Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => Do-It-Yourself Plans and Prints => Topic started by: Wandering Man on March 25, 2019, 12:37:25 am

Title: Particle board toxic?
Post by: Wandering Man on March 25, 2019, 12:37:25 am
I've got some left over 1/2" particle board from repairs done after Hurricane Harvey.  It has foil on one side, and I don't know the exact nature of the board. 

Anyway, I'm thinking about using this stuff as a temporary inner cover for one of my long langstroths.  I plan to place the foil side up, away from the bees.  So, the question is, would the wood side be toxic?

On Edit: I think it is called pressure treated Radiant Barrier OSB sheathing.
Title: Re: Particle board toxic?
Post by: neillsayers on March 25, 2019, 12:47:54 am
I'm interested but don't know the answer, WM. My instinct is to say no, but I'm sure more experienced folks would know for sure. I'll be looking for the answer. :)
Title: Re: Particle board toxic?
Post by: iddee on March 25, 2019, 05:54:49 am
Effects of wood preservatives on the microenvironment in treated beehives were assessed by measuring
performance of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies and levels of preservative residues in bees, honey,
and beeswax. Five hives were used for each preservative treatment: copper naphthenate, copper
8-quinolinolate, pentachlorophenol (PCP), chromated copper arsenate (CCA), acid copper chromate
(ACC), tributyltin oxide (TBTO), Forest Products Laboratory water repellent, and no treatment (control).
Honey, beeswax, and honey bees were sampled periodically during two successive summers. Elevated
levels of PCP and tin were found in bees and beeswax from hives treated with those preservatives. A
detectable rise in copper content of honey was found in samples from hives treated with copper naphthenate.
CCA treatment resulted in an increased arsenic content of bees from those hives. CCA,
TBTO, and PCP treatments of beehives were associated with winter losses of colonies.

https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1984/kalni84a.pdf

Title: Re: Particle board toxic?
Post by: neillsayers on March 26, 2019, 12:09:07 am
Thanks Iddee,

Doesn't sound like something you'd want your bees in.
Title: Re: Particle board toxic?
Post by: Wandering Man on March 26, 2019, 01:06:25 am
Thanks Iddee,

Doesn't sound like something you'd want your bees in.

Nope.  Looks like I have to make that trip to the lumber yard, afterall.
Title: Re: Particle board toxic?
Post by: Mikey N.C. on March 26, 2019, 04:37:21 pm
What plywood can you use?
Title: Re: Particle board toxic?
Post by: Wandering Man on March 26, 2019, 04:52:15 pm
This stuff isn't really plywood.  It is a composite of wood stuck together with pressure and chemicals.

It looks like this:

(https://i.ibb.co/B2Y2byd/OSB-Sheathing.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B2Y2byd)

I would think that most true plywoods would be okay, since only the solid wood would be exposed to the bees.
Title: Re: Particle board toxic?
Post by: Mikey N.C. on March 26, 2019, 05:40:07 pm
WM, yes that's osb (oriented strain board).
About 4 of us beeks got together , 3 yrs. ago and built the D. Coates nuc boxes using 1/2" plywood couldn't remember type of plywood.
Was watching YouTube video barnyard bee's. They use small 2-3-4-5 frame nuc's with he says vanteck, what's being used in for subflooring in new homes. I looked it up and found that it's Advantech 3/4 osb tounge and groove osb , that's mold,mildew an rott resistance. They said their having good results.?  I don't know what's in it either.?
Title: Re: Particle board toxic?
Post by: rober on May 23, 2019, 08:52:29 am
it's wood chips & glue. the mildew resistant has other chemical there are kinda' nasty. anything with a fire resistant is really nasty. I would not use anything treated or any OSB for an inner cover. I have used non-treated OSB for outer covers but sealed it with 2 coats of paint.