Week 6 - Safe paint for Bee's and the strongest wood glues

VOC stands for the volatile organic compound. VOC’s refer to the chemicals that evaporate out of the paint as it dries.  

These chemicals are unstable and are harmful, causing health problems in humans and animals. Headaches, nausea, irritation to the airways, liver, and kidney damage are all ailments that can occur if you breathe in VOC’s. 

Low VOC paints mean that they have less volatile organic compounds, and thus, require less off-gassing. These paints have less odour than regular paint and dry quicker. 

When it comes to VOC’s in paint, less is better.  Choose paint with the lowest level.  Generally, a VOC level of under 50 is considered low VOC. 

Examples of Low VOC paints

·      BEHR Premium Plus Interior – under 50

·      Benjamin Moore Paint Aura – 50

·      Glidden High Endurance Paint – 0

·      Sherwin-Williams Harmony Interior Latex – 0

·      Dunn-Edwards Ever shield – under 50

 

Milk Paint

Milk paint has been gaining popularity because it is zero VOC and eco-friendly.  Milk paint is mineral-based and contains milk protein. It comes as a dry powder base with pigments, which then must be mixed with water to turn into the paint. The consistency tends to be lumpy, so it’s important to mix it thoroughly. 

Chalk Paint

Chalk paint is also mineral-based and has low to zero VOC.  It dries very quickly and has a flat, chalky finish.  Chalk paint usually comes premixed and is also completely odour free.

Protection

Painting the hive allows it has protection against the elements. For example, rain, snow, wind and the sun can all affect the wood on the beehive and painting the hive will help it last longer.

Painting the hive can also aid in heat regulation making the hive more comfortable for the bees. For example, in warm climates, lighter colours on the hive will reflect some of the light rays from the sun keeping the temperature of the hive down. And in colder areas, darker colours will help absorb more light from the sun and keep the bees warm.

 

Organisation

Painting the beehives helps with organisation. For example, if the beekeeper has multiple beehives then painting them different colours will help with organisation and help them not to get confused between hives.

Also, bees are very good at navigation, but when they’re multiple hives next to each other they can sometimes get confused and could sometimes fly into the wrong hive. Because of this, the bees could kill the bee that mistook the hive for its own and so if this happens a lot this could affect the colony if there is not enough pollen being collected because of this. Painting the hives, a colour would help prevent the bees from getting confused a lot.


Oils

Also I don't have to paint my hive to help it preserve it longer. I can also use oil on the wood
to preserve it for much longer. The oil I am talking about is Linseed oil. Although cedar wood is most commonly used for beehives because it has these natural oils present in the wood, which helps it last longer and is why it is considered the best wood for beehives. Because of these natural oils, there is not much point in using oil on the wood, as well as any paint to help it last longer.

I can still use paint if I want to help with coordination for the bees, when the hives are in close proximity to one another, or just to make the hive look better or more natural. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cedarwood-Essential-Oil-Huge-8oz-Bottle-Bulk-Cedarwood-Oil-8-Ounce/390307163


Tips

·    Paint the outside and not the inside of the hive

·    Allow the hives to dry off for a week to reduce the off-gas

·    Use primer before the final coat of paint which will help preserve the wood and keep it protected for longer

Don’t paint the entrance reducer (the door of the hive), frames or the inner core (the cover of the hive)




Glue

Titebond 5004 II Premium Wood Glue

This glue is tough enough to pass ANSI Type II water-resistance testing. It is fine for exterior use since it is so tough. You can sand it easily if necessary. It also sets fairly quickly and offers a very durable bond. 

Gorilla Glue

It’s water-based and is extremely popular with carpenters, woodworkers, and hobbyists. It has a reputation for tough, powerful, long-lasting bonds. Its water-resistant and has a natural colour.

Titebond III 1413 Ultimate Wood Glue

It passed the ANSI/HPVA Type I water-resistance testing. Its initial tack or grip is very strong before it completely dries and solidifies. You can trust the glue to start holding things together right away before you have added more fasteners.

Elmer’s E7010 Carpenter’s Interior Wood Glue

The E7010 Carpenter’s Interior Wood Glue is non-toxic, without fumes, and you can clean it up with some water if necessary. When you’re using it, you’ll need to leave it for a 20-30 minute clamp time until it sets, and then it will thoroughly bond in 24 hours. You can sand or paint it as necessary. It’s easy to use and offers excellent adhesive power for wood joints and other applications.

5 Best Wood Glue Reviews of 2021 in the UK - BestAdvisers.co.uk

How this helped me?

This information is very useful as it tells me how to find the safest paint type for the bee's and what will have the least impact on them. It is important to paint the Hive as it will help the bee's with navigation (finding their hive) and also protection of the wood, to make it last longer. Because of the information above I now know how to safely paint the hive and to do it properly without causing any harm. This also gave me a greater insight into what glues are the best in the current market and each one of their properties that make them good glue. It has also provided me with more options of what is available on the market that could also be beneficial for my hive - possibly making it more cost-effective and last longer.

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