Pretty Poly

[pandtpoultry]

How long if the life expectancy of a poly hive if not painted?

 

[Poly Hive]

About the same as bare.

PH

 

[pandtpoultry]

Cheers PH just thought i would ask as I have one but wont paint it at least with your experience i knew you would have a good idea. So if it is not painted it will last as long as one that is unpainted. I will be the test case then.

 

[RoofTops]

But it will look horrible - covered in green algae with snail trails. Over time frost will damage the surface and the snails will rasp away at the surface as well - not so much as to destroy it but it will get scruffier and scruffier.

A well painted poly hive looks the part - so don't let the poly side down through poor turnout!

 

[pandtpoultry]

Thanks rooftops now I understand the reason for painting makes sence but i have a plan as i am currently insulating a 20' shipping container as well and i plan to house my hives inside this later in the season and hopefully this will stop any weathering. I just really wanted to know the effect over the next few months. Mainly though i am doing it for over wintering and making inspections easier.

 

[Poly Hive]

Bit of a waste of a container....last time I got a quote, and I am going back 15 years or so, it was £1500 + near £1000 to deliver.

In some respects the bees will do better outside than in. Bee houses have their own problems.

PH

 

[pandtpoultry]

Hi PH i have 47 containers so I am sure I can spare one I already have it to keep my bee equipment safe and sound so it is already wasted by your views.
For me it is not a waste it just makes my life easier.

 

[pandtpoultry]

Sorry PH sent before I finished, yes I understand bee houses have issues but will try and if not the best idea they can move back out and I still have a container insulated that I can add power to and get more space for checking out incubator calibrations.

 

[Poly Hive]

Hmm now a completely different story.

If I were asked is it worth buying a container to convert to a bee house the answer would be no.

Good luck with it but remember the bees need to be able to get out the house and back in their entrances.

PH

 

[Moggs]

The deed is done! A trip to HBase today to secure some of their finest masonry paint. Alas, not much in the way of apiary-suitable colours unless you like cream, magnolia and other housey shades. The beekeeper's apprentice suggested 'Terracota' as a nice shade.

Winker will love this...

"That's pink"
"No, it'll dry to a biscuity, clay sort of colour"
"Looks pink to me"
"No, no, don't be silly, Terracotta is the colour of clay- Terra - Cotta"
"Yes, I know that but it still looks pink on the tin".

I conceded and bought the pink preservative. Later, brush in hand...

"It's going on pink"
"I told you, it'll dry to a darker colour".

It's dry.

And it's pink.

Anyway... surely no need to paint the inside too is there?

"What's that you're doing? Pink pillowcases...?"

 

[Poly Hive]

No need to paint the inside as the bees will "varnish" it.

Not is it good to paint the mating surfaces.

PH

 

[Winker]

.

Winker will love this...

"That's pink"
"No, it'll dry to a biscuity, clay sort of colour"
"Looks pink to me"
"No, no, don't be silly, Terracotta is the colour of clay- Terra - Cotta"
"Yes, I know that but it still looks pink on the tin".

I conceded and bought the pink preservative. Later, brush in hand...

"It's going on pink"
"I told you, it'll dry to a darker colour".

It's dry.

And it's pink.

Anyway... surely no need to paint the inside too is there?

"What's that you're doing? Pink pillowcases...?"

Thats exacly what i got, and where i got it from! Terracotta my back side! At least you kow whats its going to look like. And i have enough to paint another 10 hives...

 

[Moggs]

Winker - now, if your earlier post had read "whatever you do, don't go to Hbase and buy Terracotta (which is really, pink)..."

Oh well, we might start a trend - I've got 2.5 litres.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Ours will be Johnson's "Cayenne Spice" or "Fireflower". Sound posh, but are variations on a theme of ... pink!

They were cheap, end of line in a local shop, so there wasn't a lot of choice. These are 'kitchen and bathroom' paint, which I believe (hope) will work.