hive varnish

[Bulgakov]

Can anyone recommend the best varnish / paint for my cedar national hive ?
thanks

 

[Erichalfbee]

Cedar doesn’t need anything as it has plenty of oil and weathers to a beautiful silver.
You can use Tung Oil or Danish Oil if you want to keep the original colour.

 

[Murox]

Can anyone recommend the best varnish / paint for my cedar national hive ?
thanks

A cedar hive really doesn't need paint, cedar contains natural water repellant oils. If its really dried out then you can re-oil the outside of the boxes, but don't use paint or varnish as it will stop the wood from 'breathing' and the moisture created inside will eventually get trapped and bubble the paint/varnish or potentially even make the hive very moist inside or rot the wood ultimately.

 

[Bulgakov]

A cedar hive really doesn't need paint, cedar contains natural water repellant oils. If its really dried out then you can re-oil the outside of the boxes, but don't use paint or varnish as it will stop the wood from 'breathing' and the moisture created inside will eventually get trapped and bubble the paint/varnish or potentially even make the hive very moist inside or rot the wood ultimately.

thank you so much, it is a brand new hive

 

[Bulgakov]

Cedar doesn’t need anything as it has plenty of oil and weathers to a beautiful silver.
You can use Tung Oil or Danish Oil if you want to keep the original colour.

thank you for your help

 

[Ian123]

I’d never bother painting or varnishing a hive, a good stain/preservative is well worth it though particularly on seconds equipment.

 

[smok]

fee years ago i pait my couple hives with teak oil and after dry ,paint boat varnish few layers,this year right now pealing away
waisting your time,

 

[Bulgakov]

I’d never bother painting or varnishing a hive, a good stain/preservative is well worth it though particularly on seconds equipment.

Thank you for your advice

 

[pargyle]

Cedar is a naturally oily wood ... few paints will last long term if you paint cedar, the oils will leach to the surface and the paint will peel off.

Best left au naturel to weather to a silver gray which is the result of UV oxisiding the surface layer of oil in the timber - once this oxidation has occurred it provides a barrier to further oxidation or rot and it will stay like this indefinitely. I had a Cedat WBC for a while that was at least 60 years old - had never been treated - the original manufacturer's metal plate was still nailed in place and there was no sign of oil or paint on it, The timber was in good condition - even the roof which was solid cedar was fine.

The dovetail joints were loose and the pine stand had seen better days but the cedar hive parts showed no sign of deterioration despite 60 years or so use outside.

 

[Ian123]

Thank you for your advice

As pargyle says paint/varnish is not a good idea probably causing more harm than good. I like a stain like sadolin classic, whilst many extol cedar it does benefit from a stain/preserver and in particular seconds as there can be some sap wood that’s very prone to weather. Even recommended by some hive manufacturers. Cedar is weather resistant if it remains dry, if it’s wet it’s pretty crap. Once you’ve had a cedar shingle roof to maintain you soon realise it’s limitations

 

[pargyle]

As pargyle says paint/varnish is not a good idea probably causing more harm than good. I like a stain like sadolin classic, whilst many extol cedar it does benefit from a stain/preserver and in particular seconds as there can be some sap wood that’s very prone to weather. Even recommended by some hive manufacturers. Cedar is weather resistant if it remains dry, if it’s wet it’s pretty crap. Once you’ve had a cedar shingle roof to maintain you soon realise it’s limitations

Sadolin classic is a brilliant wood preserver ... my 33 year old house has the original double glazed softwood window frames ... every couple of years they get a coat of Sadolin Extra but initially they were treated with two coats of Classic followed by two of Extra and the timber is still in good condition. The blasted windows don't seal closed and leak heat like a seive but the timber is fine !

 

[Bulgakov]

Cedar is a naturally oily wood ... few paints will last long term if you paint cedar, the oils will leach to the surface and the paint will peel off.

