Painting/staining a nucleus

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SixFooter

Drone Bee
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
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Location
Merseyside
Hive Type
National
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12
Hi,

What do people normally use to treat the outside of a plywood DIY nucleus. I am tempted to paint it green with gloss paint. I think it will look good in a nice dark green.
 
If you use gloss paint straight onto plywood, give it two coats, but thin the first coat 50/50 with white spirit (dependant on the paint type). This allows good penetration, seals the surface, and allows the finish coat to cover properly. Alternatively give it a coat of primer, or thinned varnish first.

Green is nice, - I like dark brown as well :)
 
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Thanks. I'll paint it then. I looked at previous posts and none that I could see suggested using gloss paint. I thought the bees might strip bits off or something. Everyone seems to suggest using cuprinnol, but I dont like how it looks. Dark Brown is nice as well and so is Yellow. I might make 2 more!
 
I used Cuprinol Clear and then three coats of Green ducksback its a wax based waterproof fence paint,it certainly works,I have two Ply hardwood hives and that is also what I did to them,I think that it is supposed to last for five years so they say,but I will re apply when I think it needs it.:cheers2:
 
Cuprinol (non-pesticide) wax based fence preserver. Light oak, dark oak and green. My out apiary is partially over looked, everything is now cammo to blend in to the hawthorn behind it, hopefully to reduce the chances of bee rustlers. Given they've finished basic training just worried the girls might get called up for a tour of peace keeping duties dealing with nasty aggressive african colonies.
 

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