Poly painting

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There are some "advisers" who insist that paint...should be masonry paint
The trad recommendation is masonry but as JBM said, options are elastic.

I'm using up gloss orange from the bathroom job and gloss pink leftover from my daughter's bedroom skirting boards. Neighbours put out tins of good stuff - round here it's Farrow & Ball - and I've 5 litres of Dulux Weathershield that's been sitting in the cellar for 30 years, so is real Weathershield, not the current mix that doesn't sit flat. Check out DIY sheds and paint suppliers for end-of-line stock.

You may be interested in the paint choice of the biggest UK beefarmer, Murray McGregor, or ITLD as he posts here: Murray uses gloss for the exterior and masonry for the feeder. He found that gloss fuses well with the poly and lasts longer, and he's used poly longer than all of us.

Main aim is to choose something waterproof that bonds to the poly and doesn't cost too much.

PS: advisers is stretching it; there are so many ways to achieve one aim that you must be your own advisor and treat all incoming info. as food for thought. :)
 
Masonry paint has a tendency to peel off more.
I use Cuprinol shades or a Ronseal similar type garden paint.
Or even the Middle of Lidl Garden paint when it is in store - half the price of Shades and it does a fine job ... I managed to pick up a few tins of the dark grey that nobody liked at the end of the promotion for £1 a tin... mind you I also bought a tin of the Sage green that was hidden under the dark grey that nobody had noticed ...
 
Yes, the recommendation is that you should paint the inside of poly feeders - anywhere that the syrup will touch, effectively. Masonry paint is perfect. Otherwise the syrup will seep into the poly. That might not do any harm, but then again it might - I have seen a video of an unpainted Paynes nuc with extensive mould on the outer face caused by syrup leaking through the integral feeder, for example, so clearly it can be an issue.

You can see the difference in the pictures. I read also you should add a bit of sand to help the bees climb the walls after they’ve been painted. 6B1696AD-058F-4F77-9B7E-190711568C0B.jpeg4E3E7AE6-5147-4863-BBE6-9349A78F6D2F.jpeg
 
I used Hammerite Garage Door Paint in 2016. on my Paradise Honey poly hive. Looks as new.. Expensive.

The later supers painted with masonry paint flake in parts.
Now I just use Garden Shades or Wood Stain or whatever I can buy cheaply.
 
I ended up getting a cheap end-of-line tin of Gloss and had a light green colouration added.
After two coats, it looks very well sealed and with no obvious odour so think it should be ok.
 
I'm buying an airless sprayer for this years hives and nucs. I did read that white gloss was recommended for feeders......no painting of inner brood boxes or supers. I also read that Gloss 'melds' better, with gloss garage type paint. I find that mat masonry paint chips off quite easily as it sits on top of the polystyrene too much. I will be 'tweeking' a few things this year I think.
 

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