Every beekeeper wants 3 things. Bigger, better, and healthier beehives. And the simplest way to achieve that is by investing carefully in one central thing – the best bee hive frames!
Bee hive frames help in a multitude of ways and are essential to bolstering bee numbers and yielding more honey produce. And no matter if you’re just beginning, or an expert beekeeper wanting to expand several established hives, bee hive frames are something you’ll never have enough of.
For something so important and so commonly used, it’s pivotal that you carefully invest in the very best, because only the best bee hive frames can do it all.
Frames help structure your hive, give room for your queen bee to lay her eggs, prevent swarming whilst also safeguarding honey stores. They are the building blocks your bees need to thrive and will help them use space more efficiently and effectively.
The best bee frames will give your hives a headstart in the year, promoting healthy comb building and making your inspections quicker and easier. You can expect more honey by the end of the season, which is easily extractable too.
We know your time is precious, and you want to get started for the beekeeping year ahead. We’ve tried and tested 10 of the best bee hive frames for sale on the market. Each has the potential to help your colonies grow and flourish.
10 of the Best Bee Hive Frames for Sale
1. Mann Lake 100-Pack Unassembled Grooved Top and Bottom Endbars without Holes, 9-1/8-Inch
From a brand renowned in beekeeping for high-quality products, this 100 pack frame kit from Mann Lake is a great starter for any beekeeper interested in making their frames.
Firstly, one of the central aspects of these frames is the high-quality materials used in their production, namely pinewood. Pinewood is a particularly effective beekeeping material because it resists both rot and decay and retains rigid stiffness for years, making it a great long-lasting investment.
Pinewood also resists shrinking and repels moisture, an essential feature for protecting brood and holding honey securely in place. It’s still incredibly lightweight, meaning you can shift frames easily during inspections, or when extracting honey.
It’s important to note that this kit arrives unassembled, and you will have to construct the frames yourself. Bee frames are very straightforward to assemble, and you’ll be given everything you need including 200 end bars, 100 top bars, and 100 bottom bars.
If you’re wondering what hive box they’ll fit, you should know these frames suit many standard-sized Langsorth hive boxes, measuring 19” length by 1-3/8” width.
Benefits:
- Suitable with all uncappers
- Made of pine wood which resists rot, decay and remains strong
- Includes 200 end bars, 100 top bars, and 100 bottom bars per pack
- Fits with many standard-sized beehive boxes
Things to consider:
- These frames arrive unassembled
2. Hoover Hives 20 Pack Medium Frames & Foundations (20 Pack) for Langstroth Beehives
With a natural honey-colored foundation, these wooden frames from Hoover Hives will not only look the part but will help your hives tremendously with space and support guaranteed.
These frames measure 6-1/4” by 19”, and are suitable for both 8 frames and 10 frame Langstroth hives. The frames have already been pre-dripped in 100% beeswax, meaning your colony will accept them and begin working on them immediately. Expect bees to build rich combs almost immediately.
Not only that, but each frame features honeycomb-shaped cells imprinted on, making them an ideal support for active bees looking to expand. The color makes sure that frames are easy to inspect, including checking hive food stocks and honey storage.
The plastic foundations are food-grade, ensuring no harsh chemicals affect the honey’s taste or texture. The wood used stems from pine trees, meaning they’ll be durable, strong, and resist rot, decay, and swelling.
This will give you enormous peace of mind that the frames will retain their shape throughout the season, regardless of weight, temperature, and other factors.
Benefits:
- Suitable for both 8 frame and 10 frame Langstroth hive boxes
- Honeycomb-shaped cells promote comb building
- Made with food-grade plastic which protects honey texture and taste
- Dipped in 100% pure beeswax
- Made of pine wood which resists rot, decay and remains strong
Things to consider:
- These frames arrive unassembled
3. Mann Lake 10-Pack Assembled Commercial Frames with Waxed Natural Rite-Cell Foundation
If you’re looking for bee frames of superior quality which are ready to use straight from the box, then consider this 10-pack of frames from Mann Lake.
