Top Bar Hive Roof Plans

Top bar hives are always rectangular in shape and are typically more than twice as wide as many story framed hives.

Top bar hive roof plans.

Using wood glue or melted beeswax for a nontoxic option fasten the foundation into the grooves. Top bar hives are perfect for small scale beekeeping or hobbyist who doesn t want to lift more than 40lbs. It features individual bars laid across the top of the hive cavity. Warre hives are the middle ground between langstroth and top bar.

Each top bar is laid across the hive with one end at the front of the box and the other at the back. Generally the bars are a wooden wedge or strip with a guide to ensure combs hang straight. In the design described here. Your top bar hive needs some type of roof to go over the flat lid of the hive.

The bees will build their comb onto this foundation which will hang down into the body of the hive. Many beekeepers will use top bars that have a small comb guide hanging down. Place a strip of bee foundation inside each of the top bar grooves. Mar 22 2015 beehive design plans special projects uncategorized woodworking here s a how to video on building a new top bar beehive using thermally treated poplar.

It is often recommended that the hive body has sloping sides reflecting the shape of naturally made comb so that the bees are less likely to attach comb to the sides of the hive. The bees build their comb down from these bars naturally without the use of a 4 sided frame or foundation. Top bar hives allow beekeeping methods that interfere much less with the bee colony allowing it to be more natural. A top bar.

The number of top bars the hive will accommodate varies with the width of the box but as a reference a 42 box will use 28 top bars. A top bar hive comprises a hive body top bars and roof. The colorado top bar beehive. The top bar hive is the oldest and most commonly used hive style in the world.

With a top bar hive the combs can become very soft and fragile if the hive is overheating. Now let s begin with the first beehive plans. You can also print the complete design plans and parts list which is posted below to build your own hive.