Expansion stand plan advice

[TheBuzz]

I'm planning to expand my hives from 2 to 8+ this spring/summer and I'm wondering what size lumber should I get to hold hives which could in weight of upwards of a 1 ton? I'd like to put them all in a straight line and either rest the stand on simple cinder blocks or build in wooden legs.

[squarepeg]

can't go wrong with railroad ties. our farmer's coop has them at a reasonable price.

[TheBuzz]

More looking for something like this.

beehives-on-hive-stands-on-plan-bee-06-27-2010-resized.jpg

[My-smokepole]

I have done 6 hives on 2x12 with three post.
David

[Acebird]

I am not about permanence but I like the idea of 2X12 across cement blocks. If you divide the depth of the beam that will tell you how far the supports can be. example 2x12 = 6 ft span, 2x10 = 5 ft span. Don't put your end supports on the end. Put them 1/2 the span from the end you decide to use.

[bamindy]

I throw down a 4x8 sheet of OSB or similar plywood material (whatever is on sale), put two cinder blocks on each of the 4' ends, and add two 8' 4x4 or 4x6 posts spanning the blocks. This elevates the hives off of the ground and eliminates weeds growing up under the hives. I use SBBs year round so ventilation is good underneath and you can monitor what falls out. I fit four hives on each of these set ups and it leaves enough separation between the hives to keep everyone happy.

[libhart]

This is my hive stand. I admit it's over-built, but it looks decent and is extremely functional. I used 2x6 and 4x4. The 4x4 legs are spaced so that there's 1ft on either side of each leg if that makes any sense, so they're at 2ft centers. The pattern could basically be extended to make a stand as long as you want, and since you're putting legs in there to bear the load it will hold up w/o question. Even 12ft sides wouldn't really get you enough length for 8 hives though. Could join two side lengths at a middle leg and make one, say 20 ft long. Or make two that are 10ft long and just put them side by side. That has the advantage of being able to relocate one later if you want.

Only thing I wish I'd done on mine was to put a piece of expanded metal on the top as a surface. Hives don't need it, but would make it much easier for the smoker and hive tool and whatever I want to set down. Hopefully going to get that on before the spring really hits.

http://bees.libhart.com/wp-content/u..._HiveStand.jpg

[Acebird]

Libhart, with that much lumber you could go to 3-4 foot centers and save on digging holes for the posts.

[Gord]

I use 4 x 4's resting on cinder blocks.
I'm not sure my house is built as sturdily as Libhart's stand.

[libhart]

Yeah, I know, built like brick ****house.

I didn't dig holes for the posts, they're not actually in the ground, just resting on the ground. I did dig out a little bit of earth where each leg rests to make the whole thing sit level. I guess this was my inner-woodworker who is shopless (no garage for a shop) needing to let off some steam and since it was just lumber and straight cuts with a circular saw I could build it beefy, so I did. It's highly repeatable too, which I like, cause I did build another one for another set of hives that's at the back of a farmer's field within walking distance.

[Acebird]

I hope you have at least a cement block under those post so they don't sink in the ground.