These hive frames come fully assembled with several features that will help nurture and support your honeybees, year after year. One such feature is that each frame is pre-waxed with a natural Rite-cell foundation, which boasts deeper cell depth and retains its shape even during the honey extraction process.
The plastic foundation also is effective pest control in its own right, and repels common pests such as wax moths, ensuring frames do last the test of time.
Expect the highest craftsmanship with these frames, as they’ll each have high precision cuts, a thick bottom bar, and glued joints which altogether ensures great stability.
The frames measure 19” by 1-3/8” by 6-1/4”, meaning they’re an ideal frame for honey super boxes. 10 frames are included in each pack, allowing you to kit out a traditionally sized hive box with just one purchase!
Benefits:
- Comes fully assembled
- Can be reused year after year
- Ideal for honey supers
- Includes 10 frames per purchase
- Suitable with all traditional hive boxes
4. Acorn Bee medium plastic frame 10 pack (Black)
If you’re a beginning beekeeper looking for versatile bee frames that suit a variety of purposes, then look no further than this 10 pack from Acorn Bee.
The signature part of these frames is their distinct color. Black is a great background to have during inspections, especially if you’re a beginner. Bee eggs can be quite difficult to spot, and it’s one of the most common things you’ll be looking for during every inspection. The dark color also helps you spot cell debris and evaluate hive health quickly, too.
The hexagonal imprint on the foundation ensures your bees will accept the frames, build comb and draw them out quickly. The frames are all pre-waxed too, maximizing efficiency and speed and making them ready to use.
The frames use food-grade plastic, ensuring that if you choose to use the frames in honey supers, that honey never comes in contact with harsh chemicals or has its texture affected.
Lastly, these frames are made of plastic and so are easy to clean and are long-lasting. They boast a super-strong ear design that will keep them slotted in place and secure throughout the beekeeping season. And because they come in packs of 10, you can kit out a standard hive box with just one purchase.
Benefits:
- The black color makes spotting white eggs easier
- Pre-waxed so bees will build on frames quicker
- Hexagonal, molded cells
- Made with food-grade plastic which protects honey texture and taste
- Comes in a 10 pack
Things to consider:
- Entirely made of plastic
5. Hoover Hives 40 Pack Deep Frames & Foundations (40 Pack) with natural beeswax, suitable for Langstroth Beehives
With over 40 frames included, this one purchase of deep frames from Hoover Hives could kit out your entire apiary, offering you amazing convenience and support all the while.
Firstly, these frames are made of high-quality pine trees, which won’t rot, decay, or lose their shape. Pinewood also repels water and resists shrinking, which is an essential support feature for honey-laden frames.
These frames can fit both 8 frames and 10 frame standard Langstroth hives with ease, allowing you to be flexible with where and how you use them. Additionally, the frames are carefully dipped with 100% beeswax before being sold, which helps promote your bees to build an even layer of comb quickly.
These frames are equally suited for both new, smaller nuc hives and stronger colonies alike, and use a food-grade plastic foundation that won’t affect the taste or texture of honey.
The Black Celltech foundation is specially colored for you to inspect and spot white eggs against a dark background easier and is ideal for beginners learning techniques and brood control.
Lastly, these frames are designed to last the test of time and can be reused year after year without fail or fuss. They’re easy to clean too, meaning you can have them in tip-top shape after honey extraction for the incoming bee season.
Benefits:
- The black color makes spotting white eggs easier
- Made with food-grade plastic which protects honey texture and taste
- Reusable year on year
- Suitable for both 8 frame and 10 frame Langstroth hive boxes
- Made of pine wood which resists rot, decay and remains strong
Things to consider:
- These frames arrive unassembled
6. 10- Deep Super Frame Unassembled Beekeeping Beehive Bees
If you want an effective, simple approach to honeybee frames, then you should consider these carefully crafted deep frames from Toughtimbers.
Given their dimensions of 19″ x 9 1/4 x 1 1/8, these frames are ideal for honey supers. They’re suitable for both 8 frames and 10 frame Langstroth boxes, making them versatile and applicable to most beekeeping setups.
