TBH Roof Material Question

[mjdtexan]

I am done with the hive but have not built a cover for it. I was thinking of making a cover like a roof. Would asphalt shingles make the hive to hot for the bees?

[slaphead]

Just about anything can work including a simple painted ply wood top. Build the frame so there is a slight slope (to shed rain) and insulate with polystyrene sheet underneath to keep the heat in when it's cold and out when its hot  ;)

SH

[DavesBees]

What Michael said... but you could add a vent hole in the peak to let out the hot air.  FYI.... My tops are just square frames with a thin sheet of plywood and metal roofing on that.  I put extra top bars or scraps under the lid keeping it off the top bars and creating a ventilated air space.  The space between the top bars and the roof material can be applied whatever roof type you make.

[David LaFerney]

Shingles along with 1/2 decking that you need to attach them are remarkably heavy. 

[Michael Bush]

An old piece of tin, an old piece of plywood, whatever is handy... and preferably free.

[Robo]

Piece of metal roof works great.   Light and easy to use and stacks well for storage too.

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/barrel-top-bar-hive/

[David LaFerney]

I've noticed on a lot of the European videos that they use plastic sheet right on top of the frames and a slab of styrofoam weighted or bungeed down on top.  I just happen to have some 3" slabs of styro...

[DavesBees]

Here are some pictures of my roof and hives.
Daves Bees Apiary

And a video of how I make an air space above the bars.



Right now I have a piece of styrofoam on the topbars instead of the air gap.

[Hethen57]

This may sound like a dumb question, but don't the frames all fit up tight to each other?  How do you get ventilation up throught the frames...or do you just rely on the holes at each end? 

(I haven't made one yet, but am considering starting one from a split this year to see how it works in my area)
-Mike

[Michael Bush]

I have a top entrance at one end.  The bees then facilitate the rest of the ventilation.

[Yappy]

"This may sound like a dumb question, but don't the frames all fit up tight to each other?  How do you get ventilation up throught the frames...or do you just rely on the holes at each end?"

The air gap acts as a thermal break to conductivity, to help stop overheating by Sun and condensation on cold roof. Vent like Michael - top opening, hot moist air wants to rise.

...Rob

[DavesBees]

Just for clarity, Michael is talking about ventilating the hive proper and I'm just ventilating the roof. 

[Robo]

Just using a piece of corrugated metal on top of the top bars is the easiest and you take advantage of the corrugations of the metal roof for ventilation.   I learned this from Les Crowder who is a TBH legend.

http://www.bushkillfarms.com/gallery2/d/880-2/DCP_0184_001.JPG