The gap between crown board and roof- why that big?

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They certainly are not necessary, as has been said previously they add minimal structural strength. As I said flippantly earlier I am of the opinion that they are there purely to allow the air to circulate within this void and allow air to rise through the Porter bee escapes and exit via the meshed vents.

My roofs are constructed using 150 x 15 cedar screwed and glued onto 12mm ply or OSB with no battens. I've never had one break yet.
Yes i think you are correct - I have not used a national for many years and I do not recall ever seeing any internal battens in the roof - probably a matchstick lobbyists invention.;)
 
The 1961 Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food
leaflet 367 just says "The roof is designed to provide a 1 and 1/4 inch ventilated Bee-tight air space above the crown board. "
 

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The 1961 Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food
leaflet 367 just says "The roof is designed to provide a 1 and 1/4 inch ventilated Bee-tight air space above the crown board. "

60 years ago the it was the current advice, times have moved on or should I say beekeepers have moved on. Manufacture of wooden roofs haven't and design hasn't. Poly roofs don't have battens or bee space.
 
They certainly are not necessary, as has been said previously they add minimal structural strength. As I said flippantly earlier I am of the opinion that they are there purely to allow the air to circulate within this void and allow air to rise through the Porter bee escapes and exit via the meshed vents.

My roofs are constructed using 150 x 15 cedar screwed and glued onto 12mm ply or OSB with no battens. I've never had one break yet.

Yeah. We're still using roofs made by R.O.B Manley which have zero built in air space and are still perfectly strong. But he did write in 'Honey Farming' that he was in the habit of putting battens on the (solid cedar) crown board to allow the air flow to wick away moisture.
 
I made a nuc roof without ventilation and very quickly got black mould all over the inside. So now I ventilate all my roofs above the insulation, just like house roof-spaces in UK.
 
Good evening all, if I wanted to build a eke for my WBC what would be the dimension ?
It all depends on what you want to use it for. Most of mine are 2 inch but I have some that are 3 inch that I use to stuff half a slab of fondant under.
 
I've measured the gap between the roof and crown board on my Thornes wooden hive. Its 35mm, . Is there reason it would be that large and not say 15mm?
I voud say that it is good. The space has a good ventilation. In my hives the gap is almost the same.

The inner roof lets moistute to move to the loft. Amount of water per day is guite big. During the day the moistute and water droplets will dry off from the loft space. It needs a gap that wind can go throught the loft.
 
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I made a nuc roof without ventilation and very quickly got black mould all over the inside. So now I ventilate all my roofs above the insulation, just like house roof-spaces in UK.


My home made poly nucs have only a sheet of clear polythene as a CB and the polyroof sits on top of that (Top Bee Space).
No condensation ever.
 
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