Knowing the potential weight of a full frame is an important metric when a beekeeper plans for a honey harvest or estimates a hive’s production. The medium frame, often used in honey collection boxes called supers, is popular for its balance between capacity and handling ease. Determining the frame’s weight allows beekeepers to accurately project their total yield and manage equipment needs.
Defining the Medium Frame Standard
The medium frame is a standard component of the popular Langstroth hive system, distinguished by its moderate depth. This frame is typically 6 1/4 inches deep, which is shorter than the deep frames used in the brood nest. Beekeepers prefer this size for honey supers because the resulting boxes are significantly lighter and easier to lift when full compared to deep supers.
The empty, or tare, weight of the medium frame includes its wooden or plastic structure and the foundation material. This material guides the bees to build their comb and can be a thin sheet of beeswax or a pre-formed plastic sheet. This empty assembly weight is a constant factor included in the total gross weight calculation.
The Average Weight of a Full Medium Frame
When completely filled and capped with honey, a single medium frame generally has a gross weight ranging between 3 and 5 pounds. The most common working estimate is approximately 4 pounds per frame. This weight includes the wooden frame itself, the wax comb, and the dense, dehydrated honey.
A standard 10-frame medium super will weigh between 40 and 50 pounds when ready for harvest. This manageable weight is a primary reason the medium frame is the standard for honey production. Frames at the upper end of the weight range often feature “fat” comb that bulges out beyond the confines of the wooden frame edges, maximizing the honey volume.
Factors Influencing Frame Weight Variation
The 3-to-5-pound weight range is influenced by several variables managed by the bees and the beekeeper. One significant factor is the completeness of the capping. A fully capped frame is heavier because the honey has been dehydrated to a moisture content below 18.6%, making it dense and ready for storage.
The way the bees draw out the comb also impacts the final weight. Robust colonies with strong nectar flow often build thick, bulging combs that hold a greater volume of honey, pushing the frame toward the 5-pound maximum. Conversely, a frame with comb drawn flush with the wood will contain less volume and weigh closer to 3 pounds. The foundation material also contributes to the tare weight, as heavy plastic adds more gross weight than thin wax foundation.
Calculating Usable Honey Yield
Translating the gross frame weight into the net, usable honey volume is necessary for bottling and inventory management. The usable honey yield is the weight of the liquid honey after subtracting the weight of the frame structure and the wax comb. Although a full medium frame may weigh 4 pounds, the final extracted honey will be less.
A reliable rule of thumb suggests that a 4-pound medium frame will yield approximately 3 to 3.5 pounds of liquid honey. This net weight is the actual product available for consumption or sale. This yield translates to nearly 3 pints of liquid honey per frame.