Frames are made of durable wood with no stress, cracking, or weak spots throughout the pieces. As the frames arrive unassembled, they will require minimal DIY skills to put together and secure. They come in a value pack of 10 frames, which can quickly kit out a hive box in an instant.
We especially love that the product boasts quick delivery, ensuring that even if you order last minute your hives will soon have everything they need to expand and bolster honey stocks.
Benefits:
- Suitable for both 8 frame and 10 frame Langstroth hive boxes
- Comes in a value pack of 10
Things to consider:
- These frames arrive unassembled
7. Little Giant 5 Pack of Black Deep Hive Frames
With exceptional quality and strength, and pre-assembled, ready to use straight from the box, these high-quality bee hive frames are everything you need to equip hive boxes with the best supports.
First, these frames come in a 5 pack and will fit with 10 frame standard Langstroth hives perfectly. Each frame comes pre-coated with a wax-coated plastic foundation already installed.
The foundation is stamped with a cell pattern, which means bees will accept the frames quickly and begin drawing the frames out. And because the frames come preassembled, no tools or DIY skills are needed – simply insert them into your hive!
Measuring 19.25” x W 9.5” x H 6.5”, these frames are ideally suited to a deep hive body. Their black color allows you to spot laid eggs with ease, as well as examine comb construction and remove debris.
The frames are made of unfinished pine wood, which is an ideal wood for bees because it’s strong, durable, and rot-resistant. You’ll be able to reuse these frames again and again with ease.
Benefits:
- Comes already assembled and pre-waxed
- Suitable for 10 frames Langstroth hive boxes
- Ideal as a brood box frame
- The black color makes spotting white eggs easier
- Made of pine wood which resists rot, decay and remains strong
8. Honey Keeper Beehive 10 Deep Frame Kit with Foundations for Replacement Langstroth Beekeeping
Do you need a quick replacement frame for a strong hive? Want to freshen up your hive boxes with a new foundation? This complete set of 10 deep frames from Honey Keeper ticks all boxes in terms of quality and support.
This is an inclusive set of 10 deep frames, which are ideally suited for honey supers in the top boxes of your hives. Easy to assemble and boasting a high-quality finish, the frames measure 9-1/8” long and come with pre-cut frame foundations, and can be accepted by any standard Langstroth hive box.
Made of high-quality pine wood sourced from New Zealand, frames will resist rot, decay and will never shrink either. If you are replacing disused frames with this new set, rest assured your new frames will last the test of time. They’ll be able to hold massive amounts of honey, safely and securely.
The unwaxed hexagonal-shaped foundation itself will be quickly accepted by hives, allowing them to build comb and store honey in quick succession. The pinewood also helps the frame keep its shape and strength even during wax uncapping and the honey extraction process.
While these frames do require assembling, minimal DIY skills are required and the process is incredibly straightforward. Everything you need is included, including heavy-duty nails, and the finger joints are pre-cut for maximum convenience.
Benefits:
- Ideal replacement frames for honey supers
- Made of pine wood which resists rot, decay and remains strong
- Heavy-duty nails included, and finger joints are pre-cut
- The black color makes inspections easier
Things to consider:
- These frames arrive unassembled
- Unwaxed
9. 7 Piece Auto Circulation Honeycomb Frames Kit with Harvest Tubes and a Harvest Key
If you’re new to beekeeping or interested in a flow hive for simply honey extraction, you need one essential thing – the right flow frames for your hive.
Flow hives rely heavily on their frames to make honey extraction as straightforward as possible. These frames ensure disruption to the colony is kept to an absolute minimum. No mess, no fuss, no centrifuging – you won’t need to open the hives for a jar of honey again.
What’s most impressive about these flow frames is how easy they are to use. Simply rotate the key and watch honey flow from the comb into your jar. Untouched, unprocessed, and completely fresh every time!
