What to paint edges with so they don't stick

[Johnny253]

What do people use to paint hive edges so the pieces don't stick together? I use water based acrylic and have heard that enamel paint on the edges will work. Does anyone have any experience with this? Do I need to paint both contact surfaces or just one?

[tefer2]

rub them with bee's wax, or try petroleum jelly.

[BlueBee]

I have this same problem with some brands of water based acrylic paint.  The stuff I have used in the past is like superglue when applied to the mating surfaces.   The wood gives before the paint.  I have heard tefers advice in the past buy have not tried it myself yet.  I’ve been pondering coating the mating surfaces of my new builds with polyurethane to alleviate this problem.

[Intheswamp]

The only experience that I've had so far painting woodenware has been a 2-medium setup.  I put a single coat of Kilz primer on it (red label?...I don't have it here to look at) and a single coat of Valspar 1-coat w/primer semi-matte exterior acrylic latex.  I painted all edges with minimal paint on the interior of the boxes.  The Valspar is a thick paint.  I had both cans from a prior project and the paint seems to be working ok but has had very limited use so far and it hasn't been exposed to a scorching south Alabama summer, either.  I'll be painting the rest of my woodenware with this, so hopefully it will work ok.

Ed 

[specialkayme]

petroleum jelly works well for me. A very thin coat prevents sticking. By the time the jelly wears off, the paint doesn't stick anymore.

[tefer2]

I think that they say that latex paint really takes about two months to fully cure. So, If you can leave it unstacked that long in warm area, that will work too.
I think that the petroleum jelly does not really wear off but is absorbed into the latex.

[kathyp]

 lots of times i stack them with newspaper between until i need them.  if the paper sticks, no big deal.  i just leave it and it helps keep the boxes from sticking if i use them before they are cured.  eventually the paper wears off and by then the boxes are cured. 

[Intheswamp]

The newspaper trick sounds interesting.  Makes me go further and complicate things thinking about wax papers, plastic films, etc.,.  The newspaper sounds like the ticket, though.   Thanks!

Ed

[Poppi]

Why paint the edges...  when you stack 'em they're not exposed???   Besides the bees will propolis all those cracks anyway and that sticks worse than paint..

[AllenF]

I thought that was what the hive tool was for, breaking apart the boxes.

[specialkayme]

The spots where the boxes are 'supposed' to be touching are the spots where rot almost always sets in for me, if I don't paint there. If I let them stick and break it apart with the hive tool, it pulls the paint off the wood and defeats the purpose of painting in the first place.

[tefer2]

The spots where the boxes are 'supposed' to be touching are the spots where rot almost always sets in for me, if I don't paint there. If I let them stick and break it apart with the hive tool, it pulls the paint off the wood and defeats the purpose of painting in the first place.

Same here with the rot. Thats why I started painting mine too. I think that coating the edges with beeswax helps them get started sealing everything up.

[don2]

I stack my boxes about 5 high and use a flat latex exterior paint. I do not paint the edges where the boxes sit on one another. That part is not exposed to the elements, so why paint it? after the paint dries I use my hive tool or a rubber mallet, every one should have one of those. If there is any small cracks don't worry, the bees will seal them if they want to. If not makes a good vent hole.
  Sounds like some of you are making work where there shouldn't be any, or you just want to play. ;)don2

[Jim 134]

I stack my boxes about 5 high and use a flat latex exterior paint. I do not paint the edges where the boxes sit on one another. That part is not exposed to the elements, so why paint it? after the paint dries I use my hive tool or a rubber mallet, every one should have one of those. If there is any small cracks don't worry, the bees will seal them if they want to. If not makes a good vent hole.
  
  Sounds like some of you are making work where there shouldn't be any, or you just want to play. ;)don2

    

   BEE HAPPY Jim 134