Beekeeping For Dummies
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An elevated hive stand is exactly what it sounds like: an item you use to hold a beehive off the ground. Many beekeepers put all of their hives on this kind of stand.

The figure shows plans to help you build your own elevated hive stand. The dimensions of this stand are ideal for a Langstroth hive (eight or ten frames), a Warre hivé, or to hold a couple of five‐frame nuc (nucleus colony) hives. The generous top surface not only accommodates the hive, but there’s some extra surface area to place your smoker, tools, and the frames you remove for inspection.

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Building materials list

The table lists what you need to build this elevated hive stand.
Building Materials for Elevated Hive Stand
Lumber Hardware Fasteners
2–8' lengths of 1" x 6" cedar or pine lumber Optional: weatherproof wood glue 30–6 x 2" deck screws, galvanized ­flat-head Phillips with coarse thread and sharp point
1–8' length of 4" x 4" cedar posts Optional: a pint of exterior latex or oil paint, exterior polyurethane, or marine varnish to protect the wood from the weather

Cut list

This section breaks down the elevated hive stand into its individual components, and the table provides instructions on how to cut and assemble those components.
Hive Stand Cut-and-Assemble Instructions
Quantity Material Dimensions Notes
4 4" x 4" cedar posts 12-1/4" x 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" These are the leg posts of the stand. Rabbet 5-1/2" by 3/4" deep along one end of the post (this rabbet accommodates the narrow sides of the stand).
4 1 x 6 of cedar or pine 24" x 5-1/2" x 3/4" These are the long sides of the stand and wide struts for the top.
2 1 x 6 of cedar or pine 24" x 2" x 3/4" These are the narrow struts for the top.
2 1 x 6 of cedar or pine 22-1/2" x 5-1/2" x 3/4" These are the short sides of the stand.

You can adjust the stand’s height to suit your needs by adjusting the length of the 4‐inch-by-4‐inch cedar posts. Longer legs result in less bending over during inspections. But keep in mind that the higher the stand, the higher your honey supers will be, potentially making it more difficult to lift the heavy, honey‐laden supers off the hive.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

C. Marina Marchese is an author, beekeeper, and honey sensory expert. She is also the founder of the American Honey Tasting Society and the Red Bee ® brand.

Howland Blackiston is the bestselling author of Beekeeping For Dummies and Building Beehives For Dummies, and founding board member and past president of Con­necticut’s Back Yard Beekeepers Association.

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