The frames are suitable to use in both 8 and 10 frame Langstroth deep boxes too, offering great versatility in where you can use them. We also think the clear-end view of the frames is a great design feature, which allows you to see honey levels without opening and disrupting your beehive.
These 7 flow frames provide even more space for your colony to store food and can increase your yield throughout the season tenfold. Expect more than 6.6 lbs of honey per frame.
What’s more, this is a complete kit; everything you need is included. From the 7 flow frames to 7 honey tubes, a honey key, and an instruction manual. Equally, this kit cuts down on expensive equipment such as filters, extractors, and more.
Finally, the auto flow plastic bombs can be separated for easy washing when not in use. Made from high-quality, food-grade BPA-free plastic, honey will never become contaminated by harsh chemicals which means these frames last the test of time. The honey key is made of stainless steel too, offering lifelong service.
Benefits:
- Ideal for flow hives
- Reduces the impact of honey extraction on the hive
- Cheaper alternative to hone extraction
- Suitable for both 8 and 10 frames Langstroth hives
- Made from high-quality food-grade plastic which is easy to wash
- The honey key is made of stainless steel
- Each frame can help produce over 6.6 lbs of honey
Things to consider:
- Aimed solely at flow hives.
10. Harvest Lane Honey 5 Pack of Assembled Deep Frame and Foundation
If you’re looking for simple frames to expand your hives with, or to keep spares in reserve when the moment arises, these assembled deep frames from Harvest Lane come highly recommended.
These frames come in a value pack of 5 and will fit 10 frame Langstroth hive boxes with ease. The frames are pre-coated with natural beeswax, allowing your hives to quickly build comb on them and accept them immediately.
Whilst simple in design, these frames are particularly useful if you’ve already invested in some of Harvest Lane’s other beekeeping products, and are tailor-made to fit their specifications without fault.
Benefits:
- Precoated with natural beeswax
- Suitable with 10 frame Langsorth hive boxes
- Comes in a value pack of 5
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you reuse beehive frames?
Yes, you can. Whilst you should follow the specific instructions as per your frames, a general rule of thumb is to always ensure you remove the old comb by melting it off, which in turn can be used to create premium wax products.
Avoid using harsh chemicals or cleaning products that may harm bees or affect honey taste if used as superframes.
Will bees clean old frames?
Bees will clean up and maintain frames, by removing dirt, debris, and molds.
However, this will eat into their time, and take them away from their other duties such as foraging. For that reason, it’s best to clean frames to ensure workers can tend t other work. Regularly check for damage during inspections.
How many frames should a beehive have?
This will ultimately depend on the size of the colony and your experience. The most commonly used hive boxes come in two different sizes. One will hold 8 frames and the other 10 frames.
Some beehives may have more than one brood chamber (the big boxes) to bolster numbers. Strong hives may have more honey supers (smaller boxes at the top) to maximize yields.
How long does it take bees to fill a frame?
This ultimately depends on two factors: how strong the hive is, and the time/season you are in. You can expect a standard hive to take 1-2 weeks. If it’s a strong hive, or there is plenty of foraging about, it may take even less time.
How can you encourage bees to draw out a frame?
Many of the best hive frames will already be coated with beeswax and have hexagonal imprints in their foundations. This helps the bees to quickly accept the frame and begin drawing out cells. Some beekeepers may feed their hives a syrup mixture to also promote comb building.
Bee Hive Frame Buying guide
Bee hive frames are a central tool every single beekeeper around the world uses. This makes bee frames incredibly popular and several brands now specialize in their manufacturing.
For that reason, there’s a lot of choice on the market. Here are some things to always keep in mind:
Plastic frames vs wooden frames?
There are two primary materials used in making bee frames; wood and plastic.
Whilst some beekeepers use a variety of different frames within the same hive, you should consider the pros and cons of each material to make the best investment.
Benefits of plastic frames
- Promises to be more lightweight and durable
- Premolds allow for bees to quickly build and draw out the frame
- Can be used safely with honey extractors
- Come in a variety of colors
- Usually arrive fully assembled
- Great vs. pests such as wax moths
- Easy to clean and reuse
Negatives of plastic frames
- Bees don’t like building on plastic material, so they’ll require a beeswax coating on foundations to be accepted.
