10 Frame Langstroth Beehive Plans – Guide Step by Step

Beekeeping with Langstroth beehives produces high honey production and simplifies beehive upkeep. Beekeepers that use Langstroth beehives have the choice of purchasing a hive and maybe assembling it themselves, or they can build one. This article explains how to construct a 10 frame Langstroth beehive. It also discusses the advantages of utilizing a Langstroth beehive in beekeeping.

Consider the following

Building your own Langstroth beehive necessitates paying close attention to the most crucial aspects of the beehive design. The outer cover, inner cover, hive bodies, frames, and bottom cover are all examples. If you make a mistake in any of these critical areas, your hive will not produce satisfactory results when utilized to house bees.

Other beehive qualities to consider are water tightness and not allowing light inside the beehive. This means that there should be no cracks on the sides of the beehive.

Frames in a Langstroth beehive are an important element to consider. The frames should be easily movable and should not be crammed within the individual compartments. The ease with which the frames can be removed and separated from all neighboring beehive pieces is critical to the successful operation of your Langstroth beehive.

Types of wood used to build a Langstroth beehive

Wood is used to construct the best Langstroth beehives. This is due to bees’ predilection for wooden beehives, which are more reflective of their natural habitat. You have the option of employing various types of wood in your construction.

  • Pine wood

Pine is the most commonly used wood for Langstroth beehives. It is inexpensive and simple to use. Pine wood can be both knotty and clear. Clear pine wood is easier to deal with, but it is more expensive than knotty pine wood. Langstroth beehives built of pine wood require protection with exterior polyurethane or a couple of coats of outdoor-quality paint.

  • Cypress wood

When constructing a Langstroth beehive, cypress is an excellent choice. It contains natural oil, which preserves the wood. It is also naturally antimicrobial and repellent to mold and insects. Cypress also gives beautiful beehives that are aesthetically pleasing.

  • Cedar wood

The cedars are a lovely wood with a pleasant aroma. It does not warp or decay easily. Beehives built of Cedar wood are resistant to insect infestation. Unfortunately, Cedar is more expensive than most other wood varieties. You can either paint or leave your Cedar beehive untreated so it weathers to a light gray tint.

  • Spruce and Fir wood

Spruce and fir are both stud woods. They are not suitable for the beehive’s exterior but are ideal for beehive frames.

10 frame langstroth beehive dimensions

The total height of 10-frame Langstroth beehives is less than that of 8-frame beehives. They also provide bees with two additional frames of honey or brood room in each box. The 10 frame hives allow for a less number of boxes to be set up in the apiary.

10-frame beehive boxes, on the other hand, are heavier than 8-frame beehive boxes. Bees do not always use the two extra frames on each end of the beehive boxes. Lifting big deep boxes poses a major danger of injury to beekeepers.

When you build a Langstroth beehive, there are standard lengths and widths that you should apply. Standard size of 10 frame langstroth beehive is follow:

  • Depth of a deep hive box is 240 mm.
  • Interior length of a deep hive box is 470 mm.
  • Width of the 10-frame deep hive box is 370 mm.

Frames for Langstroth beehives have the following measurements depending on the size and depth of both they will be used in:

  • Deep hive box frames measure 480 mm in length, are 230 mm deep and are 35 mm wide.
  • Medium hive box frames are 480 mm long, 160 mm deep and 35 mm wide.
  • Shallow hive box frames are 480 mm long, 140 mm deep and 35 mm wide.

Step by step instructions for making a 10 frame beehive

  • Step 1: Tools and materials

Tools: Hammer (and finishing nails), sand paper, Dremel, Wood Glue, Wood Rasp, Square, Hand Saw, Yard Stick.

Materials: Queen Excluder, 1/8″ Hardware Cloth, 10- Deep Super Frames, 10- Medium Super Frames.

  • Step 2: Cut and construct the supers

Check the proportions in the pictures and build your hive accordingly. Before proceeding to the following step, double-check that everything is aligned and square. A wood rasp and sand paper came in handy for fine-tuning any erroneous cuts. Before nailing my frames together, you can use a cinder block to keep them square.

Next, build a 1×2 support arm and secure it with nails or wood screws. These are necessary since the honey super can be heavy when full of honey (50 – 80 lbs.).

  • Step 3: Cut a notch in the top of each box

Each super has ten frames. You should place the frames flat to allow another bee box to be added on top. To accomplish this, cut a notch into the top of each super.

Measure 3/8″ in from the inside edge and make a mark. Measure 5/8″ down from the inside edge and make a mark. Using these lines as a guide, cut a notch. I did this with a dremel and a cutting wheel. Use a wood rasp and sand paper to smooth off any rough edges.

  • Step 4: Beehive base

First you need to make the base by building the outer frame, then nail a piece of plywood to the frame. While nailing the frame together, use a cinder block to keep the corners straight. Then, using the frame, outline the required size of plywood.

Next, you will cut the plywood out and nail it to the frame. While hammering the nails into the frame, use a few nails on the inside of the frame to support the board. Cut a square hole in the baseboard and pin a 1/8″ piece of stiff fabric to the board to increase ventilation. This will prevent bees from escaping but allow ticks to get through.

  • Step 5: 10 frames

Make or purchase frames for each box. Some of them include their own honeycomb foundations, which aid in the formation of a straight comb by the bees.

  • Step 6: Inner cover

The inner cover is constructed similarly to the bottom panel, with the exception of an open vent hole in the center of the panel. It is constructed of a frame (16 1/4″ x 20″ x 3/4″) and a board (1/4″ thick) that is centered within the frame. Cut a 1 1/8″ x 3 3/4″ lengthwise hole in the center of the wood. By laying the board on a nail and nailing it to the frame, you may center it. Please remove the remaining nails after the board and frame stick together.

  • Step 7: Outer cover

The outer cover rests on top of the inner cover. It has a frame (17.5″ x 22″ x 3″), a cover that fits precisely on top of the frame, and a metal roof that wraps over the top cover. For the cover, you can use aluminum sheet metal, galvanized steel, or foil tape.

  • Step 8: Prime and paint

You do not have to paint your beehive, but you should give it a coat of primer to protect it from the elements. On all outside surfaces, apply an exterior oil-based primer. Finish with a coat of paint in the color of your choice. Most people paint their hives white to keep them as cold as possible, but this is optional.

  • Step 9: Adding bees to a Langstroth beehive

After you have built a Langstroth hive, you will need to bring in bees. You can get bees for a new hive by one of two methods: buy bees or get bees from a hive that you share with other beekeepers. You can also capture a swarm and place them in a new hive. However, for the best results, you should rely on experienced beekeepers who understand how to create an effective swarm.

Conclusion

Building your own beehive is a really rewarding project. It is doable for both professional beekeepers and beginners in the DIY spirit. You do not need to be a very skilled woodworker, you just need to prepare all the necessary tools and pay attention to the standard size of the type of nest you want to build.