Priming and painting mediums

[Jen]

After priming and painting hive boxes, how long should I wait until I can add them to my hive?

[Woody Roberts]

I'd wait until they were dry.

[iddee]

Overnite

[Jen]

Okay okay.... Pht! I know.

I asked the same question a couple of years ago and was told at least a couple weeks cause the bees wouldn't like it and a whole bunch of other hog wash, just checking. Thanks 

[iddee]

I've painted occupied hives and never had a problem.

[Jen]

That would be cool if I could paint the brood boxes that will never move, Thanks!

[blueblood]

It's not necessarily the smell I was always worried about, it was the bees sticking to wet paint. 

[apisbees]

Use an entrance screen to keep the bees in, or do it in the evening after the bees have stopped flying. The paint dries to the touch in 15 to 20 minute if latex is used. An oil enamel will take a few hours and the smell is quite strong but is stands up really well.

[tefer2]

I think the 2 week wait was intended for people that paint the edges of their boxes.
If you don't wait a few weeks they stick together badly.
Some beeks coat the edges with beeswax or vasoline petroleum jelly after painting.
In my climate, the edges are where the rot normally starts first.
I paint all the edges on my equipment, makes them last a few more years.
We also paint boxes in summer where they set. Dry to touch in 15 minutes.

[Jen]

Tefer and Apis- both ideas are real good. I didn't think about the edges. I like the beeswax idea for the edges. Thanks!