Don't forget that Norwegian Spruce has been used for centuaries for the masts and spars of boats.It is not as naturally durable as Cedar but is o.k. if treated with Cuprinol to discourage wet rot.In boat building it is coated with marine varnish which seals the wood, in "olden" times it was coated with Linseed Oil which oxidises to form a waterproof seal.A lot of hives are made from "Deal" which is a generic name used in the timber industry for the cheaper softwoods such as Hemlock,Sitka Spruce,Scots Pine etc.etc.The majority of hives sold in the U.k. are cedar but high costs in this day and age means that a lot of cheaper European softwoods are also in use in hive construction.I've got cedar hives tht I'e had in use for nearly 40 years and apart from the odd bit of wear and tear damage look good for a lot of years yet , but, I do retreat them with Cuprinol every six years or so.Cuprino doesn't "weatherproof" hives but does prevent moulds and fungi spores from taking hold on the hive exterior and keeps them "clean".