Starting your beekeeping journey involves dozens of equipment decisions, but few choices impact your colony's success more than selecting the right beehive frames. These rectangular structures serve as the foundation where bees build honeycomb, raise brood, and store honey—essentially creating the workspace that determines how efficiently your hive operates. For new beekeepers navigating catalogs filled with confusing terminology like "deep," "medium," "foundationless," and "wax-coated," understanding what to purchase first can feel overwhelming.
The standard Langstroth hive frames remain the most popular choice among beekeepers, offering proven reliability and universal compatibility with equipment you'll add as your apiary grows. Yet even within this system, you'll encounter critical decisions about frame depth, material construction, and foundation options that directly affect hive management, honey production, and your physical ability to work with heavy boxes. Making informed choices from the start prevents costly mistakes and establishes practices that benefit both you and your bees for years to come.
Understanding Langstroth Frame Sizes and Their Purposes
The Langstroth beehive system, invented in 1852, revolutionized beekeeping by incorporating precise spacing that allows frames to be removed individually without damaging comb or crushing bees. This "bee space" principle—maintaining 3/8 inch between components—remains the gold standard for modern beekeeping.
Langstroth frames come in three standardized depths, each serving specific hive functions. Deep bee frames measure 9 1/8 inches in height and are traditionally used in brood boxes where queens lay eggs and workers raise young bees. These larger frames provide ample space for brood rearing patterns, mimicking natural colony organization. When filled with honey, each deep frame holds approximately 6 pounds of extractable honey—a substantial weight that becomes important during inspections and harvesting.
Medium frames measure 6 1/4 inches deep and represent the most versatile option in modern beekeeping. Many beekeepers use medium frames for both brood chambers and honey supers, creating complete interchangeability throughout their hives. This standardization simplifies equipment management since all frames and boxes become universal. Each medium frame holds approximately 4 pounds of honey when capped.
Shallow frames stand 5 3/8 inches tall and are primarily designated for honey supers at the top of hives. Their reduced depth makes them lighter during harvest—each shallow frame contains about 3 pounds of honey. This lighter weight appeals to beekeepers with physical limitations or those managing large apiaries where lifting dozens of boxes daily becomes physically demanding.
All Langstroth hive frames share a standardized top bar length of 19 3/16 inches, ensuring compatibility across equipment from different manufacturers. This universality allows you to purchase frames from various suppliers without compatibility concerns—a significant advantage as you expand your beekeeping operation.
What Beginner Beekeepers Should Buy First
Starting beekeepers benefit from straightforward equipment choices that establish good practices without unnecessary complexity. The most recommended approach involves beginning with two deep brood boxes, each containing 10 frames. This configuration provides adequate space for colony expansion during the first season while keeping the colony concentrated enough to maintain temperature regulation and defend against pests.
For your initial setup, you'll need 16-20 deep bee frames for the brood boxes. Starting with fully assembled frames eliminates construction challenges that frustrate beginners attempting complex assembly tasks while learning colony management basics. Pre-assembled frames ensure proper construction—critical since improperly built frames can collapse under honey weight or create spacing issues that confuse bees.
As your colony grows and begins storing surplus honey, you'll add honey supers above the brood boxes. Purchase 16-20 additional frames in either medium or shallow sizes depending on your physical capabilities. Medium frames offer better honey capacity per box, while shallow frames reduce individual frame weight during harvest.
The 10-frame versus 8-frame decision represents another early choice. Traditional 10-frame boxes maximize honey production per box but weigh significantly more—a full 10-frame deep box can exceed 80 pounds. The 8-frame alternative reduces weight by approximately 30%, making hive inspections more manageable for those concerned about lifting heavy equipment. However, 8-frame systems require more vertical boxes to provide equivalent bee space, creating taller hives that may prove unwieldy in windy conditions.
Most experienced beekeepers recommend beginners choose either all deep boxes or all medium boxes and maintain consistency across every hive. This standardization prevents confusion about which frames fit which boxes and creates a modular system where any frame fits any box. The increasingly popular "all-medium" approach offers an ideal balance between capacity and manageability.
Wooden Frames vs. Plastic Frames: Making the Right Choice
The wooden versus plastic frame debate generates strong opinions within beekeeping communities, yet both options deliver successful results when properly implemented. Understanding the practical differences helps you select based on your specific priorities and beekeeping philosophy.
Wooden bee frames represent the traditional choice, offering natural materials that many beekeepers prefer philosophically. Wood provides superior insulation compared to plastic, helping colonies maintain stable internal temperatures—particularly important during winter months when temperature regulation becomes critical for survival. Wooden frames allow complete customization of foundation choices, letting you select wax foundation, plastic foundation inserts, or even foundationless options as your experience grows.
Durability and repairability favor wooden construction. High-quality wooden frames last decades with proper maintenance, and damaged components can be replaced individually—a broken top bar or cracked side bar can be repaired for minimal cost rather than discarding the entire frame. Frame savers, available for approximately $7 per pack of 10, repair the most common wooden frame damage points.
