Sealing a new cedar hive

[Hux70]

Ive just bought a new cedar hive from Thornes. Its their budget range but on 1st inspection im very impressed with the quality. What is the best way to seal it once I've put it together. I was thinking linseed or tung oil, or is there anything else? I want to keep the wooden look so no paint. Thanks

 

[The Poot]

I recommend Ronseal water based outdoor Danish oil.
Dries quickly, leaves the wood only very slightly darker and does a great job - as it says on the tin

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

cedar doesn't need anything

 

[Curly green finger's]

We generally use sika wood preserve its not that cheap but works well.

We like to paint most of ours with country shades. Country shades. And here is a link for Sika wood preserve.
Emyr is right, aldepending where your hives are situated they can end up a bit green. look at the first hive, they are two year old boxes going a bit green, imo it's much better to give them a coat of something.

 

[Swarm]

Glue and screw them well, they don't need any treatment. Think Cedar shingles, they will weather to a silvery grey.

 

[Erichalfbee]

As others have said Cedar needs no proofing but it does weather to a silver grey. If you want it to keep looking its original reddish colour then Danish oil good. I’ve used that.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Glue and screw them well,

And not through the end grain

 

[Ian123]

Don’t paint nothing helps them rot out faster. Best thing you can put on them is saddolin classic.

 

[ericbeaumont]

depending where your hives are situated they can end up a bit green.

Oil looks good the first year but turns grey and then black as moulds eat it. Tried oil when I started out and then discovered what has been said already: cedar needs nothing.

A couple of years after oiling I took the the black mould off with washing soda and hot water and the hives now look silvery grey, which shows that I wasted money and time for no purpose.

One year I was pruning an old orchard in Kent and pulled a couple of supers out of the undergrowth. Judging by the age and the year the smallholding had gone to seed, the supers had been there twenty years and were probably EH Taylor or Lee's of Uxbridge, and made twenty years before they were abandoned.

Got them home, cleaned them, repaired a dent or two and they're as good as any I've got, all lovely and silver.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Oil looks good the first year but turns grey and then black as moulds eat it. Tried oil when I started out and then discovered what has been said already: cedar needs nothing.

A couple of years after oiling I took the the black mould off with washing soda and hot water and the hives now look silvery grey, which shows that I wasted money and time for no purpose.

One year I was pruning an old orchard in Kent and pulled a couple of supers out of the undergrowth. Judging by the age and the year the smallholding had gone to seed, the supers had been there twenty years and were probably EH Taylor or Lee's of Uxbridge, and made twenty years before they were abandoned.

Got them home, cleaned them, repaired a dent or two and they're as good as any I've got, all lovely and silver.

Thanks for the story Eric, I'm using some brood boxes that are 20+ years old( grandads) had to treat them for wood worm. Each to there own if you paint or leave " ow naturel ".

SWMBO wants to keep all hives the same colour" sage green" but I like to have multicolours pinks, reds, whatever.
I can see where she is coming from painting lots of hives different colours would end up being laborious.

Grandads hives were always colourful I would like to carry on the tradition.

 

[Arfermo]

Ive just bought a new cedar hive from Thornes. Its their budget range but on 1st inspection im very impressed with the quality. What is the best way to seal it once I've put it together. I was thinking linseed or tung oil, or is there anything else? I want to keep the wooden look so no paint. Thanks

Boiled linseed oil is all you need. Don't go painting things as you introduce a lifelong maintenance commitment you do not really need imho.

 

[pargyle]

Good quality Western Red Cedar is almost totally immune to woodworm ... even without treatment. Pine boxes, if untreated, may, in time, get woodworm - depends on what timber is around that finds favour with the female beetle who lays the eggs, They usually look for damp or soft woods as they are easier to chew.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Boiled linseed oil is all you need

Although it dries quicker than raw linseed, boiled contains either petroleum-based or heavy metal drying agents and emits VOCs.

 

[Apiarisnt]

Best thing I have found to keep the cedar looking good is raw, not boiled, linseed oil with around 7% beeswax in it. I also have an aversion to screws and nails as they can provide opportunities for water ingress into the wood. With modern adhesives, such as Titebond III, and good clamping whilst the adhesive dries / cures, I have found nails and screws no longer necessary.

But as I am sure you know, or are finding out, beekeepers disagree on almost everything - so listen to them all and make up your own mind.

Can we have a thread on the best coatings or preservatives for matchsticks? It is not so much their cost as the hassle of having to go round all the hives checking and replacing the failing ones, so as to ensure good ventilation through the winter...

 

[gmonag]

But as I am sure you know, or are finding out, beekeepers disagree on almost everything ...

No they don't....

 

[pargyle]

No they don't....

Oh yes they do ... What happened to the pantomime season this year ?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What happened to the pantomime season this year ?

Not needed - we had the PM's daily briefings to shout at instead

 

[Curly green finger's]

Not needed - we had the PM's daily briefings to shout at instead

Yep just for your information 5pm bbc1.
I've got a microphone hooked up in anticipation.

Perfect stress relief for this none smoker

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yep just for your information 5pm bbc1.
I've got a microphone hooked up in anticipation.

Perfect stress relief for this none smoker

We had Mark Drakeford at lunchtime. There were just as many questions about four stupid MSs going for a drink after work than we did about the vaccine roll out
What’s the betting there will be a Boris volte face over the vaccine interval? Not today but maybe soon.
What happens if your ancient relation dies of Covid after one jab? No manufacturer to fall back on is there?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That Alun Davies is a waste of space anyway, should have been thrown out of the party and the senedd after his shenanigans with the planning consultation when agriculture minister a few years ago