your destruction problems.


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

not me i dont even have a hive yet ,lol, either way going to build me a top bar but without the top bar i want it to use normal frames and going to build the hive out of plywood


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## Mrobisr (Mar 10, 2012)

Rafael,
Well yes you did and that's no joke, lol.


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

Mrobisr said:


> Rafael,
> Well yes you did and that's no joke, lol.


lol, ROTF, =)


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

You could dip the hive body in parrafin and paint it right after dipping.
Good luck,


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

There is a product, galvanized metal edging, sold for use on gypsum wall board. It works well on 15/32" plywood, also but comes in different sizes - quite likely even 3/4".


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## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

well i lease im seeing that we could make hive out of plywood not only solid wood we just have to protect the surface .just got a new friend who a bee keeper in Africa and they make beehive out of bamboo and another made out of clay , i will post a picture of them soon in the General beekeeping section so look for it


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