- You may need to rewax them every so often.
- When damaged, they’re difficult to repair.
Benefits of wooden frames
- Bees naturally prefer building on wood
- Wood is environmentally friendly and poses fewer risks of contamination
- Can be boiled when uncapping wax
- Easy to repair or re-purpose with other frames
- Pinewood is often used and is lightweight, durable, and resists rot, decay, and shrinking
- Wood is the most common and popular option. More choice is always welcomed.
Negatives of wooden frames
- Some frames may contain wires to hold the foundation securely. These can break from the weight of bees/honey.
- May require assembly which is time-consuming and relies on DIY skills.
- You may need additional resources/tools to assemble, including nails, glue, and more.
Size matters
Bee hive frames are practically useless if they cannot fit securely in your hive box.
For that reason, one of the most important things you must align with is our measurements. You want a frame that will fit into your type of hive box. The most common beehive box is LAngsorth, and these come in both 8-frame and 10-frame setups.
If you’re interested in flow hives, take their specific measurements into account, and choose frames that openly state they’re suitable.
Does really color matter? It depends on your skill level
Often, frames will be honey-colored and coated with natural beeswax to maximize the hive accepting them.
Many frames are made with beginner beekeepers in mind. These frames have black cells to help you distinguish eggs and larvae during inspections. They can also help you examine brood patterns and disease management.
Top or bottom? Honey supers or brood frames?
Frames are the backbone of every hive and will help store everything from delicious honey to pollen, to eggs, larvae, and more.
Beekeepers often use a queen excluder in their hives to keep eggs and honey separate. The top parts of the hive will contain only honey stores, whilst anything beneath can hold a variety of things, most importantly eggs.
When buying honey superframes, keep in mind:
- These frames will be smaller, as capped honey is quite heavy.
- They will be located at the top of the hive, for easy access and removal
When buying brood frames, keep in mind:
- You always want to provide room for the queen to lay eggs
- Frames must be coated in beeswax to promote quickly drawing cells out
- Frames are usually bigger and sturdier
- Many brood frames will be dark in color – this helps beginner beekeepers spot eggs and larvae easier.
Assembled or not?
Whilst many of the best hive frames come fully assembled and require no DIY skills to use, others may arrive flat-packed and require some modifications.
Assembling bee frames is incredibly straightforward and easy, with pieces typically slotting in with one another to provide structure and support.
However, some frames may require small adjustments, including drilling holes into joints, placing nails to hold things together, or gluing down the frames. Some of these frames may come included with everything you need, whilst others may not. Always consider buying fully assembled frames if you’re not confident with DIY.
Additional accessories
There are several additional accessories you can get for your frames. These are highly important because they’ll help you during inspections, reduce stress on your honeybees, thus improving their overall health.
- Frame grips are essential to holding frames with one hand, whilst keeping the other one free. The grips hold the frames safely and securely and allow you to not only get a hold on the frame but remove them.
- Frame rests make inspections so simple. They’re placed on the side of a hive box and hang independently. You can then put frames on the top and hold frames in place, making them ideal for removing frames, moving them around, or creating space within your hive box.
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, honey bee frames are the cornerstone to a healthy, productive hive and a happy beekeeper! And because they are so central to everything we do as beekeepers, there is a lot of choices out there.
Hive frames come in multiple sizes, materials, and designs. By finding the most versatile hive frames, you are future-proofing your profession and will be prepared for whatever your hives throw at you.
Do you want to help bolster your hive’s numbers? Give room for the queen to lay? Or perhaps create space for bees to collect and store food for additional honey? No matter what your motive is, the best beehive frames will support you the entire way through.
Regardless of if you’re a beginner or expert, with the best bee hive frames your beekeeping will be elevated even higher and save you time, energy and money in the long run. You’ll be able to expand and grow your profession and safeguard your hives for many years to come.
