I'm sure that's generally correct, but we're very lucky here in the shadow of The Cairngorms where we usually get protection from the worst of the wet and live in an area known, perhaps surprisingly, for having a relatively mild climate and good numbers of sunny days, even in winter
I now realise that the forum has been "here" many time before, most notable on this thread;
FAO DerekM.
@derekm deserves thanks and praise for the research and dissemination of information he has done. It seems that five years ago at least, he had far more supporters than detractors.
I'm plodding on with preparations and I'm almost there with these simple, insulated covers which many others have made in the same way previously, but I took a few photos of the construction which mught be helpful for anyone else contemplating this job.
First the raw materials: I chose Kingspan TW50 450 x 1200mm (50mm thick PIR wallboards intended to be fitted in a blockwork cavity as it is constructed:
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PU (polyurethane sealant)...far superior to silicone and acts as a strong adhesive as well as a sealant, aluminium foil tape (very sticky and thin, easily moulded in awkward places and Thompson's Roofseal (a thick, water-based, low odour paint designed for flat roof repairs....sticks to just about any surface and sets to a flexible, waterproof skin...no primers needed and easily overcoatable even after many years without any preparation.
The size of the sheets is relevant because the 450 dimension is exactly right to cover the height of two deep boxes which was right for my needs. But you could trim to any size you want or add empty boxes or ekes to accomodate this cover if you were overwintering on one box or a smaller combination. I am using Abelo boxes which are very precisely made; I secured a couple using masking tape and they acted as my jig for assembly.
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I decided the simplest thing was to lap each side piece to the next so they are all the same cutting dimension. hence I needed 460mm plus a thickness of insulation (50mm) and I added another 5mm to accomodate minor errors and still have a tight fit......so 515mm. I don't have a bench saw but used my power saw to get the neatest cut; you could use a hand saw quite easily. The accuracy of cut isn't too important if you measure the cut line for the two pieces you get from each sheet from opposite ends; you can use the factory cut edge where you bond the pieces together.
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To join the pieces I didn't need skewers, nails or anything other than a generous helping of sealant. I assembled on a very flat floor and pushed tight against my "jig".
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Within a few hours it was all set fairly solid and I taped the edges. Then it was out to the garage for the first of possibly three coats of the Roofseal. It was applied by roller for speed and can be worked into loose parts of the foil to seal everything.
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It is not designed to be seen and therefore looks a bit sh*te, but looks aren't everything ( as I know all too well
). The subdued appearance will help the hive blend into the drab winter landscape rather than being a shiny beacon to attract unwanted attention. Here it is after the first coat.
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I intend to leave the inside upainted but reading back through the old thread I realised that I ought to seal the inner joints, which I did using the same PU sealant.
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All that's left to do is the additional coats of paint and then to think about the roof treatment; if I don't add something more up there, even with a polyhive roof I run the risk of the roof being the coldest part of the hive. Once it's installed I'll show the result.