Best left au naturel to weather to a silver gray which is the result of UV oxisiding the surface layer of oil in the timber - once this oxidation has occurred it provides a barrier to further oxidation or rot and it will stay like this indefinitely. I had a Cedat WBC for a while that was at least 60 years old - had never been treated - the original manufacturer's metal plate was still nailed in place and there was no sign of oil or paint on it, The timber was in good condition - even the roof which was solid cedar was fine.

The dovetail joints were loose and the pine stand had seen better days but the cedar hive parts showed no sign of deterioration despite 60 years or so use outside.

Thank you

 

[Apiarisnt]

Thank you

Each to his own, but I find that applying 'raw' (not 'boiled') linseed oil containing around 5% to 8% of beeswax, to new cedar keeps it looking golden brown for years (and helps preserve it). Best applied on a warm / hot day but can be done anytime.

 

[Phill16359]

Being a professional painter and decorator and beekeeper I would use either linseed oil/danish oil or osmo oil, if you need to paint them use a water based micro porous paint with a voc below 20% such as Zinder all cost won’t harm the bees and let’s the cedar breath, though I must admit it’s true cedar shouldn’t need repainting.

 

[Phill16359]

Sorry that’s Zinseer all coat hate predictive text

 

[blackcloud]

I too have a veteran national which was left abandoned in the corner of a plot for at least four decades.
Deterioration yes, but unusable ,no.
Paint/varnish on cedar is not a good idea BECAUSE of its oil content rather than just being unnecessary.
If you still insist then use a stainblock primer to stop it bleeding through.
Linseed etc (remember linseed can go mouldy)each year to top up if you must,but just accept it's never going to look like it did in the glossy brochure once it goes outside.

 

[madasafish]

I use only cheap nasty pallet wood, or cheap nasty 30 year old cast off cedar boxes.

I see cedar wood - especially exposed ends absorbing moisture : as a BAD thing.
As usual I treat all received wisdom as potentially wrong: wood - that absorbs moisture - leaks heat due to conduction and evaporation so wood ends MUST be sealed - especially on cheap/old absorbent wood.

I use 5 or 10 year woodstain : which tends to be solvent based. I don't care.. and the bees don't appear to either. It MUST seal the grain and be absorbed and present a surface preventing water absorption..

My 12 year old original TBHs are still watertight despite being made from pallet wood. As are my 8 year old hive stands.. All woodstained.
Old cedar splits and absorbs moisture : not a good thing. Of course if you live in the warm South, it really makes little difference: a varnished cardboard box would do

(ditto two frame nucs: two external touching frames is a bad idea in colder climes. )
Rant over

 

[Murox]

I use only cheap nasty pallet wood, or cheap nasty 30 year old cast off cedar boxes.

I see cedar wood - especially exposed ends absorbing moisture : as a BAD thing.
As usual I treat all received wisdom as potentially wrong: wood - that absorbs moisture - leaks heat due to conduction and evaporation so wood ends MUST be sealed - especially on cheap/old absorbent wood.

I use 5 or 10 year woodstain : which tends to be solvent based. I don't care.. and the bees don't appear to either. It MUST seal the grain and be absorbed and present a surface preventing water absorption..

My 12 year old original TBHs are still watertight despite being made from pallet wood. As are my 8 year old hive stands.. All woodstained.
Old cedar splits and absorbs moisture : not a good thing. Of course if you live in the warm South, it really makes little difference: a varnished cardboard box would do

(ditto two frame nucs: two external touching frames is a bad idea in colder climes. )
Rant over

But its a good one. I love a good rant, often inspiring and funny and doesn't it feel good to let an argument hang out !

 

[Phill16359]

Prior to my previous post I remembered using Treatex cedar oil as well on cedar cladding available on line at www.treatex.co.uk especially for cedar

 

[ericbeaumont]

(remember linseed can go mouldy)

Guaranteed to happen: the wood will turn dark grey/black after a year.

Hot water & washing soda cleans off the lot.