Quick Beehive Stand Using Cinder Blocks & Posts

by Texas Homesteader ~

Sometimes you need a quick hive stand that you can construct quickly. Maybe you’ve captured a swarm and you need a hive stand NOW!

We’re using concrete cinder blocks & 4×4 posts to make a beehive stand in just 5 minutes. Come see how easy it is!

Be sure to check out the full Beekeeping Series at the bottom of this post. There are links to all our beekeeping articles, including:

…and much MORE!

But now, let’s talk about elevating those hives off the ground. We need hive stands upon which to place our beehives.

Building Our Beehive Apiary

In the beginning our fledgling apiary started out with just two established single-deep beehives. They overwintered fine and the next spring we split them into four hives.

But several swarms were caught & added to our fledgling apiary. They were coming in faster than we can build stands to hold them.

Our first beehive stand was built using repurposed 2″x6″ boards that were 6-ft long. We were repurposing supplies from raised beds that we removed.

That hive stand took some time to cut, assemble and bolt together. But it did a fine job of holding our two little hive boxes.

However after catching a few swarms we needed another hive stand. So we built another like the first, this time using purchased 2″x6″ boards.

Then we caught not one, not two, but FOUR Bee Swarms this spring! (I KNOW, how exciting!!)

Needing Beehive Stands Quickly

We no longer had time to keep building wooden beehive stands. We needed a hive stand that we could put together much more quickly.

So RancherMan decided to change direction. Instead of building more permanent wooden stands he wanted to assemble the next stands using concrete cinder blocks and 4″x4″ 5-ft long wood posts.

Beehive Stand Built Quickly

Really, it couldn’t have been easier. He only needed two cinder blocks laid longways & 2 more stacked on top of them for each side of the stand.

So for each 5-ft long beehive stand he’ll need two 5-ft long 4″x4″ wooden posts and 8 cinder blocks that measure 8″x8″x16″.

We made quick trip to the hardware store for some inexpensive materials. Then we built two 5-ft long hive stands in minutes!

Truly, you don’t get any easier than this, y’all. If you’re looking to build beehive stands for your apiary, check this out…

After the concrete blocks were in place he slid the 4×4 poles through the holes in the cinder blocks.

BOOM! Table for 25,000, no waiting!

How Many Hives Fit On A 5-Foot Stand?

He could probably squeeze in three hives on each stand, but he wants to limit the numbers to eliminate crowding. So he only set two hives on each stand. He finds it’s easier to work around them when the hives are not too close together.

In the first picture at the top of this post you can see that his hive stand is holding a regular single-deep hive and a smaller nuc box holding a recent swarm capture.

Those little nuc boxes sure are handy. Thankfully he can Build 4 Nuc Boxes from a single piece of plywood.

So we had nuc boxes built, ready and waiting for the swarms as we captured them. Nothing like being prepared, eh?

When we move this swarm from the nuc box into a deep box hive, the spacing between hives will be about right for his comfort.

Making Bee Hive Stands A Comfortable Height

These stands are also just a touch shorter than the other hive stands he built. But he found that he actually prefers them a little shorter than his original wooden hand-built hive stands.

Although he’s a handsome 6′-4″ tall RancherMan, when the hives get two deeps and a honey super (or two) stacked, that’s about shoulder high for him.

This slightly shorter stand actually makes it easier for him to lift those heavy top boxes off when he’s inspecting or when we harvest the honey!

In the picture below you can see the slight difference in height between our concrete block hive stands (at the bottom right side of the photo) and the ones we built initially (at the top left-hand side of the photo.)

Benefits Of Adaptable Hive Stands

He loves that he can put these stands together in 5 minutes or less. Especially this year with so many swarms available, time is of the essence!

We already have one hive stand filled & another built and standing ready.

Another helpful thing about these quick hive stands is that they can be disassembled and moved out of the way when they’re not needed. Flexibility is a good thing, no?

Beehive Numbers Can Vary

The numbers of our hives have ebbed and flowed over the years. Sometimes we catch swarms and suddenly have many more hives all at one time.

Another time a rogue spring storm blew the strapped-down hives and stands down. The lids were flung to adjoining pastures and rain poured into the hives all night until the damage was discovered the next morning.

Many of our hives didn’t survive that calamity and we were suddenly down several hives.

So as you can see, your number of hives might change throughout the year. Having hive stands that you can move out of your way or erect quickly & easily is of a great benefit to any beekeeper.

Beekeeping: You Can Never Know It All!

It’s sure been a learning curve alright. We’ve learned that each beekeeper’s situation might be different. What works for one may or may not work for another. And there’s always something new to learn!

But this beekeeping thing has really been something we’ve enjoyed. We’re able to care for these precious pollinators and in return they offer pollination for our Homestead garden and honey and beeswax for us.

~TxH~

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8 thoughts on “5-Minute Beehive Stand Using Cinder Blocks & Posts”

anne rice at

Love this idea! I plan on using it. One little note: using 2 blocks, your hive entrances are probably right around 15″, which is a little less than the ideal 18″. I’m sure the bees aren’t out there with a measuring tape 😀 but a 3rd block in height might be a good idea for those who are able. Just a thought, thanks for the idea!

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1. Texas Homesteader Post author at
  
  Thanks for the tip, Anne. We really enjoy our bees! We built our hive stand 2 blocks high, it just makes removing a heavy honey super from the top of a 2-deep box hive more physically comfortable for us. But you bring up a good point – for those who are able 3 blocks may be a good choice too. Thanks for weighing in! ~TxH~
  
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Mrs Shoes at

It just goes to show that we get better & better with practice & experience – whatever the task.

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Ruth at

Hi Tammy. We just use cinder blocks -two for each hive. Each hive sits with the side edges of the bottom board on the blocks. We leave a six or eight inch space between the blocks which allows for air circulation through the bottom. Height is definitely a consideration as we are both only 5’6″ 🙂

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1. Texas Homesteader Post author at
  
  I’ve seen that done too Ruth and it’s entirely possible we could move that way also in the future. I love the simplicity of it. Our beekeeper’s association once told us back when we first started learning that beekeeper’s procedures are as diverse as the numbers of bees in their hives! Each beekeeper will set up & work their hives in a way that works best for them, while their neighboring beekeeper might do things slightly different. I’ve found that statement to be so true! And I love how beekeepers are always so willing to help each other, offering advice and tips about the way they work their own hives that works out well for them. We’ve learned so much, with much still to learn. But our fellow beekeepers all keep us under their wing, offering help whenever we need it! <3 ~TxH~
  
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  1. Ruth at
    
    We are convinced that beekeeping is part science, part art and lots of luck and yes each beekeeper needs to decided what works best for them. I post occasionally on my blog about beekeeping you can check it out if you want.
    
    Reply ↓
ColleenB. at

‘The Taylor Made Bee Farm’. What a great and cheap solution your man came up with.
Cinder blocks; another great idea on list of ‘many uses.’ I enjoy seeing your bee hives from this distance………… :}
Boy, did I ever get sunburned yesterday working on my shed and Exhausted. Got the walls up and only 1 sheets of siding up so far.
Tammy; and you as well RancherMan; have an enjoyable weekend. Happy Bee Hive hunting.

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1. Texas Homesteader Post author at
  
  Our little hive city grew well this spring Colleen, and we’re eagerly anticipating our first honey harvest in about 3-4 weeks. I. Can’t. Wait! ~TxH~
  
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