New Hives Built

[manfre]

This past weekend, I built 10 frame medium hive boxes from left over wood. Along with outer cover and solid bottom board. The outer cover and bottom are made out of poplar from a dining table. I really like the look of the top, but I realize it needs to be weather proofed and I'm not sure what to use. I don't think a normal wood sealer would work with its existing finish. Any suggestions?

[David LaFerney]

This past weekend, I built 10 frame medium hive boxes from left over wood. Along with outer cover and solid bottom board. The outer cover and bottom are made out of poplar from a dining table. I really like the look of the top, but I realize it needs to be weather proofed and I'm not sure what to use. I don't think a normal wood sealer would work with its existing finish. Any suggestions?

Dewaxed shellac is a nearly universal primer/sealer.  If you put a coat of shellac on it you can go over that with pretty much anything you like - exterior grade spar urethane for example.  If you can't find "dewaxed" shellac, then just get regular shellac, put it in a glass jar and wait a few days for it to separate into layers, the top layer (I think - the wax is cloudy, the shellac is amber/clear) is dewaxed shellac.  However the truth is even regular (waxy) shellac will work 90% of the time.  Be warned though that even a high quality clear exterior finish like this will break down after a few years in the sun.  Then you can cover it with sheet metal. 

[manfre]

Thanks. I'll give that a try. I was also considering cutting a piece of plastic to cover the top.

[Conchis]

Nice work.  Those bees are going to be living uptown!!!

[David LaFerney]

Thanks. I'll give that a try. I was also considering cutting a piece of plastic to cover the top.

I'm sure you know that you need to clean it really good and scuff it up a bit with sandpaper first.

[manfre]

I'm sure you know that you need to clean it really good and scuff it up a bit with sandpaper first.

Hmmm. I didn't realize that. Scratching up the finish defeats the purpose of clear coating it. Further thinking makes me wonder if moisture would get trapped under the plastic cover and rot it out faster. I'll probably end up panting it.

[David LaFerney]

I'm sure you know that you need to clean it really good and scuff it up a bit with sandpaper first.

Hmmm. I didn't realize that. Scratching up the finish defeats the purpose of clear coating it. Further thinking makes me wonder if moisture would get trapped under the plastic cover and rot it out faster. I'll probably end up panting it.

It doesn't defeat the purpose at all.  You always do a bit of sanding between coats for several reasons, but in this case the reason is to improve adhesion. It's exactly what you do to get a beautiful smooth finish. 

[HomeBru]

Not so much "scratching up", but a little scuff-sand with 220 paper to take the gloss of the current finish. Minwax (and others) make a sprayable dewaxed shellac primer that it super for little things like this. I'd pass on spar varnish, its benefit is flexibility (because spars bend) so it's always getting dinged and gouged and never really "hardens". Go with a good exterior polyurethane after the shellac.

[Two Bees]

WhooooooWeeeee!  Those are some fine looking bee hives you got there, Manfre!

[contactme_11]

I don't see an inner cover. Did you make one?

[manfre]

Homebru, I'll give that a try once the snow melts.

Two Bees, thanks neighbor.

contactme_11, My plan was to buy inner covers. The amount of effort to build them didn't seem justified given their low cost. I also don't have any immediate need for the rest of a piece of plywood, or space to store it. So far, I spent about $60 to build 2 outer covers, 2 bottoms, 10 medium boxes and a gallon of oops rack paint. I'm still well under budget.