Build Your Own Beehive

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With minor variations, your homemade beehive should look something like this.
With minor variations, your homemade beehive should look something like this.

Keeping bees is a good, sure way to put some extra money in your pocket, pollen in your plants, and honey in your cupboard. You can certainly purchase all the equipment you’ll need, but some of you more hands-on folk may prefer to build your own beehive(s). Not only will this save you some dough, it’ll also give you a close-up look at the inner workings of the place your bees will call home. (See our beehive construction diagram.)

All items within this set of plans are built with 3/4″ board. The type of wood is really not all that important. I generally use the cheapest I can find, so long as the wood is solid and without cracks.

It is extremely important to make sure all eight corners of each super are matched up before driving any nails. After glue is applied and the joints are slipped together, match up each corner one-by-one, and drive in the nail closest to the matched corner to hold it in place while you nail the remainder of the joint. This is especially necessary if working with slightly warped or cupped boards. With perfectly straight boards, there is generally no problem.

When nailing the top corners of the supers, be sure to place the corner nail down low enough so that it does not go into the rabbet joint instead of the wood itself.

  • Published on Feb 1, 1999
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