Painting Poly

[flotess]

Bit of a newbie question... painting a poly nuc is clearly good for longevity, but should that include the inside?

And I read on this forum that Cup**nol Sh*des is as good a choice as any... true??

Many thanks,

Mark

 

[drstitson]

Not the inside BUT if you have an integral feeder then a couple of coats of gloss swirled around inside that (and some sand added in last coat) will help waterproof and mould proof that bit.

 

[herefordshirehoney]

I've just painted the outside of my poly hive's in dulex wheather shield smooth (woodland pearl no 1). I also did the top edges of the boxes and the roof and floor in full. This seemed to the general advice from my research.

 

[sunshinemedic]

I've just painted the outside of my poly hive's in dulex wheather shield smooth (woodland pearl no 1). I also did the top edges of the boxes and the roof and floor in full. This seemed to the general advice from my research.

Ditto. (magnolia) worked fine for the last 2 years. No real signs of wear either. Left the insides alone.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Generally any smooth masonery paint is the recommended covering for the outside. Nothing inside.

 

[Jimmy]

why smooth masonry paint and not textured?

 

[YorkshireBees]

why smooth masonry paint and not textured?

I am just quoting the advice that I researched when buying my first poly hives.

At the end of the day I'm sure many people will try different paints with varying success.

 

[newportbuzz]

all the advise i got said not to pain joining surfaces. ie the flat at the top and bottom of boxes. the paint is suposed to stick together and make life hard.

other than that i asked about painting inside and got the answer "i supose if you want to but it doesnt help anything"

the paint is there to protect from the sun degrading the plastic. no sun inside the hive.

 

[For want of a better word]

I have used a water based garage floor paint on outside only... similar drying / plasticising process but comes in nicer colours than gopping magnolia or Surbiton pink !

Also bought 200 litres real cheap !

 

[flotess]

Thanks for all the advice folks! Much appreciated.

Now I've just got to find a shade my wife will be happy with!

 

[itma]

These days the advice is not to paint the inside of wood or plastic boxes.

And to give any paint several days to 'weather' before introducing bees.

But 50 years ago, the 'best practice' would seem to have been to submerge the entire box (so covering inside and out as well as all crevices) in real old (the now-banned) creosote. Somehow, the bees survived ...

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

But 50 years ago, the 'best practice' would seem to have been to submerge the entire box (so covering inside and out as well as all crevices) in real old (the now-banned) creosote. Somehow, the bees survived ...

Isn't that a bit like saying 50 years ago lead paint was all the vogue, but somehow the human race survived?

 

[Hivemaker.]

No need to paint the inside or outside of either poly or timber,if they are of good quality.

 

[itma]

Isn't that a bit like saying 50 years ago lead paint was all the vogue, but somehow the human race survived?

It is indeed.
No suggestion whatsoever that it is best practice.

But it might possibly have something to do with the longevity claimed for some wooden hives.


Its VERY hard to say what paint might be "best".
It is possible to 'get away with' almost anything. And the mere fact that it hasn't instantly killed the colony is not necessarily an automatic reason for recommendation.
And at one time or another, someone on here has recommended just about every sort of paint imaginable!

IIRC, the reason one poly supplier changed advice from Cuprinol Garden Shades to water-based masonry paint was to reduce the tendency for the paint to chip on impact.

 

[itma]

No need to paint the inside or outside of either poly or timber,if they are of good quality.

One reason for painting plastic has been to reduce embrittlement by ultra violet. But using the correct grade of uv-stabilised plastic should reduce that problem to insignificance.
As I understand it, the principal reason for painting plastic nowadays is to maintain respectable appearance. A bit of surface moss and mould, snail trails, and some plastic colour change can make them look tatty - but the bees don't mind.

 

[YorkshireBees]

IIRC, the reason one poly supplier changed advice from Cuprinol Garden Shades to water-based masonry paint was to reduce the tendency for the paint to chip on impact.

I personally always prefer to used water based paints / stains with as low VOC rating as possible.

So much easier to clean brushes / rollers and doesn't give me a headache whilst painting!

With regards to painting mating surfaces, if you do then applying a thin layer of Vaseline or similar before use helps stop them sticking together.

 

[Ely]

Painting also creates a tough surface layer to help protect the soft poly surface from wear

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Painting also creates a tough surface layer to help protect the soft poly surface from wear

This is why i painted the rims as i read it somewhere not sure if i'll regret this till using them when the nuc's arrive .

 

[RoofTops]

This is why i painted the rims as i read it somewhere not sure if i'll regret this till using them when the nuc's arrive .

If you have painted the mating surfaces and just stacked them as in the picture without spacers they will stick together - unless you used vaseline.

Poly hives need exterior painting to prevent algae growing on the outside and to prevent the gradual deterioration of the surface due to UV and frost - the latter from water seeping into the minute cracks there are on the surface and which need sealing with paint. The cracks are between the little expanded beads which make up the material.

This is not to say you won't get away with not painting the exterior but sooner or later they will look pretty tatty.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I paint my poly to look nice, protect from freezing water and prevent algae growth. The latter I struggle with on my cedar hives...