Beeswax foundation in various sizes 

Beeswax foundation sheets are used by beekeepers in the hive. They are also used to roll beeswax candles. Beeswax foundation is also known by other names, such as foundation sheets, comb foundation, wax sheets, beeswax sheets, starter strips, or wax wafers. There is a lot to cover about beeswax foundation for bees. In this article we explain the basics, so you can make the right choice. When buying beeswax foundation, it is important to choose the correct size. But what size beeswax foundation do I actually need? Beeswax foundation is available in many different sizes. So you need to know which hive and/or frame size you use. In the Netherlands the spaarkast is used; this Dutch spaarkast takes simplex hive frames. You therefore buy beeswax foundation in simplex size. You then choose whether it is for the brood box or for the honey super. There is often a height difference here. And if, for example, you have a Dadant US hive, then you buy beeswax foundation in Dadant US size.

Showing 1 - 45 of 45 items
Showing 1 - 45 of 45 items

Cast or rolled beeswax foundation

When making beeswax foundation, there are two production methods. One casts the foundation; the other rolls it. In the cast foundation process, the molten wax is poured into rollers with a honeycomb pattern. This honeycomb comes out ready to cut to size and use.

For rolled foundation, the process has two steps. First, beeswax is also poured between two rollers, but these have no pattern, producing a very long sheet of beeswax. This sheet is rolled up. In the second step, the sheet is run through patterned rollers to emboss the honeycomb.

Cast beeswax foundation is the most widely used. It remains dimensionally stable once mounted in the hive frames. It is slightly thicker, making it easier to use and to store in the frame. The honeycomb imprint is also very precise. Rolled beeswax foundation is thinner. The benefit is you get slightly more sheets from 1 kg of beeswax. The drawback is that once in the frame it can sag and bulge. Sometimes a heavier gauge is rolled to reduce this effect. In practice you shouldn’t store frames with rolled foundation; use them straight away in the beehive. And it shouldn’t be too warm, otherwise it may warp in the hive as well. The cell shape can also be a bit elongated because it is pressed and pulled through the machine.

 

Making your own beeswax foundation

You can also make your own beeswax foundation. A very simple method is to melt beeswax in a pan and ladle it onto a silicone mat with a honeycomb pattern. Another option is to purchase a professional, water-cooled unit. The advantage is faster throughput: after pouring, the sheet is cooled immediately.

 

Beeswax in different grades

Beeswax comes in different grades. There is conventional beeswax, meaning wax sourced from beekeeping operations. This can be from the Netherlands or other countries. Lots are blended and checked. A perfectly good, standard-grade beeswax.

Alongside this there is low-residue beeswax, sometimes sold as selected beeswax. This wax naturally contains fewer contaminants. As a result it is purer in quality, with little to no residues from possible earlier varroa treatments. It resembles organic beeswax in composition, but it is not certified organic.

There is also a third type of beeswax: cappings wax, one of the purest forms of beeswax. Cappings are collected during harvesting honey, before any pre-treatment has occurred, as this happens only after the honey harvest from the hive. You won’t find any varroa treatments in it. In addition, this beeswax has not previously been processed into foundation. This beeswax is of very high quality. It does not need to be cleaned; it can be washed with water, then heated and embossed into beeswax foundation for the beehive.

With all these options, buying beeswax foundation can feel like a task. What is the best type of beeswax for you? As a baseline, conventional beeswax is perfectly fine. But you’ll find bees accept low‑residue beeswax or cappings wax very quickly. It can also be a choice in your beekeeping operation: what suits you, and what budget is available? Conventional beeswax is usually the cheapest and a solid choice, followed by low‑residue beeswax, with cappings wax the most expensive.

 

Different cell sizes in beeswax foundation

Beeswax foundation also comes in different cell sizes. The standard cell size used is 5.4 mm. In reality it is slightly smaller but rounded to 5.4 mm. This is the most commonly used foundation. In addition there are three other sizes: 5.1 mm, 4.9 mm and 6.3 mm. The idea behind these sizes is to be closer to the natural cell size of the honey bee. In nature, bees build cells ranging from 4.62 mm to 5.51 mm. You can choose a smaller size to come closer to the bees’ average cell size. Despite this concept, 5.4 mm remains the standard in beekeeping. There is also the larger 6.3 mm, used for drone brood. Using this foundation you can rear drones (male bees) in the colony. This can be desirable if you use alternative varroa control, by trapping varroa in drone brood, or in queen rearing when you want to produce many drones.

 

Beeswax foundation for making candles

Finally, beeswax foundation is also used for making candles. It’s a very simple and fun process: lay down the wick, roll up the beeswax sheet and you have a candle. You can even cut shapes so you can roll a beehive. There are handy starter kits available, complete with wick and sometimes little bees to decorate the candles. Foundation for candle making is also available in different colors, so you can make a colored candle or decorate a rolled candle.

For rolling beeswax candles the wax needs to be slightly warm, otherwise it can crack. The best wax for this is rolled beeswax, as it is thin and flexible. Cast wax also works fine; just make sure it isn’t too cold. If you’re working in a cool room, you can warm the wax briefly with a hair dryer. Which beeswax foundation sheet you choose for candles doesn’t really matter in terms of size: a large sheet gives a large candle, a small sheet a smaller candle. Foundation is almost always sold by the kilogram, so the sheet size doesn’t affect the price.


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