8 Frame Langstroth Hive Dimensions

While 10 frame Langstroth hives are seen as more “standard”, I noticed that many beekeepers are opting for 8 frame hives lately. And that’s no surprise. There are many benefits to 8 frame Langstroth hives.

Benefits of 8 Frame Langstroth Hives

Weight

By far, the biggest benefit of using an 8 frame Langstroth hive is the weight. A super full of honey is quite heavy, and don’t forget that you’ll be lifting the super from the top of other boxes. 

Using an 8 frame hive instead of a 10 frame significantly reduces the weight of the box, making honey harvesting much more manageable.  

For example, an 8 frame shallow super will weigh about 32 pounds when full of honey. While a 10 frame shallow super will weigh approximately 40 pounds.  Considering that you’ll be lifting multiple boxes during harvesting time, that weight difference can really help.  

Brood boxes are quite heavy as well. A 10 frame deep brood box can weigh up to 90 pounds. However, an 8 frame deep box will weigh 20% less at about 70 pounds.  

Price 

8 frame langstroth beehives cost slightly less than 10 frame hives. On average, each 8 frame box costs about $3 less than a 10 frame box.  If you are buying a lot of boxes, that savings can add up.

Size

An 8 frame langstroth hive is slightly smaller than it’s 10 frame counterpart. It has a more narrow hive body, which is a similar shape that a bee colony would find in nature.  

In addition to having a more natural size, some beekeepers with limited space may prefer the smaller 8 frame langstroth hive to the larger 10 frame. 

8 Frame Langstroth Hive Dimensions

In order to set up your apiary it’s good to know the size of your beehive ahead of time.  Langstroth beehives have standard dimensions that are used across all brands.  That’s a good thing because that means that the boxes are interchangeable.

Both 8 frame and 10 frame boxes come in 3 different sizes – shallow, medium, and deep.  Shallow and medium boxes are usually used for storing honey.  Deep and medium boxes are used as brood chambers.  

Beehive manufacturers generally use the same measurements when making hive bodies. If there is a difference it is usually within ⅛ of an inch, so not very much.  

8 frame langstroth hive dimensions are a little different than the 10 frame.  The interior depth and length stays the same, but the width changes. These tables use a measurement for the interior length and width because the exterior measurements can sometimes vary depending on the material used.  

8 Frame Langstroth Hive Dimensions

Type	Depth	Interior Length	Interior Width
8 Frame Deep body	9 5⁄8 inches (240 mm)	18 3⁄8 inches (470 mm)	12 1⁄4 inches (310 mm)
8 Frame Medium body/super	6 5⁄8 inches (170 mm)	18 3⁄8 inches (470 mm)	12 1⁄4 inches (310 mm)
8 Frame Shallow super	5 11⁄16 inches (144 mm)	18 3⁄8 inches (470 mm)	12 1⁄4 inches (310 mm)

8 Frame vs 10 Frame Hives

Now compare that to the dimensions of 10 frame hive boxes. The width is slightly larger to accommodate for 2 more frames. 

10 Frame Langstroth Hive Dimensions

Type	Depth	Interior length	Interior Width
10 Frame Deep body	9 5⁄8 inches (240 mm)	18 3⁄8 inches (470 mm)	14 3⁄4 inches (370 mm)
10 Frame Medium body/super	6 5⁄8 inches (170 mm)	18 3⁄8 inches (470 mm)	14 3⁄4 inches (370 mm)
10 Frame Shallow super	5 11⁄16 inches (144 mm)	18 3⁄8 inches (470 mm)	14 3⁄4 inches (370 mm)

Recommended 8 Frame Langstroth Hives

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BeeCastle 8 Frame Complete Beehive Kit

Features

• 1 Heavy Wax Coated Deep Brood Box (14″ x 19-7/8″ x 9-5/8″) 
• 1 Heavy Wax Coated Medium Super Box (14″ x 19-7/8″ x 6-5/8″) 
• Wax Coated Solid Bottom Board and Telescoping Top Cover (Metal Capped)
• Premium Dovetail Pine Frames and Beeswax Coated Foundation Sheet
• Includes Inner Cover, Plastic Queen Excluder, Entrance Reducer, & Nails for Assembly
• No Need to use toxic paint as hives are wax coated, a natural way to protect your hive from the elements.

This is a really great 8 frame hive for beginners.  It includes 1 deep box, 1 medium box, frames, foundation, a bottom board, metal capped top cover, and more.  You just need a bee suit and a few more supplies and you are ready for bees.  

What I like about this hive is that the wood is wax coated. If you’ve read my review on Hoover Hives, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of wax coated wood because it offers great protection from the elements.  Wax coated wood looks great, and no toxic paint is necessary.  

NuBee Complete 8 Frame Beehive

Features

• 2 Dovetail Brood Box – Includes 16 High Quality Pine Frames (9-9/16″ x 19″)
• 1 Dovetail Super Box – Includes 8 High Quality Pine Frames (6-5/8″ x 19″)
• 24 Pine Frames and Food Grade Plastic Foundations Coated with Real Beeswax
• Includes Metal Capped Telescoping Top Cover & Inner Cover, also Solid Wood Bottom Board (platform)
• Includes Plastic Queen Excluder, essential for Honey Production

For something a little larger, I like the NuBee 8 Frame Langstroth Hive.  This complete hive includes 2 deep boxes and 1 medium super, which is a common setup.  

All frames and foundation are included, and the foundation is already coated in wax.  Use the black foundation for the brood boxes so you can see the eggs better.  The yellow foundation is for the super. 

This hive is quite durable, as it is constructed of quality pine.  The wood is not painted, so you’ll have to do that yourself.  Assembly is simple, and if you want, you can even pre drill holes to make assembly even faster. 

Summary

8 frame Langstroth hive dimensions are slightly smaller than the 10 frame.  The benefit of using an 8 frame hive is that the boxes are much lighter and therefore, easier to handle.