Tin Or Paint Your Boxes

[Romahawk]

For those who build your own hive and nuc boxes do you use some sort of tin on top of the cover or do you just put a couple of good coates of paint on them?

If you just paint does it cause a moisture problem in the winter or early spring when it starts thawing with all that snow on top of the box.

If you put tin on them what do you use, flashing, sheets of tin plate, or used printing press plates? If you do use tin how do you cut and mold it to the top of the box?

[Nate]

i've read that some people use flashing.

[Michael Bush]

Lids will definitely last longer with metal or some kind of roofing on them. I've used old printing plates, scraps of rubber roofing, scraps of roll roofing and 30# felt. They all work if you get them attached well enough. Mostly, though I've just used plywood and dipped in beeswax and rosin.

[Romahawk]

I'm not set up to dip anything so I guess a couple of coats of good exterior latex will be the way to go for now. I don't really care how long they last as the material including the paint is free, I'm just concerned about the possible leakage from moisture peculating down through the plywood tops during spring thaws and heavy rain storms. Raising the front edge of the lid will probably take care of rain run off but that darn old snow and ice doesn't slid off so easy. I guess a little experimenting is in order. Thanks guy..... ;)