It is important to protect the timber of your hive to ensure its longevity. We recommend painting all Araucaria hives and all roofs with at least two coats of good quality outdoor paint. Western Red Cedar Many beekeepers use oils such as Tung oil or Linseed, to treat their cedar timber components, however, when finishing with oils in wet climates, mildew (black mould) can grow on the surface of your hive. This will not affect the structural integrity of your hive and should not have any impact