[to_dd]

I'm new at beekeeping. I built 2 langstroth hives, painted the exterior surfaces and left the interior ones unfinished. I'm curious what others consider the "best practice" for finishing the 2" or so of the bottom board just beyond the entrance to the hive. There are benefits to painting, as well as leaving it unfinished. Looking for peoples opinions on why they prefer one over the other.

Thanks,
Todd

 

[Mike in Amboy]

I'm new this year too. I painted anything that would be exposed to rain hitting it. So I painted about 1" in under the entrance of the hive. I too wasn't sure where to stop and what not, so figured on if it was going to get hit by rain, better cover it up. I'm up in the NW and rain is our middle name.

 

[Charlie B]

The landing board gets allot of abuse from bee traffic and weather. I usually give it an extra coat of paint.

 

[honeyman46408]

On a solid BB I paint all of it makeing sure to seal all cracks, I use screen BBs and I paint all surfaces except the #8 wire in other words when I get through with the paint brush you can see any wood surfaces on the BBs

 

[Oldtimer]

Painting the inside of a super is not needed the bees coat it anyway. A bottom board is best painted though, the paint helps protect the wood from absorbing stuff from all the rubbish that lands on it, specially stuff that's left to stew during winter.

There are paints available that are ecofriendly, it's not going to affect the health of the hive.

The landing strip I'll sometimes leave unpainted though, it gets washed by rain and I think the bees prefer landing on unpainted timber.

 

[Andrew Dewey]

I leave the bottom board area that is inside the hive and the landing area unpainted. The underside, front, back & sides get get coats of latex over a good primer.