Cedar or Pine?

[Nige.Coll]

pine boxes are crap.
I have a few supers that are pine and they warped even after painting total rubbish.
If you are planning to keep bees a long time buy cedar the price difference is worth it. Buy in the sales.

 

[pargyle]

Hi Guys,
I'm really new to beekeeping, only started this year and have somehow got three hives already. More luck than planning.
I bought one national hive, 14x12 complete more to be able to use it as a template to make my own. I converted it to top bee space. I have been making brood, supers, landing boards and roofs from marine ply. BS 1088 which I thought would last at least a few years without treatment, but after reading through this thread I'm not now so sure of myself.
Advice please on treat or not and what to treat with.
Many thanks all.

If it is genuine marine ply then it should last, a coat or two of paint or timber preservative will assist - paying particular attention to any exposed cut edges.

The only downside to ply is that at the sort of thickness you see in cedar hives (at least 18mm) your hives are going to be very heavy. If you have used thinner ply then you need to think about external insulation - particularly in winter as there is not a lot of insulation value in thin ply.

 

[Swarm]

Nowt wrong with Maisees pine boxes, excellent value. Treat them and they last.