I need to make another screen bottom board and am out of scrap lumber except for some treated stuff. It has been in a shed for a year or more and has dried out and has no noticeable odor. Since this is not part of a hive body or super, would it be okay to use as a bottom board?
I just went through the same scene last week, as I was building me a 5 frame nuc, bottom bd, deep, and medium, with inner cover, and outercover. I had some old 3/4 and 1/2 treated plywood that had been outside in a project for about 6 years (in the sun), which I dismantled. I decided against it as it's use has been discontinued for most use's as a poison danger, and decided not to take a chance of poisoning my bees and/or honey.
It may not be in the hive as part of the bodies or supers, but every single bee will touch it at some point...
I wouldn't use it myself, but the treated these days is a bit different than just a few years back. They're no longer allowed to use cyanide (CCA) but now use either a borate solution (not very effective and maybe ok around bees) or a copper napthenate that I wouldn't let anywhere near the girls. You can try to find out which type you have or, better yet, don't use it at all.
Scott
I would only use treated lumber for a stand that is on the ground. I don't want to expose the bees to it.
Cedar, Redwood and white oak are good rot resistant woods to use instead.
Also Ipe but very heavy.
Thanks for all the info. I found a piece of 2x6 yellow pine and some scrap 1x4 all non treated and made this in about an hour. Bottom Board construction
http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/bottomboard/bottomboard.htm (http://www.myoldtools.com/Bees/bottomboard/bottomboard.htm)
Wouldn't have taken that long had I been able to find my wrench to change to a rip blade on my table saw!
Agree with the above posts. I keep treated lumber out of my hives, regardless of what has been used to "treat" it.
Treating wood Beehive boxes 4 rot prevention,insect damage,Beekeepers beehives (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LerB1aq-I3g#)
Look at this guy.. its unbelievable and I don't mean in a good way. :'(
CV Bees
I bought 2 screened bottoms from the local bee supply, they were made with P.T. It does bother me a little, but my hive bodies are white pine, and now that I have them I can use them as a pattern and build them out of something else. I am using one of them, and there doesn't seem to be any negative effect.
The cuprinol is actually sold for treating wood for beehives. I wouldn't use it, but at least it doesn't contain an insecticide like most treated lumber does.
Don't want to be a high jacker. But what about treated that has been in the open for 25+ years? :)doak
Dang, I just made a screened bottom board last night and used treated lumber (scrap) for the side pieces. The landing board is untreated pine though. Maybe I can paint the treated part. I'm going to risk this one :drowning:
Quote from: Titus on March 23, 2010, 12:16:42 PM
Dang, I just made a screened bottom board last night and used treated lumber (scrap) for the side pieces. The landing board is untreated pine though. Maybe I can paint the treated part. I'm going to risk this one :drowning:
Ooo...that's pushing it!! You might decrease a couple of the bees lifespan by almost a day!! Seriously, I wouldn't worry about a couple little strips of it in the hive. The bees will propolise it over soon anyway. Not that I'd worry about it either way, but I'd guess that the paint is just as bad as the wood is.
Rick
My Mentor maintains around 300 full colonies. He has 900 nukes already on order. He buys 3/4 inch treated plywood and makes bottom and top boards from this. Doesn't seem to bother his survival rate. Say's he has more bees this year than he has ever had.:)doak
Quote from: doak on March 23, 2010, 01:20:08 PM
My Mentor maintains around 300 full colonies. He has 900 nukes already on order. He buys 3/4 inch treated plywood and makes bottom and top boards from this. Doesn't seem to bother his survival rate. Say's he has more bees this year than he has ever had.:)doak
Thats great, maybe I'll make another one. Itching to try out the new stapler anyway.