Painting woodenware

[Jchap9]

I'm building my own hive woodenware and have heard and read conflicting advice on painting. Should the interior of the woodenware be painted or just the exterior? If I make my screened bottom boards out of cedar should the cedar be painted?

[shughes]

just the exterior. i have cypress bottom boards and still hit them with a coat of paint. some individuals don't paint at all. the argument i have heard is skipping paint helps the hive breath better (and of course saves time) but i would rather have my hive bodies last as long as they can.

[KQ6AR]

I stained the outside of mine. Looks Nice

[HVH]

I'm building my own hive woodenware and have heard and read conflicting advice on painting. Should the interior of the woodenware be painted or just the exterior? If I make my screened bottom boards out of cedar should the cedar be painted?
I think the most critical aspect of painting is to keep the moisture content of the wood from swinging to extremes. The joints are the most vulnerable to wicking up water because of the exposed end grain which wicks the fastest. Everyone has their own opinion, but I use the urethane glues, not because they are the strongest, but because they foam and expand beyond the joints. There is also debate about oil base v.s. water base. I think oil based paints are more rugged partly due to the fact that they penetrate the wood rather than forming a skin. I only have a few hundred boxes but those that were glues with urethane and painted with oil based paint still look new with joints that seem indestructible. The other boxes (unpainted cypress or wood glue/painted pine with water based paint) need to be repaired.
I guess anything that keeps the wood from swelling will work, but since I don't like rebuilding boxes, I prefer the extra time and money up front when I am in assembly mode to prevent work in the future.

[HVH]

I'm building my own hive woodenware and have heard and read conflicting advice on painting. Should the interior of the woodenware be painted or just the exterior? If I make my screened bottom boards out of cedar should the cedar be painted?
I think the most critical aspect of painting is to keep the moisture content of the wood from swinging to extremes. The joints are the most vulnerable to wicking up water because of the exposed end grain which wicks the fastest. Everyone has their own opinion, but I use the urethane glues, not because they are the strongest, but because they foam and expand beyond the joints. There is also debate about oil base v.s. water base. I think oil based paints are more rugged partly due to the fact that they penetrate the wood rather than forming a skin. I only have a few hundred boxes but those that were glued with polyurethane and painted with oil based paint still look like new with joints that seem indestructible. The other boxes (unpainted cypress or wood glue/painted pine with water based paint) need to be repaired.
I guess anything that keeps the wood from swelling will work, but since I don't like rebuilding boxes, I prefer the extra time and money up front when I am in assembly mode to prevent work in the future.

[Michael Bush]

I have seldom if ever heard anyone advice painting the inside of the hive. I think the advice on that is pretty consistent. The outside is another matter...

[Alex Cantacuzene]

Our hive boxes are painted with latex on the outsides and nothing on the insides. This also goes for the bottom boards with the screens. The inner covers and the slatted boards are painted with boiled linseed oil and so far the bees have responded well to that. Of course, all of those items were well dried and vented well before being put into use. Take care and have fun.

[scott]

The plans on beesource say:
"...paint all surfaces, both outside and inside and top and bottom edges,with two coats of paint"
http://www.beesource.com/plans/10frlang.pdf

I think this is the only reference I have seen to painting the inside of a hive.

[BEES4U]

:thumbsup:Welcome to the forum.
The inside will be coated by the bees according to their local propolis source.
Regards,
Ernie

[Adrian Quiney WI]

The problem with painting the inside of a hive is almost all of the occupants are female. One thing I've learned after 17 years marriage to three women in total (some years were longer than others:cry:) is that one should never decide an interior color scheme for a female.:shhhh:

[RC3]

I am in the same place as Jchap9. I have finished my first Nuc and wanted to use "Boiled Linseed Oil" to seal it from the weather. I see Mr. Cantacuzene used it in the hive. Am I correct in assuming that Linseed Oil will not cause the bees to look for some place else to live?
Thanks!

[Alex Cantacuzene]

Hi, the wooden ware that we have painted with boiled linseed oil runs from the outside of hive boxes to bottom boards to inner covers. All exterior surfaces eventually were painted with latex. At one point I was afraid of peeling latex over linseed oil but it did not happen. However, those surfaces were well cured and very dry before painting. Somewhere here on the board there were warnings given about the boiled linseed oil i. e. "....read the ingredients list....." Well, so far we have had no bad experiences with it and the inner covers let themselves be cleaned quite nicely with a putty knife or so. There are some questions on painting the edges of the hive boxes. This can work both ways, either they are protected and then become sticky, or they wick moisture. We have started to paint the edges with linseed oil. It is not the ideal but better than nothing. Our main damage comes from prying the boxes apart and we have to rotate the "point of attack."
Take care and have fun.