staining a garden hive can I

[wjw777]

Hi All
Just bought a garden hive the wood is beautiful would like to put a polyerathene stain on it is there any problems with that and what about the bottom board can i do the whole thing or not please help before i do it thanks
walt

[Sundance]

You can and I would as well. Just avoid coating any interior surfaces.

Did you go with the copper roof?

[wjw777]

yes i did and its beautiful. what color poly stain would you think would be nice? also can i do the bottom board completley or just the front that is exposed?
thanks
Walt

[Sundance]

In Ohio you can get by with some darker shades if you like. I like the natural redwood tint. I also like the grain to show clearly.

Absolutly do the bottom board. I wouldn't do any area the bees use. Is it a screened board?

I am envious.......

[John Schneider]

What is a garden hive?

Is there a reason that hives have to be painted white? Can I paint or stain a more natural colour for my hives?

Thanks in advance.

John

[Sundance]

You can paint it any color you want. Often said here is "Get what ever paint is on sale". Most places have custom mixed colors that the customer did not like or pick up for cheap.

Solar gain is a concern if you are in the south so lighter colors help keep hive temps in check.

[east_stingray]

John, the reasons that most people paint them white are:

1)Beekeepers have painted hives white for a long time, so others do it only because they are blindly following tradition.

2)Studies have shown that bees are less agressive toward lighter colors, and thus may have a smaller chance of absconding, etc. from a white hive and might be of better temperment.

One of the commercial guys up here who I talk to frequently will ONLY paint his hives dark green. He has them in many different yards, and says that white only attracts attention and young boys with baseball bats. The green helps it to blend in with the landscape. Personally I've never had trouble with kids and baseball bats, but I paint my hives with grey porch paint, because we had almost a gallon left over when we did the porch and I try to recycle with bees as much as possible to curb the costs.

[east_stingray]

Sorry, I didn't answer your other question. A garden hive is something that is usually nuc-sized (which in itself isn't very explanatory since nucs come in many sizes), but anyway, it's almost never a full-sized hive. It's made to sit in a garden/flower garden type area and the hive itself is made to be much more fancy, almost like a yard ornament. Kind of like a conversation piece (as if a hive of bees in your yard isn't enough of a conversation piece) for your garden.

[John Schneider]

Well, that is interesting. It would be kind of cool to build a hive that is special. I am thinking that as long as there is no special reason to paint white, I will paint it something a little less conspicuous.

[Sundance]

Not intending to be argumentitve but many are 10 frame......... In my limited parusing I have only run into the 10 frame Garden Hive.

Mann Lake has a sharp kit on page 4 of the 2005 catolog

[Michael Bush]

Usually a Garden Hive has a fancy roof and people try to make the a decorative addition to their garden. Many people stain them instead of painting them.

I'd say white has always been popular for hives because it doesn't get too hot in the summer.

Other colors are usually just because beekeepers are cheap and buy miscolored paint. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Brushy Mt has both a 10 frame garden hive and an 8 frame garden hive. I'd recommend the 8 frame if you don't want to lift more than 50 pounds.

[wjw777]

hi
mine is a 10 frame ,like you said michael beekeepers are cheap or the price of bee equipment is way over priced and we have to make do what we have. the fancy rood i have cost around 35 dollars has copper top really looks good its for my pleasure not the bees. They rather be in an ole tree and they would be happy. Just trying to be alittle more well how can i say it LOL Its really a hive that you want people who know nothing about bees see. insteasd of how some of our hives really look. Get the drift? Walt

[Michael Bush]

I've always wondered how you keep a Garden hive roof on. You can't put a rock on it or it will slide off won't it?

[BULLSEYE BILL]

The one that I hefted was quite heavy. I don't think it would blow off even in a Kansas wind.

[Michael Bush]

Really? I have concrete blocks on a lot of mine because two or three bricks has not always kept the lids on.

[Jim Fischer]

Two words: ratchet straps!

[Michael Bush]

I have been considering coming up with a better solution than the blocks. I noticed the other day when I had only done an inspection of all the hives here without lifting a single box my back hurt. Then I remembered all the concrete blocks I moved...

Of course the cheap rachet straps I bought rotted outside... So I guess I better buy higher quality straps. [img]smile.gif[/img]