Build Your Own: Combination Bottom Board

Many supply stores now carry what is called the Combination Bottom Board. They charge an exorbitant amount of money for them, they are typically combining the idea behind a screened and a solid bottom board. They also usually feature one set of rails with various grooves cut out of them. This can make them very weak. Using the plans from both tutorials Screened Bottom Board, and Solid Bottom Board we can come up with a much better, cheaper, and more useful solution (lets not reinvent the wheel).

First take your screened and solid bottom boards.

 Now put them in reverse directions, and make sure both 3/8" entrances are facing each other.

Solid Bottom Board 3/8" up
Screened Bottom Board 3/8" down

Put them on top of one another.

This leaves you with a gap of 3/4". This is exactly the space that an entrance reducer will fit into. So lets take a spare entrance reducer, and using tacks/glue/tape (whatever really) attach a mite board to it. Anything of the right size will work, cover it in vaseline or your choice of "make the mites stick the board" solution. Put the sticky board / entrance reducer into the gap. I place the entrance opening up to allow ventilation, but it is your choice.

Now we have a fancy combination bottom board without the heavy bill for one. In addition we have extra bottom boards at the apiary, a way to do mite counts, and a spare entrance reducer all in one hive. Cheers!