{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/ef\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-12-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-12-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/ef\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-12-Version-2.jpg\/aid1517789-v4-728px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-12-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 1 Purchase your supplies. You have three choices when it comes to getting a honey bee box: buy a complete box for a lot of money, buy separate parts and put them together for less money, or build all your parts from scratch and save over 50% of your money. Regardless of which option you choose, you should always purchase your supplies from an esteemed bee seller. Buying cheap supplies not only will not last very long, it may also cause damage to your bees (and your honey!). Always use untreated wood - typically pine or cedar. [7]

None of the boxes/supers have bottoms, so you’ll only need to purchase enough wood to create the outer edges for you multiple supers.

Some supplies - like your frames and the outer lid - can’t be made easily, and you’ll have to buckle down and purchase them. You have three choices when it comes to getting a honey bee box: buy a complete box for a lot of money, buy separate parts and put them together for less money, or build all your parts from scratch and save over 50% of your money. Regardless of which option you choose, you should always purchase your supplies from an esteemed bee seller. Buying cheap supplies not only will not last very long, it may also cause damage to your bees (and your honey!).

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f0\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-13-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-13-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f0\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-13-Version-2.jpg\/aid1517789-v4-728px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-13-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 2 Build your deep supers. There will be 2 short sides that are 16.25-by-9.56 inches (41.28-by-24.28 cm) and 2 long sides that are 20-by-9.56 inches (50.8-by-24.28 cm). All 4 sides will have tongue-and-groove or dovetailed ends. Cut your wood to meet these measurements, and create the proper joints along the edges.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-14-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-14-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a1\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-14-Version-2.jpg\/aid1517789-v4-728px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-14-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 3 Build your honey supers. The size of your honey supers will vary depending on if you desire ‘shallow’ or ‘medium’ supers. The length/width of your honey supers will be the same as your deep supers (long side: 20-by-your height of 5.75 or 6.625 inches, short side: 16.25-by-height of 5.75 or 6.625 inches). The height will vary. For a shallow super, your box should be 5¾-inches high; a medium super will be 6⅝-inches high. Just like the deep super, use a tongue-and-groove or dovetailed joint on the edges.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d2\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d2\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/aid1517789-v4-728px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 4 Assemble your supers. Use waterproof wood glue to put your supers together. Put a small dab of the glue on each of the interlocking joints, and slide the slats into place to form your boxes. Then, use a system of vices to hold the boxes in place while the glue dries. When the glue has completed drying, use a few small nails to finish off building your supers.[8] Use waterproof wood glue to put your supers together. Put a small dab of the glue on each of the interlocking joints, and slide the slats into place to form your boxes. Then, use a system of vices to hold the boxes in place while the glue dries. When the glue has completed drying, use a few small nails to finish off building your supers.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4a\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-16-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4a\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/aid1517789-v4-728px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-16-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 5 Buy or build the bottom board with an entrance reducer. The bottom board is the first layer of your box and is just a flat piece of wood with raised edges. The board will be the same length/width of the supers, but the height of the edges is only .375-inches high. Attached to the front is the entrance reducer; the entrance reducer needs to be .75 inches (1.91 cm) for the summer entrance and .38 inches (.95 cm) for the winter entrance. Entrances that are larger may encourage an infestation of rodents.

Some commercially bought bases are reversible for the correct seasonal entrance. This reduces the cost of the setup as well as circumventing the need for the storage of 1 base during the off-season. The bottom board is the first layer of your box and is just a flat piece of wood with raised edges. The board will be the same length/width of the supers, but the height of the edges is only .375-inches high. Attached to the front is the entrance reducer; the entrance reducer needs to be .75 inches (1.91 cm) for the summer entrance and .38 inches (.95 cm) for the winter entrance.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4a\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-17-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-17-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4a\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-17-Version-2.jpg\/aid1517789-v4-728px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-17-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 6 Paint the exposed parts of your box. Although you don’t have to paint your box, many beekeepers prefer to paint the exposed parts of the box white in order to reflect sunlight. If you decide to do so, use a white, non-toxic outdoor paint which will withstand the weather. Never paint inside the supers though, as this can be harmful to the bees and your honey.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9b\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-18-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-18-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9b\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-18-Version-2.jpg\/aid1517789-v4-728px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-18-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 7 Buy an excluder for your bee box. This fits on the top inside of the deep super and prevents the queen from moving into the honey supers. This is an item that can’t be made at home, and will have to be purchased for your box.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1e\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-19-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-19-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1e\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-19-Version-2.jpg\/aid1517789-v4-728px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-19-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 8 Buy your covers for the box. There are two covers that are required for your honey bee box: the inner cover, and the outer cover. The inner cover is wood and has a hole at the top as an entrance, while the outer cover is metal and covers the top of the box. The outer cover should telescope out over the sides of the hive bodies and fit snugly.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/79\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-20-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-20-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/79\/Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-20-Version-2.jpg\/aid1517789-v4-728px-Make-a-Honey-Bee-Box-Step-20-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 9 Get the frames for your supers. The frames are the portions of the box that the bees use to form their hive and wax. You can’t really make your own frames, unless you go through a long process of assembling the wire/foundation (which beginners shouldn’t do). Frames are made out of both wood and plastic, but both serve the same purpose. You’ll need 10 frames for each deep super, and 6-8 frames depending on the size of each of your honey supers. Slide these into each super vertically until they lock into place.