Paint and poly

[Smokeyred]

Have recentky acquired some poly hives. I know that many advocate masonry paint, but I was wondering whether anyone could suggest a suitable opaque fencing paint to do the job almost as well ,and which could be sprayed on?

 

[REDWOOD]

I don't have poly hives but I think most paint them with garden shades type paint

 

[fatshark]

Don't bother using Ronseal FenceLife … goes on thin, stays thin, looks hopeless. I use it on all my wood hives but it's no use for poly. I know you don't want to use it but Wilco's Masonry paint works a treat (but is too thick to apply with anything other than an industrial spray system I suspect).

 

[BeeJayBee]

Bathroom or kitchen emulsion works fine, and probably more colours to choose from.

 

[o.stjohn]

Anything without a solvent base should work - Wilko's masonry is the cheapest solution I guess but it'll need to be brushed or rolled...

 

[Norfolk]

I'm wondering what folks use to "Brand" their Poly Hives.
I'm thinking that there must be a solution of some kind that can be painted on the inside that doesn't eat the whole hive.

 

[VEG]

A branding iron or a soldering iron could be used with a bit of care on poly.

 

[Norfolk]

A branding iron or a soldering iron could be used with a bit of care on poly.

I thought of that, and it certainly will work but I'm wondering if there was an easier etching kind of solution. I wonder if some kind of glue would do it.
I guess I could experiment but wondered if someone else isn't as lazy as me.

 

[VEG]

Only thing with using a chemical/glue is how deep into the poly it would go. With a branding iron you have control over it.

 

[o.stjohn]

I was branding my wooden hives when it stopped being hot enough so tried it on a poly nuc and it worked a treat.

 

[Tdod]

I have painted my poly with gloss lasts so much longer than masonry paint or emulsion they look as good as the day I painted them,

when I posted a similar question someone on here posted that they had painted with masonry in the past and some with gloss, as time went on the masonry painted ones looked shabby the gloss ones were showing little signs of deteriation..

 

[beebreeder]

if you want to mark the poly's inside use a wide ended permanent marker, it is difficult to get off as it goes between the poly beads.

 

[Norfolk]

if you want to mark the poly's inside use a wide ended permanent marker, it is difficult to get off as it goes between the poly beads.

Thanks, that sounds a nice easy way, just what I'm looking for.

 

[VEG]

Marking inside may not stop a thief taking the hive, whereas marked out side may make them at least think about it.

 

[Swarm]

I'm wondering whether cleaning the inside with bleach would remove the marker? Branding should work ok, there's plenty of thickness.

 

[Norfolk]

Marking inside may not stop a thief taking the hive, whereas marked out side may make them at least think about it.

That is true, no visable deterrent on an interior mark, hmm, maybe I could cut a stencil (for neatness) and mark the outside with the marker pen or some kind of chemical that wont eat through ?

I'm wondering whether cleaning the inside with bleach would remove the marker? Branding should work ok, there's plenty of thickness.

I do agree that branding is probably better but seems so longwinded.

 

[Into the lions den]

Anything without a solvent base should work - Wilko's masonry is the cheapest solution I guess but it'll need to be brushed or rolled...

All our poly boxes are painted with solvent based gloss.

The coat is thin so the amount of solvent negligible unless you go nuts with the thinners. It DOES of course dissolve the surface of the poly box, but to look at it you would never know, as the actual effect is that the paint bonds with the surface and will never flake off.

Spraying it is the best way to apply, thinned strictly in accordance with the given instructions on the tin, not any more than that. If you paint by brush or roller do it twice at least to avoid the mottled look you get from irregular paint thickness on a bright white base material.

Plain white masonry paint, acrylic based, is perfect for the interior of feeders etc.

Inside surfaces of boxes and undersides of floors etc do not need painting at all.

 

[Holly Bees]

Dulux smooth masonary paint ive found ok. If you paint with a satin finish or gloss ive found this creates a "film" which does not adhere to the poly as well as the acrylic stuff particulary when youre splitting boxes glued up!

 

[Swarm]

A rejuvenated poly nuc ....

 

[Itchy]

A rejuvenated poly nuc ....

WoW!