Updated: Oct 2012
Looking to build your own top bar hive?
If you’re a new beek, consider reviewing this pragmatic comparison of TBH vs. Langstroth hives. And if you’re ready to build, here are some designs:
Standardized Top Bar Hive (TBH):
The standardized Top Bar Hive design by TJ Carr
I recommend using a standardized TBH design for innumerable reasons, including the ability to share resources between your hives and with others in your community. Here are my favorite plans by longtime Albuquerque beekeeper and retired engineer, TJ Carr, and John Bradford.
- Free! Design for Standardized Top Bar Hives (PDF)
- Notes to accompany the Standardized TBH design (PDF)
Other TBH Plans:
- BioBees has published an ebook with photos on building your own TBH.
Or, do you prefer to buy one?
- Backyardhive.com sells beautiful top bar hives with a side window that are just perfect for beginning backyard beekeepers.
- Hirschbach Apiaries sells TBHs as well.
mistress beek 
Hi,
Wonderful blog , gerat pics. I had to comr and see why my site was getting pounded from here glad I did. I also see many of the guys from Biobees have already been here. Keep up the great work and come visit us at the Biobee forum!
Gary
Here’s a similar design made from a barrel. I imagine it could be built for $10:
http://www.velacreations.com/bees.html
do you have a copy of the tbh plan from Hirschbach Apiary? it looks like the site is gone
Hi bee worker, thanks for the alert! Looks like they’re no longer giving away a free design and instead selling them at: http://www.beethinking.com/store/top-bar-hives/view-all-products
The TJ Carr TBH plans are exactly what I’ve been looking for! There was obviously a lot of thought and detail put into the idea and execution of these plans. The accompanying narrative also provides helpful tips and useful information, but does not have specific instructions on the milling, assembly, or materials list needed in order to bring these amazing plans to fruition. Is there anything like that available for these specific plans, or did your carpenter just reverse engineer the materials/assembly based upon the provided plan?
I’d recommend that people also consider Les Crowder’s design when looking to build top bar hives. Les is a former New Mexico Honeybee Inspector and former president of the New Mexico Beekeeper’s Association. He is also co-author of “Top-Bar Beekeeping: Organic Practices for Honeybee Health”, which is an excellent book.
I attended a workshop of his recently, and he stated that he builds his hives for about $10, using mostly reclaimed materials.
You can request a PDF of his hive plans here – http://www.fortheloveofbees.com/topbar-hives/