How to Make a Homemade Beekeeping Hive

The rewards of beekeeping go beyond gathering your own honey. Having bees around to pollinate fruit plants makes the plants produce more fruit and, with the population decline due to colony collapse disorder, keeping bees helps increase the healthy bee population. To keep the costs of starting your beekeeping project low, consider building your own hive. The project described below uses only a few pieces of lumber, some glue and a few finishing nails.

Things You'll Need

  • 1-inch-by-12-inch piece of untreated lumber, 10-feet long
  • 1-inch-by-8-inch piece of untreated lumber, 10-feet long
  • 2-inch-by-2-inch piece of untreated lumber, 6-feet long
  • Measuring tape
  • Pencil
  • Carpenter's square
  • Saw
  • Wood glue
  • Finishing nails
  • White paint
  • Paintbrush
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure out, cut and label the 1-inch-by-12-inch board into the following lengths:

      two 21-3/4-inch-by-9-inch pieces. (label these pieces T1, B1),

      two 19-1/8-inch--by-9-inch pieces (label this BS),

      two 16-1/4-inch-by-9-inch pieces (BE),

      four 21-3/4-inch-by-3/4-inch pieces (T3, T3, B3, B3),

      two 16-1/4-inch-by-3/4-inch pieces (B4, T4)

      one 14-1/2-inch-by-3/4-inch piece (B6).

      Use the carpenter's square to make straight lines and cut with a hand or power saw.

    • 2

      Measure out, cut and label the 1-inch-by-8-inch board into the following lengths:

      two 21-3/4-inch-by- 6-1/2-inch pieces (T2, B2),

      two 19-1/8-inch-by-6-1/2-inch pieces (SS),

      two 16-1/4-inch-by-6-1/2-inch pieces (SE).

      Use the carpenter's square to make straight lines and cut with a hand or power saw.

    • 3

      Measure, cut and label the 2-inch-by-2-inch lumber into four 16-1/4-inch lengths (T5, T5, B5, B5).

    • 4

      Assemble the top by laying the pieces labeled T1 and T2 with their long side next to each other. Use a line of glue and finishing nails to attach the T4 piece across the boards at one end, and the two T3 pieces along the outer edge. Turn the top over and attach two T5 pieces, one at either end of the top; one will be under the T4 piece.

    • 5

      Assemble the shallow super by forming a rectangle. The two SE pieces will make-up the ends and the SS pieces will make-up the sides. Once you assemble these four pieces, attach another SE piece over the first SE piece at each end. This makes the shallow super sturdier.

    • 6

      Assemble the brood box in a manner similar to the shallow super. Use two BE pieces at each end, and the BS pieces to make the sides.

    • 7

      Assemble the bottom of your hive by laying the pieces labeled B1 and B2 with their long side next to each other. Use a line of glue and finishing nails to attach the B4 and B6 pieces across the boards at either end. Then attach the two B3 pieces along the outer edge. Turn the bottom over and attach the B5 pieces, one at either end of the bottom.

    • 8

      Allow the glue to dry thoroughly. Paint the outside of the hive pieces white and allow the paint to dry. When you stack the hive place the bottom first, then the brood box on top of that, then the shallow super and then put on the top.