Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Painted Bottom Boards  (Read 5304 times)

Offline OldMech

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1011
  • Gender: Male
    • The Outyard
Painted Bottom Boards
« on: August 19, 2013, 12:50:14 am »

   I tried to search the forum, but didnt have good luck..
   So I wanted to ask if yall paint your bottom boards?
   I have two painted completely, the rest are painted on only exposed surfaces.. Many I see in Vids/pictures etc are only pained on the outside rails if at all.
   The two I have that are painted dont seem to bother the bees at all, but I am un sure of future ramifications. If the paint peels or the bees try to remove it?
   I'd prefer to keep them painted, at least the exposed part.
   Looking for experiences..  What have you done/tried?
39 Hives and growing.  Havent found the end of the comfort zone yet.

Offline Joe D

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2246
  • Gender: Male
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2013, 11:07:01 am »
Most of mine have a screen but I paint all the wood on them.  When I bought my first hives from an estate, the BB were not painted and some had to be replaced as soon as I got them here.  I haven't had  bees nearly as long as some but I paint the bottom boards.



Joe

Offline hiram.ga.bee.man

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 43
  • Gender: Male
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2013, 02:48:59 pm »
I use solid bottom boards with painted side rails and landing board. The bottom board on the inside of the hive is unpainted. Just don't like my bees on man made products like paint or breathing any possible fumes from the paint. Just my two cents.
You ever notice that prices are inflating, but wages are deflating?

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2013, 03:04:36 pm »
If you are going to bother to paint anything, the bottoms and the covers are what get the most weather.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Kathyp

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 20361
  • Gender: Female
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2013, 06:36:06 pm »
i paint mine.  i have both solid and screened and all the wood is covered.  they will have dead bees sitting on them in winter, along with all the hive debris that is not cleaned out. 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline forrestcav

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 250
  • Gender: Male
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2013, 10:29:57 pm »
I painted my SBB when I built them.Now the landing boards are paintless and cleaned
Just a beek trying to get ready for winter.

Offline OldMech

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1011
  • Gender: Male
    • The Outyard
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2013, 02:00:53 am »
Heh..  And this is what I am arguing with myself about. Almost a perfect picture of the mental argument going on in my mind.
  Forrestcav..  Was thinking of doing that, but worried about water on them, as my heaves only tilt forward slightly.
  Kathy.. Joe.. Exactly, the ones that are painted are easier to keep clean, less staining etc..
  Hiram.. this is how I have the ones that are not completely painted because (Like you) I worried about the bees chewing etc if the paint starts to flake.

   Mr. Bush..  am reading your website top to bottom, and the no painting is alluring as I have no issue building new ones, but once built I would prefer they lasted more than two or three years. SE Iowa so probably not a lot different than southern Nebraska. A LOT of rain spring and fall with somewhat dry summers. How long do your bottom boards, boxes/Lids last with no paint?  I apologize if you answered that in your web page but my head is still reeling from sucking in information for the last four hours....
39 Hives and growing.  Havent found the end of the comfort zone yet.

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2013, 10:20:16 am »
>How long do your bottom boards, boxes/Lids last with no paint?

They last a lot longer out in the panhandle... but still a lot of it has to do with how dry they stay.  Assuming they are on stands and you don't let water accumulate on them (solid bottoms should lean slightly forward to run the water off) they should last a decade or more  If you fail to keep them off the ground they will rot in a year.  If you don't keep that good and dry, they may last less than a decade...  I'm sure being down in a bottom where there is higher humidity would also have it's effect.

So, as usual, it's hard to say.  :)
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline OldMech

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1011
  • Gender: Male
    • The Outyard
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2013, 05:10:22 pm »
Understood.
   I think I will forego painting a couple just to see how long they do last.


   
39 Hives and growing.  Havent found the end of the comfort zone yet.

Offline Santa Caras

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 100
  • Gender: Male
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2013, 04:48:41 pm »
Good thing they're cheap enough to either build out of scrap wood or they're fairly cheap on line tho the frt adds up.

Offline trapperbob

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 197
  • Gender: Male
Re: Painted Bottom Boards
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2013, 02:56:25 pm »
I've been making mine out of cedar and don't paint them at all . They seem to be working real well