Oak would look lovely. Heavy though. Anybody know how insulating it is?
Hi Michelle,
The oak sounds divine ! Donāt know anyone anywhere with that species. Also you might laminate two or three narrower pieces of a species to get the width needed. Two of my pine box setups are laminated pine. It is very important to use a good all weather/outdoor glue to bond the pieces. 
I often bond several species together for kitchen cutting board n bread boards for our kitchen n for friends that want a fancy cutting board. Hereās the glues I use. 
Using narrow widths n bonding together is more work but often stronger n warps less. Iām just giving you a couple more thots n optionsā¦ I really enjoy creating things out
of wood in my small shop. Only two years ago did I begin wood working. So at near 71 I am still learning n enjoy new skills even in beekeeping once again.
Good luck n happy beekeeping.
Gerald
Hereās my new boxes, as usual red cedar. Iām starting on a new roof, not sure the style but need something to compliment the look.
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We built a horizontal lang. Used 50mm cedar for the walls. Love our horizontal. No heavy lifting of boxes. With the recent heat wave, the bearding was minimal , probably due to the thicker walls and insulated roof
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Very niceā¦you have me thinking! I am glad to see someone else making thick walled hives.
This could get interesting. 
You may already have mentioned this, not sure if i asked or just kept meaning toā¦With what are you joining your pieces of timber to make up the āpanelsā for sides?
I use a biscuit jointer, but I have also used staggered screws and glue starting in the middle and working my way out to the end. Hopefully I explained it clear enough.
O
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Yes thank. I just wondered how you had made them so cleanly. Iāve tried a couple of things but was concerned that with weathering over time they may start to warp, come away from each other.
A very good quality glue applied evenly will prevent warping. As far as weathering, I use cedar and treat it with linseed oil.
Good tip re the glue. The timber Iāve available though is recycled from old furniture & house interiors, etc. Donāt have a red cedar supply unfortunately, but I have been experimenting with different finishes, & have found somone who wax dips at a really good price, so will have to see how whatās been made so far stands up to things.
Are Jarrah, Marri, or Karri timbers possible to use? While expensive you can get recycled timber at a reasonable price. Jarrah certainly weathers wellā¦
What lovely 
ļø names for trees 
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Hiya SnowflakeHoney, I think the reason for not using the hardwoods is the weight issue when lifting boxes during inspections. Fine for a top bar or long hive though Iād imagine.
@Dee they are the aboriginal names for the trees that we use, you can tell the western named trees like blue gum and red gumā¦
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There is no reason why you canāt.
Remember though these timbers are very heavy relative to pine or cedar. Marri and Karri do not weather all that well so you would still need protective treatment.
I have a second hand bottom board and 10 frame Lang hive made from jarrah and the hive is very heavy empty so would be really heavy full of honey.
My favourite timber, Sheoke I believe is a fine timber for hives and can handle constant exposure to the elements. Again though, it is a heavy timber. It does "silver " up (but not rot or deteriorate) if not protected by Tung or other clear type finishes. Sheoke was the main barrel timber used in the early wine industry.
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Busso, thanks. Interesting (at least for me) comment about Sheoke. Iām toying with the idea of making a long langstroth (next year), so hardwood/dense timber should be fine given I would intend to leave the hive in place.
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I would stick with softwood as it has better insulating qualities and as everyone has said it is lighter than hard woods. I canāt imagine the heft in one of my 45mm thick boxes if it was made from hardwood.
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Iām sure they would be lovely, but sort of a waste of such beautiful wood?
As @Ogre has said, the denser the timber the easier heat is transferred. Light timber is the better insulator.
But hey you want a good looking long hive go for Jarrah or Sheoke and use 25mm or 30mm timber to compensate.
This is a stand I made in sheoke many years ago and has been out in the sun, rain, completely unprotected on the ground for at least 3 years probably closer to 5 years. Was not treated in any way. The colour is pretty true.
This is a sheoke panel at my solar pump. It has been in place about 5 years and retains its golden colour as it is in protected from the weather but is in the open. Donāt want any comments on my wiring skills either both electrical and fencing LOL. The posts by the way are E. melliodora (Yellow Box) which came down in a storm and Yellow Box one of the few species which have a life of 30+ years in the ground. Also very good honey tree and we planted about 50 .
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This sites interesting for different timber properties, lots native timbers included
http://www.woodsolutions.com.au/Wood-Species/Compare-Species/
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We always called it yeller box. Excellent, longlasting, hot firewood.
I make my bee boxes out of either radiata ply or hoop pine. The parts not touched by the bees like outside cleats or bases get made out of old, treated radiata palings. All wooden parts get treated with copper naphthenate to combat wood rot and then two coats of inexpensive, white plastic paint.
A few weeks ago, I splurged on half a dozen, precut, box jointed supers. They are from New Zealand pine but I donāt know what variety. Iāve double dipped all the bits in copper naphthenate and they are now hanging up, slowly drying in my old shed. I will assemble them and paint them in a few weeks.
Hereās a pic I took yesterday of a partly assembled base. Itās made from recycled palings, radiata ply and hoop pine. As you can see in the pic, the recycled palings are prone to splitting. I get irritated enough to predrill sometimes but the bees donāt actually care if thereās a little split.