Beesource Beekeeping Forums banner

plywood nuc boxes

33K views 50 replies 24 participants last post by  Saltybee 
#1 ·
I'm getting ready to build a large number of 4 frame deep nuc boxes, and obviously want to do it as cheaply as possible but also want them to hold up to the weather. I'm thinking of going with exterior plywood instead of 1x pine wood, I figure it will be less expensive. I do plan on painting the plywood with a couple coats of good quality paint. Those that have used plywood nucs for many years, how do you like them? What thickness did you use, and how did you secure the joints? Thanks. John
 
#33 ·
> was thinking of using 1/2 inch "whole piece birch" plywood from Home Depot.

If the pine plywood is rated as Exterior, it should have a grade stamp on it saying so. Similar to the one on the far right:



Note that "Exposure 1" is not as good as "Exterior". More here:
http://www.performancepanels.com/single.cfm?content=app_pp_faqs#difference2

I would not expect a grade stamp on the birch plywood, but without a grade stamp its exterior performance is unknown. Even HD does not say anything about exterior in its description of the product. The only clue is the description of the glue, which leads to the manufacturer:
http://columbiaforestproducts.com/PureBond.aspx
They say the glue is water resistant, but that does not necessarily mean the finished plywood is exterior grade.


I scrounge plywood, and use anything I get for free. But if I was buying plywood, I'd buy Exterior rated plywood.
 
#36 ·
Thanks Graham, Beregondo and Cleo. My son is a builder, so I think I'll hold off until he starts a new house and maybe I'll find some good Advantec or exterior plywood pieces to build my NUCs. I have to admit, you can't beat free!
 
#44 ·
I used the Dcoates plywood plans modified a little. I used 1/2" thickness.
Once assembled I soaked all exterior surfaces and edges in copper napthanate. These were done 3 years ago and look like they were done yesterday. I am a big believer in the copper napthanate protection. I have a sheet metal pan and put about 3/4" deep and let the woo dsoak for 1-2 minutes. It adds a little to the price but goes a long way. I generally like to dumpster dive for plywood but it is a hassle compared to buying nice new sheets. The last batch I made I used store bought and screwed the sheets together and gang cut them with a circular saw and a straight edge.
 
#45 ·
How do the 1/2" D. Coates boxes or the Advantech (1/2"??) boxes fare in the cold of winter? I am planning to make 30 to 40 of them for overwintering and am curious how the bees will do in them? Do you use any insulation? I'm in the middle of Connecticut & am curious what % of success I'm might expect??
 
#47 ·
I have used the dcoates boxes to over winter here in Missouri. We don't get as cold here as you do there, but the thing to remember is it's not normally the cold that kills the bees it's moisture or getting caught covering brood and not able to cluster properly. I got 2 nucs thru our winter that were so weak they had no business making it, but they did, and one of those is one of my most productive queens right now. Going into this next winter my plan is to overwinter multiple nucs and to have 5 frame supers for them as well. I make the supers the same way as the regular dcoates except that I leave off the bottom of course, don't drill an entrance in it, and I add cleats to both sides on the bottom (this covers up the crack that there would be on the bottom one without a lid). Good luck
 
#50 ·
Both nucs that went thru winter last year were mid year splits that never took off (DROUGHT) that I put back into nucs in the fall. I don't think they would have survived if they had been in a 10 frame box. As for timing the nucs for when to start them to over winter I don't think that even if I had a good idea on that for my area that you would want to follow the same timing up there. I think for you, that you'd be better off following what Michael Palmer does because he is in Maine (I think, somewhere up northeast), and that would more match your climate. My plan this year is to make multiple batches of grafted queens until the drought(if only it wouldn't)kicks in, and then manage the nucs in a double nuc (10 frames) arrangement, stealing brood or stores or giving stores to keep them a good size. Then over winter them, come spring assuming that they survived (and why wouldn't they my bees are awesome LOL), basically split it in 2, 1/2 will have the queen and 1/2 won't, the 1/2 without a queen will get a queen cell from grafts I would have started about 10 days before the split. So I get to sell an over wintered nuc, and then I have a 2nd nuc ready for sale hopefully 4 weeks later.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top