other options???

[mdunc]

What other options do I have besides painting my hive bodies & supers? I absolutely hate painting, to time consuming. Whats everyone else doing? Is there a dip or anything to preserve the wood?

[LazyBkpr]

Look up wax dipping..   I considered it.. then I considered my own LUCK ratio along with many dozen gallons of flammable liquid above an open flame...   I still paint....

[brooksbeefarm]

There is a i Hate to paint club on this forum, welcome aboard. Jack

[Jen]

This is a good subject. If I hadn't been in such a tizzy keeping up with the swarms and I had a choice of what I wanted my hives to look like, I might have chosen natural redwood, or cedar, or douglas fir. Mine are cedar and doug fir but I painted them cause I thought they were supposed to be painted ~

[blueblood]

Here is an interesting online article of many I found, http://lumberjocks.com/projects/51804  Look at his last statement, ha!  The actual pdf on it is here: http://www.queenrightcolonies.com/uploads/HotWaxDippingofBeehives.pdf

[Garden Hive]

Laughing because I had a big bowl of S A this morning.......well not just this morning, it's every morning !
Please don't take offense.....
Buy Painted boxes.............

[mdunc]

Thanks blueblood, interesting article.

Garden Hive, I build my own hive bodies & supers because of cost so buying painted isn't a option.

[kebee]

 Than do as I do paint them, even though I hate it, if I was smart I would try and get someone in the family do it but they hate painting as much
as I do, maybe you can find someone to paint them for you.

Ken

[riverbee]

i use a good water based white stain for all my deeps, bottom boards, outer covers.  the supers get the oops paint.  some beeks use paint sprayers, not sure how well this works?

[CpnObvious]

Although mine are painted, that's a different story, I was taught that boiled linseed oil is a great option.... As far as the "I hate painting club": when I was in construction I would take unpaid vacations when we were going to be painting.  I couldn't afford to do that... But MAN! I HATE PAINTING,

[apisbees]

The article Blue posted is from Australia where the relative humidity is so high most of the time that if the hives are not protected 360 degrees they will wrought out in as little as 5 years. so depending on where the beekeepers live in Australia the only options to them is to dip or go with plastic supers. the first plastic suppers I heard about came from Australia. Paint works well for me but then I live in a dry region with a lower than average humidity than other areas of the country.

[pistolpete]

Farm out the painting: One jar of honey for every 5 boxes painted.   Or maybe try to Tom Sawyer approach.