Fibreglass roof

[Poly Hive]

Often thought that a glass fibre roof might be a cost effective answer to the leaking felt option.

Would you consider using a GF roof? Or not?

PH

 

[Rosti]

PH if you are proposing as an alternative to the 'felt' or the 'tin' covering then yes. I would be concerned that an FG roof (without the wooden parts) would not be heavy enough for those windy nights which always occur immediately after I forget to strap things down.

 

[skydragon]

Having had a reasonable ammount of experience with composites...

I fear the FG roof may be a viable option structurally, but there may be a high risk of the hive stinking of resin and in turn the honey being tainted with a resin taste/smell in high summer temperatures.

I would suggest a heavy plastic moulded part may be a better option in some respects (but the tooling start-up costs would be massive)

 

[Poly Hive]

I was thinking of a deep roof, 8" poss 10, as they are "impossible" to blow off. They just "cock" as the walls are too deep for the whole to be sucked off by wind.

As for contamination from fumes I will check on this with a local expert.

From my experience of fiberglass items, ie fire extinguisher boxes and tool chests there was not a whiff of resin from them. There must be a limit after which there is no smell?

PH

 

[Poly Hive]

Two months the expert says for the resin to cease giving off vapour. How that compares with Ply I cannot say but I did read that MDF gives off fumes quietly for months after it leaves the factory.

200mm sides to make them wind proof and there is the possibility of putting foam in them to increase the insulation value.

PH

 

[Mike a]

200mm sides to make them wind proof and there is the possibility of putting foam in them to increase the insulation value.

PH

Watch for the PH TM stamp soon

 

[justme]

PH if you are proposing as an alternative to the 'felt' or the 'tin' covering then yes. I would be concerned that an FG roof (without the wooden parts) would not be heavy enough for those windy nights which always occur immediately after I forget to strap things down.

Yes, I was thinking about using fibreglass as a roof covering, still am. Had not thought of using it as a complete roof though, I prefer to use wood internally as I think it must cut down on condensation. I could be wrong though:.)

 

[Hivemaker.]

Should think it would be okay as a roof covering,not so sure it would be strong enough as a complete roof though,would depend on thickness i suppose.....depends on cost as well of course.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

If they were complete roofs they would need to be tough and be able to carry a fair weight of supers (5 full commerical supers plonked on an upturned roof on uneven ground for example) without damage.

That said, I'd go for a decent 10" woodpecker proof version if it was robust and reasonably priced.

 

[Poly Hive]

No need for the roof to take that weight. Just use a spare floor.

Everything is a compromise and what you are talking about is impossible in GRP.

Come to think of it I haver never had five supers on a colony, max of three, or four if you count the one I am clearing down to. 5? Might want to think about extracting a bit faster...LOL

PH

 

[susbees]

200mm sides to make them wind proof and there is the possibility of putting foam in them to increase the insulation value.

PH

Makes great gliders... . Sigh... Offgassing and condensation are things that bother me a lot. Sick building syndrome comes to mind and I expect can apply to bees too. And yes you will get condensation issues with fibreglass as with glass quilts.

Plywood often contains formaldehyde which is evil stuff. You can get FSC ply with diisoynate resins which does not offgas but is still yuck during manufacture.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

If you have a decent crownboard and ventilation between the roof and the crownboard won't that help mitigate the effects you mention?

 

[Frisbee]

My son is in the process of making an electric guitar, he made the form (wooden) and then the fibreglass mould which is now used to make the article....in this case the guitar.

The guitar.....which is also fibreglass has no residue small, and I can whiff resin at 100 metres But of course that was not a scientific observation

As I watched him hammering the mould to release the form. I can tell you now, it was strong stuff.

I just asked him these questions though (about the fibreglass) and he said, it was difficult and expensive to do and why don't beekeepers paint the metal roofs with Hammerite.............I said that was far too simple an answer

Frisbee

 

[Teemore]

My Mentor made up a couple of fibre glass roofs for his Nationals last year. They are approx 8" deep and are certainly a lot easier to heft around than standard wood and tin ones. That said, I have stuck to making wood and tin roofs for my hives and nucs. The fibre glass roofs have stood up well to weather and use and there were no reports of fumes - certainly the bees didn't visibly react to their introduction although the fibre glass was well aired before being installed on the hives. My mentor plans to build a couple more of these roofs later in the year when time allows.

 

[Brosville]

Use aluminium printing plates - I got 80 in exchange for a £5 beer coupon from my friendly local printer, so far done 2 top bar hives and my shed with them.............

 

[jigsaw]

I would make up a mould 5mm larger all round than the roof size and about 40mm deep. ( Have a good taper on the sides to draw.) Varnish to seal wood. When dry rub down with wet & dry, clean and polish with a good silicon wax, apply release agent (PVA). When dry ,gel coat and back up with glassfibre. Trim round edge when dry. ( Leave a small area proud on each side to remove from mould. Wash down and wet & dry rough edge. Apply sealant round edge of timber hive roof and stick down glassfibre top. Probably better than a metal roof. wouldnt go to the bother of a complete glassfibre roof, too much bother and would probably cause condensation.

 

[rae]

Why? Would it be cheaper? Looking at the state of fibreglass boats that have been left in the sun for 10 years, I doubt it will last longer than a tin roof without quite a fancy gel coat.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Why doesn’t someone give these guys a ring and ask them for a quote for (cough) for a few flat roofs

http://www.flatroofs.co.uk/#/flat-roofing/4528992253

If this is just for a replacement for leaking felt over s std wood roof, then use aluminium sheets.

Or there are many brush on paints type applications for roof sealing

If it is for a full replacement for the roof, maybe a leaf out of the Omlet people might the way?

 

[victor meldrew]

Use aluminium printing plates - I got 80 in exchange for a £5 beer coupon from my friendly local printer, so far done 2 top bar hives and my shed with them.............

What's the second pic? not yet another hive design?

John Wilkinson

 

[Brosville]

Of course, a "Broshive" with built in measures against cold winters, solar panels for the forced ventilation system, and a pollen source on the outside........
And demonstrates what 4 years of linseed/beeswax will do for a grotty pine shed!