[Honeycomb]

Someone told me I shouldn't add any bees to a newly painted hive for 2-3 weeks. This seems a bit much to me. Wouldn't it be ok to put them in once it has dried? How long should I wait?

 

[beedeetee]

I have re-painted hives while they were in them without any issues. As long as you don't paint the insides, I would think that it wouldn't take long. I suppose a bottom board should wait for a while.

 

[Ravenseye]

Good and dry is fine. Two weeks seems excessive to me.

 

[mike haney]

i try to err on the side of caution and wait 2 weeks. my thoughts are just because I cant smell the paint dosent mean the bees cant. good luck,mike

 

[fish_stix]

If you're using latex paint you can use them within an hour of painting. With oil based paint wait until it's completely dry; overnight if you have warm weather. My first employer used to get a silver/gray, oil based paint from the FL Dept of Transportation that they used on steel barricades and signs. We painted all his 1700 hives while bees were occupying them. If you do this, I highly recommend not wearing shorts and tee shirts, which is our normal beesuit down here; don't ask how I know!

 

[Honeycomb]

What about primer? Is that something to worry about or does it not matter once it has been covered with paint?

 

[sgwjr1979]

Well I haven't painted mine yet, but I can tell you this. If you prime and then sand, paint one coat, sand, paint another coat, sand, then seal, sand, seal. You'll end up with a nice looking paint job that looks like a piece of furniture and chances are you'll never have to repaint.
This is the formula I use for everything I paint.

 

[Black Creek]

i wouldnt paint the inside.
to give you an idea.... i have a new cedar bird house. i thought a nice clear coat on the inside would make it easier to clean out each year(no poop soaked in) well that was febuary and it's still the only birdhouse in the yard that doesnt have a nest in it. and i've seen birds checking it out. it must be off gassing or something and i'm sure as it heats up in the summer it will do it some more. so next year maybe i'll have birds in it hahaha

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

I miss the old paints with VOC. I was in Honduras again this March. The owner had painted his house with that old enamel, probably loaded with lead and other stuff that makes it last a decade.

 

[mothergoosemagic]

No on in my family works for Sherwin Williams, but I *really* like their Endurance paint. Before I started building my hives, I had slapped together a sort of corral for my big trash cans--didn't use treated wood either--and painted it with the Endurance. It's been out in the weather for several years now, and still looks great. Managed to get a gallon of celery-tinted marked down at the store--entire gallon for $8, and it goes a long, long way.