# What top for a Flow Super? **URL:** \ **Category:** Flow Hive\ **Created:** [December 19, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255 "2015-12-19T02:13:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Valli](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/valli/32/159_2.png) [@Valli](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Valli)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2015, 11:32pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/21 "2015-12-20T23:32:35Z")
> [@Dee](#): > > A shim is American for an eke. Yes some of our group call them Ekes as well. How do you find the plastic covers @Dee - I have some that are not perforated and one that is - so I put perforations in some of the plain ones - I think I got them from Modern but they changed their supplier. Have you use the Foam covers? ---
**Author:** ![sciencemaster](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/sciencemaster/32/393_2.png) [@sciencemaster](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/sciencemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/22 "2015-12-21T01:28:32Z")
I need to make up an inner cover for a colony transfer tomorrow. I think I’ll eventually source some lino offcuts from somewhere. Meanwhile I have plenty of big woven poly chook food bags. I’ll cut one to the size Jeff H suggests and see how it goes. ---
**Author:** ![JeffH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/jeffh/32/7192_2.png) [@JeffH](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/JeffH)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/23 "2015-12-21T02:10:10Z")
Hi Dee, what I’m using is fairly typical over here. The vinyl mat was shown to me by a mentor. I wouldn’t be without one. Now that we have SHB, I find it an added bonus. As I mentioned in a previous post, the lid space is a good indicator of population growth. I don’t build my lids with vents because the bees propolize them up. However I have a few lids with vents if I ever have to keep bees locked up at any time. Probably the lids we use over here are more suited to our climate. ---
**Author:** ![Dee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dee/32/5840_2.png) [@Dee](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dee)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 8:00am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/24 "2015-12-21T08:00:35Z")
I don’t like the plastic covers. I much prefer a thick sheet of polycarbonate. I drill a hole in the middle which is covered up most of the year but is there for feeding. It is rigid enough to take a full 2l rapid feeder or a block of fondant. It also lets you look in on the bees any time without disturbing them. I have put them on all my hives. I did buy some foam but haven’t used it. All the hives have 100mm PIR on the top. > [@JeffH](#): > > Hi Dee, what I’m using is fairly typical over here Thanks Jeff. No SHB here …yet ---
**Author:** ![JeffH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/jeffh/32/7192_2.png) [@JeffH](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/JeffH)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 11:26am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/25 "2015-12-21T11:26:13Z")
Hi Dee, our typical hive cover is not shb specific. A typical cover around here (my part of Australia, S.E. Queensland) would be a migratory cover with a recess in the lid of say 40mm with 2 screened holes on each end with a galvanised cover over all that for weather protection. A lot of my earlier lids I made with marine ply, so I didn’t worry about the gal lids for them. I never buy any bottom boards or lids, I make them up with whatever I can scrounge. ---
**Author:** ![Valli](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/valli/32/159_2.png) [@Valli](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Valli)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/26 "2015-12-21T13:23:11Z")
> [@Dee](#): > > polycarbonate Yes polycarbonate sheets; the perforations in mine won’t let the bees though but you can still see the bees. The perforations do stop condensation getting in or dripping down ---
**Author:** ![Dee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dee/32/5840_2.png) [@Dee](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dee)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/27 "2015-12-21T13:58:28Z")
My polycarbonate is 6mm thick. Has to be as my Nationals are top bee space. No condensation ever if you have adequate top insulation. I hate the idea of top ventilation. It’s like having a howling gale blowing through the frames if you have an open mesh floor and even if you don’t heat is lost from the colony. ---
**Author:** ![Valli](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/valli/32/159_2.png) [@Valli](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Valli)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/28 "2015-12-21T14:02:49Z")
I haven’t had condensation it was a preventive measure. My polycarb is only 2mm thick but I have top bee space as well - mainly got the Polycarb so I can look through and not disturb the bees so much if the weather is crud - I looked at frame covers but decided they were too fiddly but I have used a tea towel if needed ---
**Author:** ![markzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@markzz](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/markzz)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/29 "2015-12-24T16:38:51Z")
Hi all… Regarding the plastic or other material to place between the lid and the top of the frames… At Bunnings they have a heavy plastic which is in fact intended to be used for water proofing. it’s the correct width for a 10 frame super… It seems to warp after a few years in the hive but it serves the purpose… It’s relatively cheap also, at a guess it was about $40.00 for a 100metre roll. when it starts to look too untidy (which takes a few years) I just cut a new piece. I’m sure there are more appropriate materials but I’ve been using this for years, the bees seem to be OK with it… ---
**Author:** ![JeffH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/jeffh/32/7192_2.png) [@JeffH](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/JeffH)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/30 "2015-12-24T18:48:06Z")
Hi Mark, I recently came up with an idea to combat mat curling. I glue 2 pieces together with contact adhesive with the directions they curl opposing each other. What I found is the mat is still nice & flexible with no curling. I use cheap vinyl roll ends from carpet shops. The last lot I got had that stuff on the back they use for shb traps. The bees also get their legs caught on that stuff so I definitely had to glue those back to back. Merry Christmas, bye ---
**Author:** ![Moz\_Empire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Moz\_Empire](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Moz_Empire)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/31 "2015-12-31T04:17:01Z")
Jeff, I LOVE “the Mat.” What a simple, yet effective solution for so many situations! As I make plans for Spring, you can be sure that i will be incorportating “the Mat” in my setups! Thank you so much for sharing this with us! ~M ---
**Author:** ![JeffH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/jeffh/32/7192_2.png) [@JeffH](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/JeffH)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 6:32am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255/32 "2015-12-31T06:32:46Z")
Hi M, your most welcome, thank YOU & happy new year. [Previous page](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/what-top-for-a-flow-super/4255.md?page=1)