# Finish for a Bee House



## Lignum (28 Jun 2016)

Morning all - new to woodworking, and it's amazing how finishing doesn't seem interesting until you need to know something about it!

I'm planning on building a bee house for the garden - really just an open carcass that blocks of wood with holes drilled in can be placed in - and wondered if anyone had any advice for what to finish it with? Creosote etc seems like it might not be the best thing to have next to bees...

Many thanks in advance!


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## Aggrajag (28 Jun 2016)

Sorry to threadjack a little bit here, but bear with me... I'd never heard of a bee house so I've just looked it up and I know my other half would love one for the garden but wouldn't these just make easy pickings for spiders? (Which a) I hate and b) I don't want to slaughter bees.)


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## Aggrajag (28 Jun 2016)

And in answer to your question, whilst trying to answer my own question, this site recommends untreated wood but shielded from the elements:
http://www.foxleas.com/make-a-bee-hotel.asp


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## Phil Pascoe (28 Jun 2016)

Nothing is your best bet - they are susceptible to all sorts of things, and possibly deterred by others. If you are drilling the holes obviously ensure they don't hold water - for one you won't get bees in them. You'll be surprised how long something will last so long as it doesn't HOLD water - it's not getting wet that does the damage.


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## Lignum (28 Jun 2016)

Well I was going to really stretch my ability to cut two straight lines at an angle and put a little roof on, so hopefully the water will run off (one corner more than the other, because hahanostraightlines). So untreated is the way to go - thanks very much!


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## woodpig (28 Jun 2016)

My wife bought one from Lidl for a few quid and I don't think it has any kind of finish on it. It's nice though that folks are making or buying things like this though! Post a picture on here when you're done, it might inspire others. At the old house we just used to hang up bundles of canes or drill out small logs.


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## Lignum (28 Jun 2016)

Aggrajag":3po6x6y8 said:


> Sorry to threadjack a little bit here, but bear with me... I'd never heard of a bee house so I've just looked it up and I know my other half would love one for the garden but wouldn't these just make easy pickings for spiders? (Which a) I hate and b) I don't want to slaughter bees.)



Susbsequent googling reveals the stuff of nightmares; crab spiders lurk in flowers and ambush bees. Never leaving the house again.


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## ED65 (28 Jun 2016)

I don't think you need to be too fussed about this because people have painted theirs with all sorts of things and had bees colonise them. But if you would prefer to be completed faster these days we have low-VOC paints and these could be ideal. In practice this means an exterior paint where you clean the brush with water.

In the past oil-based paint was used for beehives and this appears to be perfectly acceptable to bees, although I would think you'd have to allow for a very thorough drying time with anything like this, possibly until it has no solvent odour which might take weeks.


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## Phil Pascoe (28 Jun 2016)

I used to keep bees (30years ago) but I've never seen a painted hive or indeed a hive treated in any way. All the good ones were/are cedar (that's the outers of course).


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## NazNomad (28 Jun 2016)

I've made several bug-hotels and never put a finish on them, just put them out of the rain.

Leafcutter bees tend to like them a lot.


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## Phil Pascoe (28 Jun 2016)

Mason bees round our way.


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## Rorschach (28 Jun 2016)

I would say no treatment but if you wanted to waterproof the roof somewhat how about painting it with melted beeswax?


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## NazNomad (28 Jun 2016)

Rorschach":1bfo0ie9 said:


> I would say no treatment but if you wanted to waterproof the roof somewhat how about painting it with melted beeswax?



... or just rub a bee on it? :lol: :lol:


Edit: No bees were harmed in the making of this post.


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## ED65 (28 Jun 2016)

phil.p":2i490jf1 said:


> I used to keep bees (30years ago) but I've never seen a painted hive or indeed a hive treated in any way.


You must not watch much TV  It must be quite common to paint, my recollection is that on nearly every program I've watched that features beekeeping when the camera comes in close to remove a frame you see weathered or worn paint (usually white) on the outside, contrasting with the bare wood on the inside.


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## woodpig (28 Jun 2016)

ED65":12p8kzaw said:


> phil.p":12p8kzaw said:
> 
> 
> > I used to keep bees (30years ago) but I've never seen a painted hive or indeed a hive treated in any way.
> ...



Yes, there were over a dozen bee hives in a garden near to where I grew up and they were all painted white.

Edit. Just found this!

http://www.beverlybees.com/how-to-paint-a-beehive/


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## thetyreman (29 Jun 2016)

NazNomad":1ylfn9b2 said:


> Rorschach":1ylfn9b2 said:
> 
> 
> > I would say no treatment but if you wanted to waterproof the roof somewhat how about painting it with melted beeswax?
> ...



bee careful!


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## lurker (10 Jul 2016)

phil.p":10x4pcaw said:


> Mason bees round our way.



You need to use a compass and a square for making houses for them


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## custard (15 Jul 2016)

Nice bees, the kind you really want at your BBQ and garden parties, will generally insist on Farrow & Ball.

traveller bees, the sort that swig all the Pimms and pee in the pool, they couldn't care less.


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## woodpig (15 Jul 2016)

custard":3m9zntlu said:


> traveller bees, the sort that swig all the Pimms and pee in the pool, they couldn't care less.



I think you're getting confused with gypsy moths ... :lol:


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## John Brown (15 Jul 2016)

All the hives I saw in Turkey were painted light blue.


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## NazNomad (15 Jul 2016)

Other colours are available ... https://www.thorne.co.uk/hives-and-bees ... protection :-D


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## woodpig (15 Jul 2016)

NazNomad":1csak3jd said:


> Other colours are available ... https://www.thorne.co.uk/hives-and-bees ... protection :-D



Beehive paint, whatever next?!  if you find any tartan paint let me know! :lol:


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## whiskywill (28 Jul 2016)

I have bees in both painted and unpainted cedar hives. I treat the cedar with clear Cuprinol, not only for its preservative qualities, as cedar doesn't need it, but to maintain the colour and prevent algae growth.

There was some concern about whether Cuprinol was still safe for bees when they changed the formula but I believe Cuprinol has confirmed that it is as long as it is allowed to dry before introducing bees.


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## MMUK (28 Jul 2016)

Beeswax?

I'll get my coat....


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## gregmcateer (29 Jul 2016)

Many years ago, my Dad (and then I joined in), kept bees - maxed out at 7 hives. He made all the carcasses out of any bits he had, and although not beautiful, the little fellas didn't care and colonised them very happily.

He painted the early ones, but soon got fed up with the faff, even making some out of timber and chipboard. Dodn't last for ever, but still had a good few years form them.


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