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Canvas inner cover

39K views 84 replies 38 participants last post by  PAHunter62 
#1 ·
Ive been watching a few bee videos on youtube. Im starting to see people using canvas inner covers some seem to be dipped in beeswax amd other's not. Whats the story about that method? Can the bees travel below the chloth? Is there a difference between wood or cloth?
 
#49 ·
I just bought the painters drop cloth with the butyl backing. Well the backing is just a piece of plastic sewn on the sides of the cloth. It will come off once i cut it. Vodnt tell that it was like that it was folded up. Anyway i got my canvas. It was only $6.99
 
#51 ·
I am trying 4 mil plastic sheeting, I don't think it will be a problem causing moisture any more than an inner cover made of wood. I don't use an upper entrance for ventilation so the only drawback will be when I feed through the top of the hive, then it will need to be removed.

How long it will last without tearing when the bees propolise it down remains to be seen.
 
#61 ·
I use a sheet of Reflectix cut from a roll:

https://www.amazon.com/Reflectix-BP24025-24-Inch-25-Feet-Insulation/dp/B0022NH3E4

You can find it at the big box stores as well. It works out to a couple of dollars per hive. I cut it about half an inch shirt in the front so the bees can vent. It functions as the first layer if I sulation as well, under a 1" sheet of rigid pink foam insulation.

I used to use grain bags but the plastic would degrade and the weave disintegrate and make a mess.
 
#62 ·
I also use a sheet of Reflectix as inner covers.
It keeps a good seal uptop, no drafts, and provides a bit of needed insulation uptop which helps cool wet spring condensation problems
I have a feed hole cut in the centre which the bees use to stick the top down with wax and keeps the wind from blowing tops off. After we start feeding in fall tops are no longer lifted and everything gets glued down. Very little top blow off during hive movement
 
#66 ·
I found that the reflectix as a inner cover collected condensation way too much. So while assembling my top covers, I decided to sandwich the reflectix between the flashing and the wooden top cover. So it is permanently inside the top cover. In summer it cools the heat from top, in winter it adds to the hive roof R-value.
 
#73 ·
I'm definitely interested in trying something besides wooden inner covers. They're a PITA to make.

One question..... How in the world do you get fabric or souped up bubble wrap pieces off the top of the hive? My super propolizing bees would have those glued down like superglue.
 
#82 ·
after watching the UoG videos on youtube, I bought a couple of yards of heavy canvas to use for inner covers on some new hives that i hope to fill this spring. I also read Charles Dadant's book "The Dadant System of Beekeeping", where they used (100 years ago), oilcloth for inner covers. the slick side i'm guessing went down ?, so that it would easily peel off of the top of the frames? i plan of trying a few oilcloth inner covers as well. (i believe that quite often, "the old school is the best school"). has anyone else tried oilcloth?
 
#83 ·
I am using feed sacks. They unfortunately lack an UV inhibitor. You get a couples of years use and they disintegrate. I would try barn curtain material if I had some that was new. This is a heavier material that does contain a UV inhibitor. It is used as a roll up curtain on poultry houses, for hogs and dairy barns. I get about 10 years service from it even when exposed.
 
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