Hiya people, here’s a question for you woodworkers.
I have ordered two hybrid cedar supers from Flow and already have a complete Flow set up Tung oiled. I would like to alter the new cedar box colour to match or compliment the brood boxes but would like to keep the cedar grain appearance. I think that makes sense??? I was thinking bleaching, staining or white washing of sorts but have a metal working background not woodworking so am posing this question to those in the know.
My current colours are green and cream.
Ideas?
I like to keep things in natural timber finishes @skeggley. Try splashing a bit of stain/decking oil into a small container of your Tung oil and this will give it a slightly darker colour. It also helps to bring out the grain of the timber.
Goodday @skeggley.
Do you want to bring the Hybrid box (assume Australian pine) up to the colour of the cedar super or bring the cedar down? Or just have them the same colour any colour.
If you let the cedar weather without any surface treatment it will turn a whiteish colour but maintain its grain pretty well.
However the pine would need to be treated with Copper Napthenate and or painted to stop decay.
You don’t have to paint them, but you can. You can also buy wood stain and stain them. Only do the outside.
@busso, cedar boxes, only a bit more which will hopefully pay off longevity wise.
@Michael_Bush As I have, and only intend to have a few hives, I’d like to make them a bit more appealing when I show them off to friends and family. 
Really appreciate your input on this forum too btw, you’ve been teaching me a lot, thanks.
But back to topic.
Since ine had little input from the woodwork gurus I’m going to wing it.
I have to say…I’m not sure what you were asking in your original post? You want the natural colour to match your painted boxes?
O
Hiya Ogre, I was hoping to maybe water down the same paint I used to paint the pine hives, paint it on the cedar, give it a rub or sand to bring the grain out. I’ve seen finishes like this before but don’t know how to achieve it. I’ll be doing some experimenting on the inside of the hive as I don’t have any cedar laying around here.
You could, it will definitely work. As you may know the cedar has it’s own oils so you are just trying to preserve the colour and a bit of extra waterproofing. Ok, I’m a bit of a wood nut, so this may be extreme for some. 
I would personally oil or stain the new ones, trade for the painted ones and sand or strip the old ones back and oil or stain them also. Then you have boxes that look awesome and the same.
Good luck,
O
You could try Pine-Sol. I have used it working with cedar before, and it works very nicely to bring out the brain and cover and scratches you might have.
Now @skeggley if you really want to impress from left field. Get a blow torch and attack the boxs with it. The ends the grain grain does not burn as easily as the wood in between. You actually get a 3D version of the gain, the more you burn the deeper the grain. I have done this on photo frames and a 100mm X 400mm bar top with French pine and looks spectacular.
Not sure you would be game to do it on your cedar box’s as they would loose the colour to black and white but they would be a show stopper.
Quick question: Was it you who said use Betadyne on bee stings. If it was, you are a wizz. Tried it the other day, next day no swelling, no itch, found it hard to find where I was stung. Magic
busso
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Hiya Busso, I may just take you up on that blow torch idea, I’ve got until next spring to experiment, I like the show stopper look.
I wonder if burning it would decrease the life span of the wood?
Wasn’t my bettadine remedy, I copped a zing on the middle of the inside of my hand yesterday and Crikey it stung, I went for tea tree oil which seemed to alleviate the pain but my hand still puffed up and ached all night, must get some bettadine for next time…
I don’t remember getting such a reaction to bee stings in the past. Strange thing is is that it made my last sting itchy also. Curious.
Hiya Daniel, I’ll have a look in the woodwork shop for that, I’d really like to incorporate the green colour into the box somehow.
Ideas?
Not at all. I have found anecdotally burnt trees make great in ground posts and show little signs of rot after many years. In fact the old millers around here would not cut a sheoak (Allocasuarina fraseriana ) unless it had been through a bushfire to burn out the “shakes” and harden the timber.
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You would have to find a green stain. MinWax makes quality stains in different colors and you could buy it pre made at Lowe’s or Home Depot