Best Beehive Stands: What to Buy and How High to Go
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A hive stand lifts your beehive off the ground, usually to about 16–18 in. That keeps the bottom board dry, makes it harder for skunks to raid the entrance, and puts the boxes at a height where lifting them does not wreck your back. The best hive stand for most beekeepers is a sturdy adjustable metal stand: it will not rot, it can be levelled on uneven ground, and it fits both 8- and 10-frame Langstroth hives. Plastic, wooden and DIY cinder-block stands all work too, and we compare them below.
Our picks compared
| Stand | Material | Height | Fits | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MayBee adjustable metal stand | Coated carbon steel | 16.1–20.9 in | 8- and 10-frame (15–19 in wide) | Uneven ground, most beekeepers |
| Adjustable metal hive stand | Coated carbon steel | 15–19 in | 14.5–24.5 in wide | Wide or non-standard hives |
| witbee plastic stand | Plastic with metal bars | 12+ in | 10-frame Langstroth | Tool-free setup, built-in frame rest |
| Wooden 10-frame stand | Wood | Not listed | 10-frame Langstroth | A classic look, sloped landing board |
The best hive stands
1. MayBee Adjustable Metal Hive Stand (best overall)
The MayBee stand is the one we would buy for a typical backyard Langstroth hive. It is carbon steel with a black protective coating, so it will not rot like timber, and its height adjusts from 16.1 to 20.9 in, which covers the 16–18 in range most beekeepers aim for with room to go taller.
The width also adjusts, from 15 to 19 in, so the same stand fits 8- and 10-frame hives. Adjustable feet let you level it on uneven ground and give it the slight forward tilt that helps moisture drain from the entrance. Tools are included, and assembly takes about 20 minutes.
- Good: Coated carbon steel, 16.1–20.9 in height, fits 8- and 10-frame, adjustable feet for uneven ground, tools included
- Watch for: Holds one hive, with no spare rail space to rest boxes on during inspections.
2. Adjustable Metal Hive Stand, 15–19 in (best for wide or odd-sized hives)
This coated carbon steel stand has an unusually wide adjustment range: 14.5 to 24.5 in across. That covers 8- and 10-frame Langstroth boxes and gives you room for wider hive bodies or bases that will not sit on a narrower stand. It suits beekeepers who run a mix of hive sizes and want one style of stand for all of them.
Height adjusts from 15 to 19 in, centered on the height most beekeepers use. The black coating protects the steel from weather, and the hardware is included. It is a solid, rot-free choice if you want a metal stand but your hives do not fit the usual dimensions. Set it on firm, level ground so the feet cannot sink after rain.
- Good: Coated carbon steel, 14.5–24.5 in width range, 15–19 in height, hardware included
- Watch for: The listing does not mention adjustable feet, so level the ground first with pavers or shims.
3. witbee Plastic Hive Stand for 10-Frame Langstroth (best tool-free stand)
The witbee stand is heavy-duty plastic reinforced with metal support bars, and it goes together without tools. It is sized for a 10-frame Langstroth hive with a base of 16.4 x 22.5 in, and raises the hive 12 in or more off the ground. That is enough to keep the bottom board out of wet grass and puddles.
Its best feature is that the metal bars double as a frame rest. During an inspection you can hang frames on the stand instead of leaning them against the hive or laying them in the grass, which keeps the queen safer and your hands free. Plastic will not rot, which suits damp sites.
- Good: Plastic with metal support bars, tool-free assembly, built-in frame rest, fits 10-frame base 16.4 x 22.5 in
- Watch for: At about 12 in it sits lower than the 16–18 in most beekeepers prefer, so it gives less protection from skunks; newer listing with few reviews.
4. Wooden 10-Frame Hive Stand with Sloped Landing (best wooden stand)
If you prefer a traditional look for your apiary, this wooden stand is made for 10-frame Langstroth hives and has a sloped landing area in front of the entrance, which gives returning foragers an easy ramp up to the hive. It ships unassembled, and the joints are stapled and glued.
A wooden stand like this lifts the bottom board off wet ground. The listing does not give a height, so if you want the hive higher, set it on a couple of cinder blocks or pavers to gain height and keep the wood itself off the soil, which also makes it last longer. Paint or seal the wood before use.
- Good: Traditional wooden design, sloped landing access, fits 10-frame Langstroth
- Watch for: Ships unassembled; wood will eventually rot where it meets damp ground, and it has few reviews.
Why put a beehive on a stand?
- Damp and rot. A bottom board sitting on soil or grass stays wet, rots within a few seasons and keeps the hive cold and humid. Raising it lets air move underneath and water drain away.
