Hi everyone…Newbie alert! … Have been advised to paint my Cedar flow hive with Linseed oil. Wondering if anyone has used the Anti mould version and if its safe for bees? TIA
Hi Jennie, welcome to the Flow forum!
Hmm, linseed oil with anti-mould? Not sure what precisely what that is. Can you link the exact product you are considering, because then I can try to look it up for any nasty additives that the manufacturers try to hide from beekeepers. OK, they don’t do that specifically, but they do hide things. 
Hi Dawn, Its from Bunnings and they have Raw, Boiled or anti mould… which i thought may be great to use for the hive as it also states its for outdoors and prevents the timber from going grey so quick… unlike the other 2?.. maybe its new but here is the link… appreciate your help.!
Here’s the MSDS.
Would I use it for a hive?
No.
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Agree with you Skegs no way would I use it.
Those Data Sheets are great aren’t they. They bust open a lot of stuff.
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Not the answer i was looking for! That info is worrying but is it any different to paint? So many people paint their hives… just a shame to paint over the Cedar! What have you done with your hive? TIA
Probably only paint with “anti mould”
Dory,
You got your answer about the anti-mold … we sure don’t live in a perfect world 
n get the answers we want often but the answer can keep us n our bees much healthier!
You’re not the first to ponder 
this age old “ do I or don’t I issue. Some hot dip, some use a vanish (drying long time), I use Tung oil (3 to 4 coats) letting dry or the old outdoor paint methods.
Nothing I’ve used is totally stain free … I’ve not used the hot dip wax method but I guess I’m not that perticular in mine. Here in Puget Sound (near Seattle) it’s pretty wet n rainy so I have to repaint my Pine every few years as well as rewirebush, sand n refinish to keep fairly nice. That’s life up here where I live.
I’m sure others will hit you with info n thots here too. These are just mine due to where l live n my acceptance of how I let them look 
!
All these hives were carefully sealed, treated, bushes, painted, dried between coats, to four layers each. All have weathered differently in our Pacific N.W. damp conditions… I will be scraping , sanding n resealing or painting the worst ones as we get drier weather up here. Uploading: 0220D674-197D-493F-B9FC-5311FA647564.jpeg…
Uploading: 112D1194-8395-4694-923B-9FC250EDD3F9.jpeg… Uploading: 1DB00974-B463-4D7D-B516-7E3CD1058B84.jpeg…
I hope this note will edify you Jeanie … were all in the same delusions that wood might stay pretty forever n the methods n plus effort of trying to keep it the bestest we can.
If you do an MSDS on mineral turps you’ll get similar disturbing results. I think I would use the anti mould linseed oil if that was the look I was after on the outside of the hive. The thing is to let it cure & air dry for a few weeks before putting bees into the box.
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I looked at the pure linseed oil and it was quite different so it’s the anti mould component which is the issue.
As Jeff says generally you only paint the outside and if left to dry it may be ok but I still wouldn’t use it.
I’ve used both Tung oil and water based paint. No I wouldn’t drink either of these either… Neither have the warning ‘May cause cancer’ though. 
I have whitewashed cedar and it looks ok, grain still visible, and stained and varnished a pine box to replicate the cedar colour which is also ok. Tung oil is recommended however it can mould and the roof needs better protection.
Let us know which way you go. 
Thankyou! great help
Yes your right… the carcinegetic part is very worrying!! I will go with boiled linseed oil i think. Someone else on another forum suggested mixing it with gum turpentine, boiled linseed and beeswax… i like the idea of beeswax as it is from the bees themselves!!! Once its done its done… just prefer not to have to treat it every 3 months to keep it in good condition… Really appreciate all your help:)
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Recently Cedar discussed coating for Cedar wood and recommended the Linseed Oil with Anti-mould to the exterior surfaces in his video stream
Perhaps our @Faroe could alert Ceder that maybe its not good.
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I have used Accent brand fencing paint which is a water based paint and have had no issues or problems using it and Aussie made and sold at Mitre10 stores. Recoat in 2 hours, no primer needed and can have bees in the boxes the next day with no odor. It seems resistant to mold and a recoat may not be need for 5+ years.
Linseed oil in any of its forms is a no-no on a bee hive as you have been already advised…
Cheers Peter
I note Dawns comments on nasties hidden in paints and oils. I think the comments are valid and caution is good. I don’t touch the inside but burn it with a gas torch. The outside I have used teak oil which I think is your linseed with a drying agent. The drying agent is white spirit. Probably 50:50 of each constituent.
I will treat my not in use hive components now, and then then have a chance to weather before next spring.
I like teak oil but it needs doing each year, so now I use a wood tinted treatment, but remember it has 6 or 7 months after treatment before bees come in contact again. Apply in August not used till early May?
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This is a hot topic, I am about to start up a second beehive, and I want it to look natural, not painted like I did with my existing beehive. We have a second generation beekeeper whom has been coming to our our local bee club. I have recently bought a ideal box from him/with frames, that he had hot waxed the box, but it also included linseed oil 50:50, so I asked him. He told me that he has been doing it this way on all his own hives, with that mixture for over 20yrs, with no problems regarding any affect on his bees, and even those very first hives that he treated are still looking as good as the day that they were first treated.