# Sturdy & Useful Hive Stand



## Goodlife Bee Co (Jun 29, 2015)

Here's a hive stand I made that's very sturdy. You can hang your frames on the side when doing inspections and put your top cover in the middle when opening a hive. Here are the dimensions:
2 - 5ft long 2x4
6 - 18in long 2x4 for inner spacers and legs
4 - 18-20in long 2x4 cut at a 15 degree angle. 

I put the 2 inner 18in 2x4 6 inches in from the ends and then spaced the other 2 to fit either an 8 frame or 10 frame hive. Your choice. I would suggest putting some plywood in the middle to set your smoker or other tools on. The picture doesn't show it but I also put a metal D-Loop on each side of the 18in braces where the hives sit so I can strap down the whole hive to the stand with ratchet straps (we get some nasty straight line winds here in Nebraska when storm fronts come through!). The other thing I did when i got it out to the field was put a fence post on each side so it wouldn't tip over if we did get 40-50mph winds. Be sure to use treated lumber at least for the legs. Probably wouldn't hurt to paint it either. All in all it cost me approximately $15-$20 from Home Depot. You need 1 10ft 2x4 & 2 8ft 2x4. Use 2.5in Galvanized deck screws.

Feel Free to ask me any questions or comment on additions for improvements. It sure did save my back and put my mind at ease when we get spring storms.


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## Westhill (Jul 26, 2012)

Wow, nice work! Thanks for sharing, I'm saving your post.


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## BeeMoose (Oct 19, 2013)

I have been making single hive stands for the last couple of years, but I like your idea. I also like the fact that yours will also act as a frame holder on the end.

Thanks for sharing it.

Dave


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## Goodlife Bee Co (Jun 29, 2015)

Thanks! I find it easier to level this double hive stand vs trying to level a single hive stand.


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## BeeAttitudes (Dec 6, 2014)

Mine are similar but I use concrete blocks for legs. Nice.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

I'll be curious to hear how long the wood lasts if you put them in contact with the dirt. I use cinder blocks and then some older 4x6" beams that came in the house we bought. Cinder blocks for single hives otherwise.


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## LeifLiberty (Sep 23, 2014)

Is it made so that the hives are flat and square or do they pitch the hive opening slightly lower than the back of the hive? (To help water drain out the hive opening...)


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## Goodlife Bee Co (Jun 29, 2015)

LeifLiberty, it's designed to sit flat on a flat surface, but a suggestion someone made on Facebook was to put a brick under each leg to subside the "rot" with being in direct contact with dirt. We all know the earth isn't exactly level so it's easier to add a brick or a 1x4 under the back side to give both hives that drainage effect. I'll be curious to see If this helps them winter better or not.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

I really like the look of that. I've got some made from steel, as I'm in that line of work, but they cost much more than yours did.

I'm not trying to rain on your project, but be aware that pressure treated 2x lumber in the past has not been rated for direct ground contact. I don't know if that still applies to the newer method of treatment but it was that way in the past. I haven't read a tag since they changed from CCA.


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## LeifLiberty (Sep 23, 2014)

I would worry about poisoning the bees with pressure treated wood. Perhaps composite decking would be an alternative. (I am sure more expensive.)

Also I have wondered why solid bottom boards are not set at a grade where it is inside the hive, for drainage. Then drainage could be assured, the grade could be higher and the hives could be made to sit flat and square.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Too tall for me...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm#hivestand


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Too tall for me too...
Too much work...


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

odfrank said:


> Too tall for me too...
> Too much work...


Don't listen to Ollie, he's a short little fella so ANY hive stand would be too tall. Also, not everyone has a five million dollar shop complete with a huge concrete pad to place their hives on.


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## Goodlife Bee Co (Jun 29, 2015)

Haha! You guys are too funny. Yea I built these because we have varmints like skunks and *****, also I was tired of setting my tools on the ground, frames full of bees on the ground, and my hives are out in the "wild". I needed something that worked for all of the above and that I can strap my hives down due to high winds. The drainage issue can be solved by elevating the back legs with a brick, or just make those legs an inch or so longer. Pretty easy fix if you make one.


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## Agis Apiaries (Jul 22, 2014)

We just use concrete blocks. Gets the hives up off the ground for small varmints and snow accumulation in the winter months, and allows us to be able to stand at the sides of the hives for inspections, which is where we like to be.


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## hisnibs (May 13, 2015)

I like the hive stand. I have decided to build it or two tomorrow if it is not raining. I may make some additions to enhance photography of the bees. The biggest things I have to solve for is ants, so I will look for options at the imagination store, Lowes on the legs.


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## Capphd (May 20, 2013)

We have a friend in the scaffold building business. He made these from some rejected scaffolds he had. Great stands.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

odfrank said:


> Too tall for me too...
> Too much work...


What Ollie doesn't show you is this hive stand he created using a bucket. I think even this hive stand would be too tall for him. Ollie's so short that when he farts, he gets sand in his socks!


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

No offense Goodlife, but personally, I think 2x4 are too wimpy to use as stands. I use 4x4 as legs (vertically), and 2x6 as cross members. I don't like to rebuild stuff and want things to last. 

Regarding height, most of my stands are 18" off the ground. I don't like to kneel on the ground to work bees. Perhaps I'd feel different if I had a nice concrete pad to work on..., but here in chigger/tick country I want some separation.


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## jjohnsind (Apr 24, 2014)

For about $15 in supplies, I built this stand. Very sturdy and I'm convinced it will outlast the hive bodies. I got the plans here: http://www.littlehouseonthebighill.com/beekeeping/index.php?detail=95 with the only change I made was using 1X6's instead of the 1X4's & 2 1/2 " galvanized wood deck screws instead of the lag bolts.


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## Charlie B (May 20, 2011)

Just finished another ant proof hive stand for a buddy of mine.


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## Faith Apiaries (Apr 28, 2015)

jjohnsind said:


> For about $15 in supplies, I built this stand. Very sturdy and I'm convinced it will outlast the hive bodies. I got the plans here: http://www.littlehouseonthebighill.com/beekeeping/index.php?detail=95 with the only change I made was using 1X6's instead of the 1X4's & 2 1/2 " galvanized wood deck screws instead of the lag bolts.
> 
> View attachment 19833
> 
> ...


That looks like a really nice, and strong, stand. You must not have the wind that we have here. If my hive were five deeps tall and on a stand like that, it would be horizontal in a couple days.

I just built a stand, not dissimilar to yours but it has some differences. 2"x6" construction with 4"x4" posts but the posts are 24" to 30" in the ground. The stand is long, to support four hives with 18" spacing, six legs are used to prevent sagging in the center. Everything is pressure treated lumber. I too hate rebuilding things.

I have a second identical stand ready to install but I have to move the four hives onto the first one before I can dig holes for the second one. Thankfully my 12" backhoe serves perfectly for this project.


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## jjohnsind (Apr 24, 2014)

I have heard the option of making the legs longer and sinking them in a hole filled with quickrete. The stand itself is very heavy and the little pieces of wood you see screwed to the sides and back help brace in the hive. I believe I made mine 16 inches tall (to make full use of a 6ft 4X4), but it probably would be easier to to look inside the top super if I had it maybe a few inches shorter. I've always heard to elevate ~ 16" off the ground for skunks & possums - not sure if that's an urban myth but I went with it anyways.


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