To build a double-screened inner cover for a bee hive, first break it down into its individual components The following tables provide instructions on how to cut the individual components for each type of double-screened inner cover: the ten-frame Langstroth hive, the eight-frame Langstroth hive, the nuc hive, and the British National hive.
Lumber in a store is identified by its nominal size, which is its rough dimension before it’s trimmed and sanded to its finished size at the lumber mill. The actual finished dimensions are always slightly different from the nominal dimensions. For example, what a lumberyard calls 5/4 inch by 3 inch lumber is in fact 1-1/8 inch by 2-1/2 inch.
In the following tables, each Material column lists nominal dimensions, and each Dimensions column lists the actual, final measurements.
| Quantity | Material | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 5/4" x 3" clear pine | 19-7/8" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/8" | These are the long rails. Rabbet both sides of the inside edge 1" wide by 1/8" deep. This cut will accommodate the thickness of the hardware cloth. Cut a 2-1/4" x 1" notch at both ends of the long rails. |
| 2 | 5/4" x 3" clear pine | 13-3/4" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/8" | These are the short rails. Rabbet both sides of the inside edge 1" wide by 1/8" deep. This cut will accommodate the thickness of the hardware cloth. Cut a 3" x 1-1/4" x 3/8" entrance notch centered along the edge of one of the short rails. This is most easily done with a chisel or a router if you have one. |
| 2 | #8 hardware cloth | 17-1/4" x 13-1/2" | This is the screened top and bottom. |
![[Credit: Illustration by Felix Freudzon, Freudzon Design]](https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/357020.image0.png)
Credit: Illustration by Felix Freudzon, Freudzon Design
![[Credit: Illustration by Felix Freudzon, Freudzon Design]](https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/357021.image1.jpg)
Credit: Illustration by Felix Freudzon, Freudzon Design
| Quantity | Material | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 5/4" x 3" clear pine | 19-7/8" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/8" | These are the long rails. Rabbet both sides of the inside edge 1" wide by 1/8" deep. This cut will accommodate the thickness of the hardware cloth. Cut a 2-1/4" x 1" notch at both ends of the long rails. |
| 2 | 5/4" x 3" clear pine | 11-1/4" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/8" | These are the short rails. Rabbet both sides of the inside edge 1" wide by 1/8" deep. This cut will accommodate the thickness of the hardware cloth. Cut a 3" x 1-1/4" x 3/8" entrance notch centered along the edge of one of the short rails. This is most easily done with a chisel or a router if you have one. |
| 2 | #8 hardware cloth | 11" x 17-1/4" | This is the screened top and bottom. |
| Quantity | Material | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 5/4" x 3" clear pine | 19-7/8" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/8" | These are the long rails. Rabbet both sides of the inside edge 1" wide by 1/8" deep. This cut will accommodate the thickness of the hardware cloth. Cut a 2-1/4" x 1" notch at both ends of the long rails. |
| 2 | 5/4" x 3" clear pine | 6-1/2" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/8" | These are the short rails. Rabbet both sides of the inside edge 1" wide by 1/8" deep. This cut will accommodate the thickness of the hardware cloth. Cut a 3" x 1-1/4" x 3/8" entrance notch centered along the edge of one of the short rails. This is most easily done with a chisel or a router if you have one. |
| 2 | #8 hardware cloth | 6-1/4" x 17-1/4" | This is the screened top and bottom. |
| Quantity | Material | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 5/4" x 3" clear pine | 18-1/8" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/8" | These are the long rails. Rabbet both sides of the inside edge 1" wide by 1/8" deep. This cut will accommodate the thickness of the hardware cloth. Cut a 2-1/4" x 1" notch at both ends of the long rails. |
| 2 | 5/4" x 3" clear pine | 15-5/8" x 2-1/4" x 1-1/8" | These are the short rails. Rabbet both sides of the inside edge 1" wide by 1/8" deep. This cut will accommodate the thickness of the hardware cloth. Cut a 3" x 1-1/4" x 3/8" entrance notch centered along the edge of one of the short rails. This is most easily done with a chisel or a router if you have one. |
| 2 | #8 hardware cloth | 15-1/2" x 15-1/2" | This is the screened top and bottom. |