Linseed oil & Beeswax wood treatment

Norm on 3/24/2010, 1:19 pm

I am new here and haven't yet made a box but I would like to share with you a wood treatment that I use on my beehives. I am a natural beekeeper and I don't use any chemicals or indeed anything that may harm the bees or taint the honey.
The treatment is a food grade linseed oil (flaxseed) heated to melt in a 5% of beeswax and applied hot. The hot oil carries the wax into the wood. It takes awhile to dry but it will give some protection to the wood and is completely safe as there is nothing nasty that could leach into the growing mixture.

**WardinWake** on 3/24/2010, 2:40 pm

Norm:

Thanks for the heads up on adding beeswax. Last year I used the oil without the wax on the plywood bottom of a Table Top SFG and so far it is working well.

God Bless, Ward.

peppermintpatty on 4/16/2010, 3:35 pm

Hi, Norm. Just read your item on linseed oil and beeswax:

RE:

The treatment is a food grade linseed oil (flaxseed) heated to melt in a 5% of beeswax and applied hot. The hot oil carries the wax into the wood.

What a brilliant idea! I'm very interested in keeping my garden organic and have been wondering about the safety of linseed oil. I'd love to try your method.

Where would I find food grade linseed oil? Is this the same stuff in the hardware stores???

Thanks so much for sharing a great idea.

Happy gardening/beekeeping!

Ages on 4/17/2010, 1:32 pm

Where do you get the beeswax? How do you actually prepare this? And how do you apply it to the wood? Also, I live in a desert climate, many days between 95 and 110 degrees. Will this solution stand that type of heat? Sounds like a great idea if it will hold up under the sun! Smile

Linseed oil & Beeswax wood treatment

Linseed oil & Beeswax wood treatment

Re: Linseed oil & Beeswax wood treatment

Linseed oil/beeswax combo

Re: Linseed oil & Beeswax wood treatment