The primary disadvantages include assembly requirements and greater weight. Wooden frames typically require assembly unless purchased pre-made, adding initial setup time. They're also susceptible to pests like wax moths that can burrow through wood, though proper hive management largely mitigates this concern.
Plastic frames offer convenience through pre-assembled construction with molded foundations built directly into the frame. This eliminates assembly work and ensures foundations remain securely attached—a common problem with wooden frames where wax foundation can dislodge during rough handling or honey extraction. Plastic frames resist pest damage since insects cannot burrow through solid plastic.
Weight advantages make plastic frames easier to handle, especially when filled with honey. They're manufactured to precise standardized dimensions, ensuring perfect fit in hive boxes without adjustment. Plastic frames generally cost less initially than wooden frames with wax foundation, though this advantage diminishes when comparing to wooden frames with plastic foundation inserts.
The significant drawback involves bee acceptance. Bees often hesitate to build on plastic foundations, requiring encouragement through beeswax coating. Uncoated plastic frames may be ignored entirely, with bees building comb in unintended locations instead. Additionally, plastic frames cannot be repaired when cracked or broken—the entire frame requires replacement. Environmental considerations also concern some beekeepers, as contaminated plastic frames cannot be recycled and must eventually be discarded.
Most experienced beekeepers recommend wooden bee frames with plastic foundation inserts for beginners, combining wood's structural advantages with plastic foundation's convenience and durability. This combination offers sturdy construction, repairable components, and foundations that stay securely in place during extraction.
The Importance of Beeswax Coating on Frames
Whether you choose wooden or plastic frames, foundation coating significantly impacts how readily bees accept and build on them. Beeswax coated frames attract bees through familiar scent, encouraging them to begin comb construction immediately rather than hesitating or building in unintended locations.
Plastic foundations benefit enormously from heavy wax coating. Bees demonstrate far greater willingness to draw out heavily waxed foundations, and the resulting comb tends to be straighter with properly sized cells matching the embossed pattern. Cheap plastic foundations from big-box retailers typically arrive with minimal or no wax coating, leading to bee acceptance problems that frustrate beginners.
The saying "there's almost no such thing as having too much wax coating on plastic foundation" reflects experienced beekeepers' observations. Heavily coated foundations perform dramatically better than lightly coated alternatives. Some beekeepers purchase uncoated plastic frames and add wax coating themselves using melted cappings wax or purchased beeswax, rolling or brushing molten wax onto frames.
For wooden frames with wax foundation, the foundation itself contains beeswax, but quality varies significantly. Premium wax foundation contains higher beeswax content and emits the distinctive honey-scented aroma that indicates quality. When purchasing wax foundation, physically smelling it before buying confirms genuine beeswax content rather than synthetic substitutes.
Double-waxed foundations—plastic foundations that receive two coating applications—represent the premium choice for beginners seeking maximum bee acceptance. The additional wax layer ensures bees begin building immediately, reducing the frustration of colonies that refuse to work on frames.
Frame Foundation Options: What Beginners Need to Know
Foundation refers to the thin sheet installed inside frames that provides a template for honeycomb construction. This embossed pattern guides bees to build uniform cells at optimal sizes for brood rearing and honey storage.
Plastic foundation offers durability and consistency. Once bees accept wax-coated plastic, they build stable comb that withstands honey extraction without collapsing. Plastic foundations maintain their shape through multiple extraction cycles, providing years of reliable service. The non-wired variety simplifies installation into wooden frames—you simply press the foundation into grooves without complex wiring procedures.
Wax foundation represents the traditional natural option that appeals to beekeepers prioritizing natural hive environments. Pure beeswax foundation comes in wired and non-wired varieties. Wired wax foundation incorporates support wires embedded during manufacturing, providing stability that prevents collapse during honey extraction. This reinforcement allows slightly higher extraction speeds compared to non-wired alternatives. Non-wired wax foundation costs less but offers reduced stability, making it more suitable for brood frames that won't undergo extraction.
The primary challenge with wax foundation involves fragility and installation complexity. Wax foundation breaks easily during handling and requires careful installation—particularly wired varieties that need wedge-top frames to secure properly. The labor-intensive nature of preparing wax foundation frames can overwhelm beginners already learning numerous new skills.
Foundationless frames involve installing empty frames and allowing bees to build completely natural comb without templates. This approach appeals to natural beekeeping philosophies that minimize human intervention. Bees construct cells sized precisely for their needs rather than following standardized patterns. However, foundationless beekeeping presents challenges for beginners—comb may build crooked, attach to multiple frames, or create irregular spacing that complicates inspections.
For beginning beekeepers, wooden bee frames with wax-coated plastic foundation represent the optimal balance—combining structural reliability with bee-friendly materials and proven performance. This configuration eliminates complex assembly while providing foundations that bees accept readily and that withstand the rigors of hive inspections and honey extraction.
