Lesson 19: Frames, Foundation and Getting Equipment Ready
Putting hives together so they last for years
Your hive will sit outside in sun, rain and cold for many years. A little care when you buy and assemble it pays off in boxes that stay square, frames that don't fall apart, and combs the bees build straight.
Three ways to get a hive
| Option | Cost | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-assembled (sometimes already painted, with frames) | Most expensive | Easiest |
| Knock-down kit: pre-cut parts you nail together | Moderate | Goes together quickly |
| Build your own from lumber | Can be cheapest | Most work; must be exact |
If you build your own, use precise plans and copy the standard dimensions exactly so you keep bee space (lesson 18). Never use treated lumber for bee hives.
Frames are cheap to buy and very time-consuming to make, so most beekeepers buy them.
New or used equipment?
New beekeepers shouldn't buy used equipment, and especially not equipment with an unknown history. The spores of some very contagious bee diseases, such as American foulbrood (lesson 58), can be in old equipment without any sign you'd notice. Be wary of buying homemade hives, too, unless you know they were built to standard dimensions. (Some states also restrict bringing used equipment across state lines; lesson 4.)
Assembling boxes
- Glue every joint with a strong waterproof glue, and nail it. The glue is stronger than the nails.
- Boxes with interlocking corners (finger or rabbet joints) hold together best. Wood swells and shrinks outdoors for years, and simple butt joints pull apart and leave gaps.
- Check that each box sits square and level before the glue sets.
Assembling frames
A frame has a top bar, two end bars and a bottom bar.
- Glue every joint and nail it, including the nail through the top bar into each end bar (a commonly forgotten one).
- Always use the frame style the supplier recommends for your foundation, because each kind of foundation is held in the frame differently.
Choosing foundation
Foundation is the sheet in the middle of the frame, pressed with a hexagon pattern so bees build straight comb on it (lesson 17).
| Type | Good points | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| Beeswax, wired (wire-reinforced or "crimped-wire") | Natural; bees accept it readily; wire gives strength | Easily ruined by wax moths or small hive beetles; damaged comb means new foundation |
| Beeswax, unwired | Natural; used for comb honey | Weak; needs careful handling |
| Plastic | Stiff, strong combs; reusable after pests damage the comb (scrape, re-wax, give back) | Some beekeepers consider it unnatural; bees accept it more slowly unless it has plenty of wax on it |
Tip for plastic foundation: it rarely comes with enough wax. Brushing on a little extra melted beeswax helps the bees accept it faster.
Some beekeepers also use foundationless frames and let the bees build their own comb. There's no single "best" choice; it's largely a matter of opinion.
Getting bees to draw good comb
When you give bees new foundation to build on, put all 10 frames in the box, pressed tightly together in the middle. If the frames are spaced out (for example 9 frames in a 10-frame box), the gaps are too wide and the bees may build crooked comb, or even comb running across the frames.
Once the comb is fully drawn, some beekeepers take out one frame and space nine evenly in honey supers. The bees draw those combs deeper, which makes uncapping easier at harvest. Don't do this in brood boxes, where it just means fewer cells for the queen to lay in.
Weatherproofing
- Paint the outside of every box, lid and bottom board with a primer and a couple of coats of good exterior paint (latex or oil-based are both fine). Bees don't care what color it is.
- Don't paint the inside of boxes or lids. The bees coat inside surfaces with propolis, which protects them.
- Some people paint all surfaces of the bottom board, because it sits close to the ground and gets damp.
- Hives made of naturally weather-resistant wood such as cypress or cedar may not need paint.
What to remember
- Buy new equipment as a beginner; used equipment can carry disease.
- Glue and nail every joint of boxes and frames.
- Match frames to your foundation type; add extra wax to plastic foundation.
- Ten frames tight together when bees are drawing new comb.
- Prime and paint the outside only; never use treated lumber.
Quick check
- Why shouldn't a beginner buy used hives from someone they don't know?
- What's one advantage of plastic foundation?
- Why put all 10 frames in the box when bees are drawing new foundation?
Show answers
1. Old equipment can carry the spores of contagious diseases like American foulbrood without any visible sign. 2. It's strong and reusable: damaged comb can be scraped off and the foundation re-waxed. 3. Wider gaps between foundation sheets lead to crooked comb or comb built across the frames.
Adapted from: University of Arkansas, Complete Beekeeping Short Course, Part 2: The Bee Hive (slides and "Beekeeping Woodenware" handout); Mississippi State University Extension, Beginning Beekeeping in Mississippi (P3594); UGA Bee Program, Getting Started: Beekeeping Equipment; Delaplane, K. S., Honey Bees and Beekeeping (UGA Extension Bulletin 1045, rev. 2017).
Adapted from university Extension sources. Experienced Georgia beekeepers are reviewing these lessons. See something that doesn't match your experience? Tell us.