- Skunks and other pests. Skunks feed at night by scratching at the entrance and eating the guard bees that come out. A stand of about 16 in or more makes them stand on their hind legs to reach, exposing their belly to stings, and most give up. See protecting bees from skunks.
- Your back. A Langstroth hive gets taller as you add boxes, and bending to ground level to lift a heavy box is how beekeepers get hurt. A stand at 16–18 in puts the lower boxes near knee to thigh height for most people.
- Weeds and grass. Tall growth in front of a low entrance blocks traffic, and you will be mowing right next to the hive.
How tall should a hive stand be?
Around 16–18 in is the height most beekeepers settle on. It clears skunks and damp, and it still leaves the top of a tall stack within reach. Remember the hive grows: two deep brood boxes plus two or three honey supers on an 18 in stand can put the top box around chest height or higher, and lifting a full super down from there is harder than lifting it up from the ground.
| Stand height | Good for | Drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Under 12 in | Tall stacks, windy sites, short beekeepers | Less protection from skunks and damp; more bending |
| 12–16 in | A reasonable compromise | Skunks may still reach the entrance at the low end |
| 16–18 in | Most hives, most beekeepers | Tall stacks get top-heavy |
| Over 20 in | Single-box hives, top-bar hives, tall beekeepers | Honey supers become hard to lift off safely |
How much weight a hive stand must carry
More than most people expect. A deep box full of brood, pollen and honey can weigh 80–90 lb, and a full medium super adds 40–60 lb more. A strong colony in two deeps with a couple of full supers on top can easily top 200 lb, and in a good flow it can go well beyond that. The stand has to hold that weight without sagging or tipping, including the extra load when you set a box down on one edge during an inspection.
So check the stand’s rated load if the seller gives one, set its feet on firm ground or pavers so they cannot sink after rain, and avoid long, unsupported spans of thin lumber if you build your own.
Level the hive, with a slight forward tilt
Set the stand level from side to side, so the bees build comb straight down the middle of each frame. From back to front, tip it forward very slightly, so the front is a little lower than the back. Condensation and any rain that blows in then run out of the entrance instead of pooling on the bottom board. A small drop, around half an inch to an inch over the length of the hive, is plenty. Adjustable feet, like those on the metal stands above, make this easy on sloping ground. Keep a small level in your bee kit.
DIY hive stands
You do not have to buy a stand. The most common DIY version is also one of the best:
- Level two patio pavers or a bed of gravel where the stand will go.
- Set two or four cinder blocks on them, holes facing up or sideways.
- Lay two pressure-treated or rot-resistant 4×4 or 2×6 timbers across the blocks as rails.
- Stand the hive on the rails, leaving room on the rails beside it as a place to rest boxes during inspections.
An 8 ft pair of rails on three stacks of blocks holds two or three hives side by side. The extra rail space is the big advantage over a single-hive stand: you always have somewhere to put the lid and supers. Check the rails for sagging under a full season’s weight, and put the entrance side at the slightly lower end. For a wooden build with plans, see how to build a homemade hive stand.
Ant moats
Where ants are a problem, a stand with legs lets you break their path. Stand each leg in a small container of water, or of water with a film of vegetable oil to slow evaporation, so ants cannot climb up. Keep grass and twigs from bridging the gap, and top up the moats in hot weather. Our guide to making an ant-proof beehive stand walks through the build. Never use insecticide or ant bait around the stand legs.
Frequently asked questions
Do beehives need a stand?
Not strictly, but almost every beekeeper uses one. A hive on the ground stays damp, rots faster, is easier for skunks to raid and is harder on your back. Even a couple of cinder blocks is a big improvement.
How high should a beehive be off the ground?
About 16–18 in suits most hives and most beekeepers. Go lower if you stack a lot of supers or are short; go higher for single-box and top-bar hives, which never grow tall.
Can I put two hives on one stand?
Yes, on a long rail-style stand. Be aware that working one hive can jolt and disturb its neighbor, and the stand has to carry the combined weight of both. Leave a gap between hives for resting boxes during inspections.
Should a beehive be level?
Level side to side, yes, so comb is built straight in the frames. Front to back, tilt it slightly forward so moisture drains out of the entrance rather than pooling on the bottom board.
Are metal or wooden hive stands better?
Coated metal stands last longer, will not rot and often have adjustable feet. Wooden stands look traditional and are easy to build yourself, but they eventually rot where they touch the ground. Both work if they are strong and level.
Setting up your first hive? See our beehive starter kit guide and the Langstroth hive section.