Essential Buying Considerations for Your First Frames
Quality matters significantly when purchasing beekeeping frames. Premium frames feature precise cuts, reinforced joints with both glue and staples, and proper dimensions that ensure they fit standard equipment. Inferior frames may arrive warped, improperly sized, or with weak joints that fail under honey weight.
Assembled versus unassembled frames present a cost-versus-convenience decision. Pre-assembled frames cost more but eliminate construction challenges, ensuring proper assembly without gaps or alignment issues. For beginners already learning colony management, purchasing assembled frames removes one complication. Unassembled frames reduce costs but require time, tools, and technique to construct properly—though building frames can become an enjoyable off-season activity once you've gained beekeeping experience.
Frame quantity calculations depend on your planned hive configuration. Each 10-frame box requires 10 frames; 8-frame boxes need 8 frames. Starting with two deep brood boxes means purchasing 20 deep frames initially. Plan ahead for honey supers by purchasing medium or shallow frames before your first honey flow, ensuring you're prepared when bees need additional storage space.
Budget-conscious beekeepers sometimes wonder about purchasing frames in bulk quantities to reduce per-unit costs. Buying 50-100 frames at once can generate savings, but beginners should start conservatively—purchasing exactly what they need for their first season allows them to evaluate frame preferences before committing to large quantities of a particular style.
Source reliability proves crucial. Purchase from established beekeeping supply companies rather than general retailers where quality may be inconsistent and staff lack expertise to answer technical questions. Reputable suppliers stand behind their products and provide guidance that helps beginners succeed.
Building Your Complete Beekeeping Frame Setup
Quality hive frames form just one component of successful beekeeping, but they represent the foundation upon which colonies build. Starting with the right frame choices—properly sized Langstroth frames in appropriate materials with adequate wax coating—sets your beekeeping journey on a path toward success rather than frustration.
When you're ready to purchase frames that meet beginner needs while supporting long-term colony health, explore curated selections from experienced beekeeping suppliers. Swampland Bees' Bee Frames Collection offers quality frames designed specifically for successful beekeeping, backed by expert guidance and proven performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many frames do I need to start beekeeping?
Begin with 20 deep frames for two brood boxes (10 frames per box) plus 16-20 additional frames in medium or shallow sizes for your first honey super. This provides adequate equipment for a single colony's first season. As your apiary grows, you'll need additional frames for each new hive and extra supers for established colonies.
Should beginners choose wooden or plastic frames?
Most experts recommend wooden frames with plastic foundation inserts for beginners. This combination offers wooden frame durability and repairability while providing plastic foundation's stability and ease of use. Pure plastic frames work well but require heavy beeswax coating for optimal bee acceptance. Traditional wooden frames with wax foundation deliver excellent results but involve more complex preparation.
What's the difference between deep, medium, and shallow frames?
Frame depths differ in height: deep frames measure 9 1/8 inches, medium frames 6 1/4 inches, and shallow frames 5 3/8 inches. Deep frames traditionally serve as brood chambers where queens lay eggs. Medium frames function as either brood boxes or honey supers, offering versatility. Shallow frames typically serve as honey supers, valued for their lighter weight during harvest.
Why do beeswax coated frames matter?
Beeswax coated frames attract bees through familiar scent, encouraging immediate comb construction on foundations. Heavily waxed foundations produce straighter comb with properly sized cells. Plastic foundations especially benefit from generous wax coating—lightly coated or uncoated plastic frames often get ignored by bees who then build comb in unintended locations.
Can I mix deep and medium frames in the same hive?
While physically possible, mixing frame sizes within the same box doesn't work—deep frames only fit deep boxes, medium frames in medium boxes. However, you can stack different box sizes vertically (deep boxes below, medium boxes above), which many beekeepers do. For simplicity, experts recommend beginners standardize on one frame size for all boxes, with all-medium setups becoming increasingly popular.
What does "Langstroth" mean in beekeeping?
Langstroth refers to the beehive design invented by Reverend Lorenzo Langstroth in 1852, incorporating precise "bee space" spacing that allows frame removal without damaging comb. Langstroth hive frames represent the standard frame style used in these hives, featuring specific dimensions (19 3/16 inch top bar length) that ensure universal compatibility. Langstroth systems dominate modern beekeeping due to their modularity and proven effectiveness.
Should I buy assembled or unassembled frames?
Beginners benefit from purchasing assembled frames, eliminating construction complexity while ensuring proper assembly. Pre-assembled frames cost more but arrive ready to install immediately. Unassembled frames reduce costs and become a worthwhile option once you've gained experience, though they require time, tools, and technique to construct correctly. Many experienced beekeepers enjoy building frames during winter as an off-season project.
How do I know if frames are good quality?
Quality frames feature precise cuts, tight joints with both glue and staples, and accurate dimensions matching standard specifications. Examine top bar construction—quality frames use thick, reinforced top bars that resist breaking under weight. Check for warping by laying frames on a flat surface. Foundation should be firmly attached or properly embedded in frame grooves. Purchase from reputable beekeeping suppliers rather than general retailers to ensure consistent quality.