Treating wooden hives

[BernardBlack]

Would wooden (cedar) hives need retreating after a certain time?

My brood boxes were treated in 2016 and 2017, and are looking a bit faded. Would they need treating again?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No, they didn't *need* treatment in the first instance.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Don’t treat mine
Plenty of natural oil in cedar and ages to a lovely silver grey.

 

[Ian123]

Always treat mine but generally have some stain to hand so it’s not a special purchase. I do find stained boxes less prone to splits and drier in the winter. But as others have said they don’t so really just personal choice, I simply stack up and slap it on it only takes minutes. Never paint!!! Most the boxes I’ve seen with soft rotten areas are painted and the prep work on painted boxes is an arse if you want to do a proper job.

 

[Erichalfbee]

They do look nice oiled as well.

 

[For want of a better word]

They do look nice oiled as well.

Was gifted a couple of gallons of Tung oil some years back, soaks into cedar really well.

 

[Millet]

I painted three Ceder hives 5rys ago with cuprinol shades and the boxes still look the same today..i am far from lazy but i could not bare to leave new wood untreated left to the elements regardless of the supposedly good oils in the lumber..
However i seen the light and i now use poly ..the wood still gets used in emergencies but never in winter..

 

[bingevader]

When first built, ours were given a good rubbing with home made beeswax and linseed oil polish.
They get a top up every now and then if they're looking a bit sad.