Paint for Beehives
At IEKO we often get asked for suitable paints to decorate and preserve beehives. Apiarists (beekeepers) have to be sure the paints they use are completely harmless as bees are very sensitive to chemicals particularly biocides. The beekeepers who contact us are understandably wary of conventional paint companies and their claims of harmlessness which is why they come to us.
Our recommendations for beehive paint are:
Biopin weather protection paint or Biopin Wood Oil. (exterior woodwork section)
Earthborn pro aqua eggshell (interior woodwork section)
Ideally, the beehive is bare untreated wood (stripped of original paint or new wood) and should be completely dry before panting. For future renovation, all it will need is a quick clean and 1 new thin coat of paint.
NB: Some hives are manufactured using cedar wood. Cedar wood is packed full of volatile oils (that is why it has its strong distinctive aroma). These oils give cedar great protection from decay meaning that no finishes are actually necessary for preservation. If however you decide you want to paint your cedar beehive, you must allow it to weather for at least a year before applying paint as the natural VOCs given off by the wood can interfere with the drying processes of many paints.
We suggest you visit the website of The Natural Beekeeping Trust for loads of good information and events from people who genuinely care about the fate of Bees.