Hive wood preserver

[Bizarre]

You may find this leaflet - of use...

Beehive preservative

 

[SixFooter]

for the 483rd time - boiled linseed oil (Rustin's is food-grade) with some beeswax melted into it - applied hot.... Cheap, smells gorgeous, looks good, and if you chose, you could eat it!

Tried this on a nuc. Should it take 3 days to dry? The mix I used was a bottle of boiled linseed oil with a lump of wax the size of a ping pong ball and I put it on hot.

Does look good except it highlights where there is wood filler!

 

[beebreeder]

As I make my kit from ply I use Sadolin superdec, water based and I have painted hives with bees in and no problems, it is however expensive but does not flake just wears well.

 

[Peter Cox]

Guess we're primitive here in the US. The norm is a coat of water based latex primer followed by a coat of water based latex house paint - all on the outside, nothing on the inside. There again hives are typically made of less exotic wood (read cheaper) such as 3/4 inch white pine, here on the east coast that typically means Quebec yellow pine.
Good quality latex house paint is normally good for at least 5 years and as it's quick drying hives bodies can typically be painted in the morning and put into use in the afternoon.

 

[biggles]

Tried this on a nuc. Should it take 3 days to dry? The mix I used was a bottle of boiled linseed oil with a lump of wax the size of a ping pong ball and I put it on hot.

Does look good except it highlights where there is wood filler!

As its oil its never going to fully dry, the oil will just soak in.

Pete

 

[Brosville]

It usually takes around 3 days to lose it's "tack", and in time dries completely, leaving a lovely patina........

 

[Polyanwood]

I've painted some of mine on the outrside with Vaseline this year. I needed to get supers on in a hurry and they came untreated so I wanted to use something that was harmless and didn't contain noxious volatile chemicals that might affect the honey. They look good and it had all soaked in within a week.

 

[Pookiesbees]

could you help a complete beginner by giving an idea of quantities, kind bee person? thankyou!

 

[Brosville]

It's not critical - some people quote 20:1 (boiled linseed to beeswax) - or a golfball sized lump to a litre.......
Go for "boiled" linseed, and check it's chemical-free (Rustin's is - I 'phoned them) - heat it up gently and stir the beeswax in until it dissolves (I bought an electric slow cooker at a boot sale for a quid which is perfect), then slap it on hot......
Give it about 3 days to dry off - job done!

 

[Pookiesbees]

thankyou!

 

[SixFooter]

It's not critical - some people quote 20:1 (boiled linseed to beeswax) - or a golfball sized lump to a litre.......
Go for "boiled" linseed, and check it's chemical-free (Rustin's is - I 'phoned them) - heat it up gently and stir the beeswax in until it dissolves (I bought an electric slow cooker at a boot sale for a quid which is perfect), then slap it on hot......
Give it about 3 days to dry off - job done!

I bought a beauticians wax melter through ebay. Which is safe and just the right size for a bottle of linseed oil.