Home >> Science & Nature >> Insects & Science

How to Build Beekeeping Boxes

Beekeeping is a fun and interesting hobby, and you can build your own bee hives and boxes if you are handy with woodworking. The most important thing is that the measurements of the box are precise, because bees need a certain amount of space or else they will react unfavorably. If there is too little space, they will fill it with propolis, also called bee glue, which they use to fill cracks. If there is too much space, they will fill it with wax (burr comb) which will prevent the removal of the frames to extract the honey.

Things You'll Need

Any kind of 3/4-inch lumber (for cutting into narrow strips)
3/4-inch plywood (for lids and bottoms of box parts)
1/4-inch plywood (for lids and bottoms of box parts)
6d galvanized nails
Tin
Table saw
Frames to go inside box where bees will make the honey (see Resources Section)

Instructions

- 1
  Build the telescoping cover (this is the lid that goes on top of the hive and protects it from weather). Cut two pieces of 3/4 inch wood twenty-one and 3/4 inches by two and 1/4 inches, and two pieces eighteen and 1/8 inches by two and 1/4 inches. Assemble into a rectangle and nail corners together. Cut a piece of 3/4-inch plywood twenty-one and 3/4 by eighteen and 1/8 inches for the top and cover this with tin. Nail to the rectangle sides.
- 2
  Build the inner cover. Cut two pieces of wood nineteen and 7/8 inches by 5/8-inch, and two pieces sixteen and 1/4 inches by 5/8-inch. Form into a rectangle and nail corners. Cut a cover from 1/4-inch plywood: nineteen and 7/8 by sixteen and 1/4 inches. Cut a hole in this piece one and 1/4 by three and 1/2 inches. This is the ventilation hole. Attach this flat piece to the top of the nineteen and 7/8 by sixteen and 1/4-inch rectangle.
- 3
  Build the honey super. This is the part that will collect extra honey and fits on top of the deep hive body. (The deep hive body is the part of the hive where the bees do their work. Instructions for it are coming up in the next step.) Cut two pieces of wood nineteen and 7/8 by five and 11/16 inches, and sixteen and 1/4 inches by five and 11/16 inches. Attach a 3/4 inch by two inch by sixteen and 1/4 inch cleat (a rectangular piece of wood) to the middle of one of the shorter sides for a handle.
- 4
  Build the deep hive body, also sometimes called the deep. This is the part that will hold the frames. Cut two pieces of wood nineteen and 7/8 by nine and 5/8 inches, and two pieces sixteen and 1/4 by nine and 5/8 inches. Attach a 3/4 by two by sixteen and 1/4 inch cleat near the top of one of the shorter sides for a handle.
- 5
  Build the bottom board. This is the bottom of the hive or box. Cut two pieces of wood twenty-two inches by one and 7/8 inches, and two pieces sixteen and 1/4 by one and 7/8 inches. Assemble into a rectangle and nail the corners together. This piece also has a cover of 3/4-inch plywood measuring twenty-two by sixteen and 1/4 inches.
- 6
  Assemble the hive or box from top to bottom in the order of the steps. Insert purchased frames (see Resources Section) into the deep hive body with 3/8 of an inch between them to allow the bees to move around them.

Insects & Science