top bar

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So a top bar doesn’t have a crownboard?

no not usually - the top bars, all being jammed together become the crownboard I suppose

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I suppose crownboards came into being during the era of multipurpose boards which sprung up during war economy drives and the holes in them generated the "keep 'em cold keep 'em mean" brigade before then there were quilts (which if I recall reading somewhere was designed to soak up any moisture)

 

[Erichalfbee]

no not usually - the top bars, all being jammed together become the crownboard I suppose

Ah ok. Thanks. I’m not really familiar with them.

 

[JamezF]

before then there were quilts (which if I recall reading somewhere was designed to soak up any moisture)

Yes, I'm sure I've read somewhere that people used to use quilts made of straw to provide insulation and to soak up excess moisture in the hive.

James

 

[silentscyther]

Or ge

I would put it on and keep it all the year round. You can seal the cut edges with aluminium tape like this:

Aluminium Foil Tape 50mm x 45m | Toolstation to stop it going brittle and crumbling with exposure to UV and then give the slabs a coat of paint and perhaps decorate them with some nice bee friendly patterns. Attaching them is easy ... stick on velcro strips will do the job nicely. Real Blue Peter DIY but it will keep the bees cool in summer and nice and warm in winter.

[Or get Celotex with it’s own covering which you can then paint

 

[pargyle]

[Or get Celotex with it’s own covering which you can then paint

Most of the PIR boards have a surface that can be painted - the cut edges have to be taped up though to take a paint coating - that's where the aluminium tape is used.