Langstroth Bee Hive

The langstroth bee hive is a very easy beehive to build. The style of langstroth hive that we will be making will consist of one brood box and two super boxes. We are doing a small hive if you wanted to make a bigger hive you would just add a brood box.

Supplies

Lumber:

1x- 1 in. x 10 in. x 8 ft. Premium Kiln-Dried Square Edge Whitewood Common Board

2x- 1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft. Premium Kiln-Dried Square Edge Whitewood Common Board

2x- Sanded Plywood (Common: 1/2 in. x 2 ft. x 4 ft.; Actual: 0.451 in. x 23.75 in. x 47.75 in.

Tools:

1x- Jig saw

1x- wood glue

1x- miter saw

1x- 80 grit sand paper

1x- router

Step 1: Cutting the Wood for the Brood Box.

Dimensions

Height: 9 ⅝”

Length: 19 ⅜”

Width: 13 ¼”

For the brood box you are going to want to cut two pieces using the 1in. x 10in. piece of common board that are 19 ⅜” long. Using the same 1in. x 10in. piece of lumber you are going to cut two piece that a 13 ¼” long. That is all that you are going to need to cut for the brood box.

Step 2: Cutting the Box Joints

For the box joint you will cut notches out that are 1in long and 3/4in deep. do that with all four board so that the interlock.

Step 3: Step 3: Making the Notches for the Frames

For the frames to sit flush with the the box you will have to make notches. The notch should be 3/8 inches wide and 5/8 inches deep.

Step 4: Step 4: Glueing

To glue the brood box together you want to use wood glue. Align all the planks of wood together and use a carpenter's square to make sure it's even. Once they are glued clamp them in place.

Step 5: Step 5: Making the Super Box

The super is going to be two boxes on top of the brood box. This is wear most of the honey will be collected from.

Step 6: Step 6: Cutting the Wood for the Super Box's

For the super box's you are going to use your 1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft wood plank and cut the pieces of lumber at 19 and 3/8 inches and 13 ¼ inches when using wood that is 1 inch thick. you will need four pieces that arfe 19 and 3/8 inches and four that are 13 1/4 inches.

Step 7: Step 7: Making the Box Joints for the Super Box.

For the box joint you will cut notches out that are 1in long and 3/4in deep. do that with all four board so that the interlock. The is the same thing that we did for the brood box.

Step 8: Step 8: Making the Notches for the Super Box

For the frames to sit flush with the the box you will have to make notches. The notch should be 3/8 inches wide and 5/8 inches deep.

Step 9: Step 9: Glueing

Refer back to step 4

Step 10: Step 13: Making the Base

For this you will want to cut one piece from the plywood that is 22 inches by 18 inches. Then you will cut two pieces that are 22 inches. Then you will cut two pieces that are 17 inches.

Step 11: Step 14: Glueing

Take the 17 inches and glue them inside the bigger pieces. Then glue the 22x18 piece on top of the of the to box and use wood nails on all four corners.

Step 12: Step 15: Making the Top

In this section we are making the top that is going to go on top of the hive. The reason we have this is to protect the bees from the elements.

Step 13: Step 16: Cutting the Pieces for the Topper

For the topper you are going to need a piece of plywood that is 1/2 in thick. The first piece of lumber that you are going to want to cut needs to be 20 1/2 in. x 14 1/2 in. The next two pieces you are going to cut need to be 13 1/2 x 3in. The last two pieces need to be 20 1/2 x 3in.

Step 14: Step 17: Glueing the Topper Together

Glue all the pieces together with the smaller pieces on the inside.

Step 15: Step 18: Burning and Staining

The last step is going to be staining. Take a torch and burn natural designs into everything. After that take polyurethane and a brush and paint three coats on the outside of everything.