The ifs and buts of using treated wood for hive building

[ugcheleuce]

Hello everyone

A while ago I posted comments and pictures in the "What did you do in the 'workshop' today" thread about an experimental hive that I built, made from treated wood. The wood came from a dismantled wooden patio tile. No-one condemned me at the time for using treated wood for a beehive, but now I encounter resistance on other beekeeping forums to the idea.

So I thought I'd post this in the "bee health" subforum.

A lot of cheap wood that is available locally have been treated ("impregnated" under pressure) with stuff that make it last longer outside. The shop where I buy my wood have claimed officially that their wood is treated with "garden friendly" stuff, so that one can e.g. make boxes with it that are used for home vegetable gardening. The treatment has a green colouring, but I think the only reason why it is green is because people associate green wood with treated wood.

How do you feel about using treated wood? The wood I'm thinking of using is used typically for garden tiles and/or for building sheds. Do you think the bees will be bothered by it? Will a lick of paint, a solution of propolis, or boiled linseed oil mask the odour sufficiently and protect the bees from it? Do you think it will kill the bees or make them very, very unhealthy? Do you think it will affect the suitability of the honey for human consumption? If you think it will affect the honey, how would you feel if only the brood nest is made from it?

Do you know of any studies about this?

Thanks
Samuel

 

[VEG]

Find out what it has been treated with

 

[Swarm]

The green treatment is called Tanalith.

 

[REDWOOD]

Wood treated with this has limited uses in some countries and not to be used for residential properties, the product has a skull and cross bones which is enough for me, Extreme care whilst cutting and handling wood preserved by this product, so safe to use on beehives.......... not my cup of tea

 

[enrico]

Never seen skull and cross bones on tanalised wood, use it all the time! Although never for hives!

 

[ugcheleuce]

Find out what it has been treated with

I'm 90% certain it is copper+chromium (but 100% certain it is not copper+chromium+arsenic).

The green treatment is called Tanalith.

No, "Tanalith" is a brand name. There are many products that carry the Tanalith name, but if Tanalith itself is used, its logo should be present. As far as I know, the Tanalith logo is not present on any of the wood that I can buy, so it's not Tanalith. That does not mean that it isn't the same substance. Tanalith "E" is claimed to be their new EU-friendly product. Tanalith E is copper+azole, and does not contain chromium.

In the UK, I gather, the word "tanalised" has become a generic term for pressure treated wood, regardless of the chemicals used.

Wood treated with this has limited uses in some countries and not to be used for residential properties...

The store that sells it claims that "it" is safe for residential use, and a government report (in Dutch, sorry) says that copper+chromium is safe for use by hobbyist gardeners and for use in children's playground equipment. However, that doesn't mean it's safe for bees, and it doesn't mean it's safe for honey.

 

[Swarm]

In the UK, I gather, the word "tanalised" has become a generic term for pressure treated wood, regardless of the chemicals used.

Not that I'm aware, it applies to the 'green' treatment, whether that's tanalith e or any other format.