How do I stabilise a bee hive stand in clay soil.

[Mark Young]

I currently have my bee hive stand on concrete blocks under each leg slightly dug into the clay soil around my pond. Trouble is every time it rains and/or dries out the whole damn thing moves and twists out of line/level. Anyone know of tried/tested methods to work with clay soil and avoid this?

My DIY skill = 2/10

 

[Dishmop]

Paving stone?

 

[madasafish]

Build a wooden raft so it "floats" on the clay...

 

[Mark Young]

Isn't a concrete block the same thing (give or take) ?

If I built a raft I may as well put it on the pond

Edit - Perhaps the raft is the new anti theft invention being discussed downstairs...

 

[Luminos]

Something wider and flatter, that won't so easily sink into the mud

 

[oliver90owner]

*(give or take/

18" x 9" = 1 1/8 sqare feet.

3 x 2 paving slab is 6 square feet.

Two very different areas and so ground pressure.

If that does not work, move them somewhere drier or dig out and backfill with hard-core.

They build houses on all types of soil.

 

[madasafish]

Isn't a concrete block the same thing (give or take) ?

If I built a raft I may as well put it on the pond

Edit - Perhaps the raft is the new anti theft invention being discussed downstairs...

I meant something like a WBP slab the size of the hive base +50%,,,

 

[Gimlet]

When sighting structures on unstable soils the tried and tested method is to use piles. I'm not suggesting that the weight of a hive requires anything too substantial but a scaled down version should do the trick.

I suggest sinking 4 posts into the ground and put a platform on linking cross pieces.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I currently have my bee hive stand on concrete blocks under each leg slightly dug into the clay soil around my pond. Trouble is every time it rains and/or dries out the whole damn thing moves and twists out of line/level. Anyone know of tried/tested methods to work with clay soil and avoid this?

My DIY skill = 2/10

A 2 x 2 foot 2" thick paving slab or if you are feeling particularly strong a 2 x 3 slab instad. Bed the slab on some drymix grit sand and cement about 6 parts sand to 1 part cement to get it level.

 

[Dishmop]

Railway sleeper, but dont steal one that is in use.
They aint cheap tho.

 

[enrico]

I have gone with the 3X2 paving slab, really really heavy but works a treat!
e

 

[Heather]

I am on clay.. all on paving slabs on a stand.. No movement.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Is a pallet on some sort of damproofing ( slate, dpc, bricks) feasible?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Clay here
Husband has driven fence posts into ground and built a platform on those.

 

[Little John]

Either a one-piece raft with a downturned lip (like an upside-down breakfast tray), so that it will 'float' on the clay, or if you don't want any movement at all - piles.

LJ

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Are we still talking about beekeeping or constipation?

 

[Erichalfbee]

piles?

I don't know why this has come up as a thumbnail
Hope you can make it out

 

[Finman]

Build a wooden raft so it "floats" on the clay...

that's it

Easy way is to put wooden boards under stand foots.

 

[MuswellMetro]

i use a 25kg bag of 20mm gravel, easy to carry the bag and easy level and the legs of the stands dont dig into the clay

 

[MuswellMetro]

i use a bag of 20mm gravel, easy to carry the bag and easy level and the legs of the stands dont dig into the clay

i used to use paving slabs but Moles dug their tunnels under the slabs in dry weather search for damp areas with worms,