Wood preserve?

[Beezy]

Another question!

I'm confused about what to use as a wood preserver on a beehive as there seems to be conflicting info. Thorne recommends Cuprinol Clear as the only insecticide free product (BBKA leaflet suggest several Cuprinol products), but on Cuprinol's own site, it says that they've changed the ingredients and don't recommend any for beehives..??

http://www.cuprinol.co.uk/features/animals/beehives.jsp

Would I do better not using anything except wood stain for colour?

 

[BKF Admin]

On my ply box's I just use shed and fence stain,nothing special,just what I have in the shed at the time.

I dont stain the insides as it stops the wood breathing.

I leave them for 24 hours to dry and then put them outside for 3 days before introducing bees..
Never had a problem yet.

 

[m100]

I suspect it's Akzo Nobel aka Cuprinol covering their own backs.

The packaging has certainly changed quite recently, but I'm not sure just yet that the composition is different to that previously 'tested' What I suspect has probably changed is the legislation surrounding the chemicals used and the testing associated with it.

Loads of people on here and elsewhere have used wood treatment that isn't officially approved and all with apparently no harm to the bees.

 

[VEG]

cuprinol clear is fine my bees are alive and well. As said above dont do the insides.

 

[tkwinston4]

"Due to EU legislation Cuprinol has had to change the active ingredients which are used in its wood preservers. New formulations have not been tested for use on beehives and as a result Cuprinol cannot recommend any of its wood preservers on beehives."

Surely better to be safe than sorry?

 

[Smirr]

I spent a bit of time looking in to the same question and decided to go with: http://lifetimewoodtreatment.com/

 

[merylvingien]

On my ply box's

Erhmm, "ply boxes"? You cheap skate

 

[Repwoc]

I spent a bit of time looking in to the same question and decided to go with: http://lifetimewoodtreatment.com/

Same here. To early yet to tell if it works, but Trev assures me it is completely non toxic to bees and people. It's certainly much more pleasant to work with than Cuprinol organic solvent mix that I used before, and is dry in a couple of hours instead of two weeks.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Beezy]

I'll go with the lifetime wood treatment too then. I much prefer the idea of something non-toxic - thanks v much for advice!

 

[Brosville]

Rustin's boiled linseed (which is food-grade), heated, small quantity of beeswax melted in - applied hot - works well, smells lovely, and is a "clear conscience" job...........
Just given my shed it's annual treatment of the above, and it looks and smells wonderful! (also cheap, cost all-in under a fiver to do an 8'x6' shed)

 

[BKF Admin]

Erhmm, "ply boxes"? You cheap skate

I always used to buy Thornes cedar hives but soon realised my plastic would melt if I continued to buy cedar everytime I expanded.

Not that Thornes ever complained,one time I even managed to hit 4 figures on a receipt.
no not £10.99 ! more like £1099..

You know its time to start using Ply when you find yourself hiding the bank statements from your other half

 

[MrB]

Rustin's boiled linseed (which is food-grade), heated, small quantity of beeswax melted in - applied hot - works well, smells lovely, and is a "clear conscience" job...........
Just given my shed it's annual treatment of the above, and it looks and smells wonderful! (also cheap, cost all-in under a fiver to do an 8'x6' shed)

I like the sound of this one!!
i used cuprinol clear, but as it has now apparently changed i think i will try the above on future hives!
Brosville, how much wax to oil do you use?

 

[colin]

cuprinol clear

Each spring we change all our hives for clean and treated hives as we always have done we have not noticed any problems with this new clear cuprinol.

colin

 

[Brosville]

No fixed proportions, roughly an ounce or two per pint - just warm the oil and stir the wax until it dissolves, then whack it on while still warm!
It'll dry overnight to "a bit tacky", and completely in 3-4 days - gives good waterproofing, lasts well, is safe, and ludicrously cheap........

 

[VEG]

Brosville does it rub off on your clothes when dry?

 

[Brosville]

Not so far....... Give it a few days and it's rather like varnish (it's relatively slow-drying because it contains no volatile solvents). Be careful when buying boiled linseed, some contain some horrible chemicals - I 'phoned Rustin's and checked - food grade!