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Strong and Tough Platform Bed DIYby trz on December 2, 2007

Table of Contents

intro:   Strong and Tough Platform Bed DIY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1:   Making Legs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 2:   Cut your Head/Foot and Side Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 3:   Attach short boards to legs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 4:   Attaching Long Side to Bed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 5:   Install Center Support Beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 6:   Glue/Nail on Support Rail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 7:   Install Castors, Cut Plywood, Tighten and Enjoy! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/

intro:  Strong and Tough Platform Bed DIYDIY platform bed with approximately $60-$90 that definitely will last. Made with plywood, 2x6's, 4x4's, and castors (wheels). More pictures available atwww.myplatformbed.com. You will need:

Materials Needed:3 - 2x6 Boards 10' feet long1 - 4x4 Post 32" inches to 40" inches long1- 2x4 Stud12 - Hex Bolts 3/8 by 6" inches long12 - Hex 3/8 Nuts24 - Cut Washers for 3/8 Bolts1 - 2x4 Stud framing support bracket (pictured)8 - Screws; 1 1/2" inches

Tools Needed:Carpenter SquareTape MeasureMiter Saw (Recommended)Electric Drill with Phillips Drill BitLong 3/8 Drill bit (6" inches or over)1- 9/16 Socket Wrench1- 9/16 WrenchWood Glue

step 1: Making LegsWe start by cutting the legs of the platform bed. This 4x4 wood I found outside, discarded. Find a scrap one or buy, cut yourself or cut to size at the lumber store.

Cut 8" in length if you want castors on it, 10" if you do not. You may opt for shorter legs (no shorter than 6.5") or longer ones.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/

step 2: Cut your Head/Foot and Side BoardsWith my cut I am cutting one inch bigger to play it safe. I am fine with a platform bed approximately 1 inch bigger than the mattress, if you prefer the platform structureeven out with your mattress, cut exactly as your mattress is. With your 2x6 board cut:

Mattress Size: Long Side Board Cut: Short Head/Foot Board Cut:Twin two 75" boards (or 76") two 39" boards (or 40")Full two 75" boards (or 76") two 54" boards (or 55")Queen two 60" boards (or 61") two 80" boards (or 81")King two 76"/78" boards (Kings varies) two 80" boards or (81")-My particular platform bed is Full Size. There's a popular quote in carpentry that goes as "Measure twice, Cut once". Be careful with your measurements. From this pointon, there will be more measurements needed and I recommend a Carpenter's Square for straight and even lines to cut from ($2.99 yellow plastic tool pictured above)

step 3: Attach short boards to legsThe entire platform bed will have a 1/2" gap from the top, nothing will obstruct that 1/2" inch gap all around the platform bed. This is done in advance to secure supportbeams/boards (plywood or wood strips) at the end of the project.

For your short (head/foot) side boards you want the edge of the legs and board to even out, as shown in picture above. Remember to maintain a 1/2" inch gap. Seeprevious picture #2.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/

step 4: Attaching Long Side to BedWe apply the same 1/2" inch gap from the above and will be drilling for two bolts on each ends. This time the edges of the leg and board will not even up. It'll be off by 11/2" inches (thickness of my 2x6).

Next, make measurements to locate where the first hole is on the leg and draw an "avoid line" on the board, just for reference. If you measure from the top of the leg,remember to account for the 1/2" gap. Draw a line 3" inches from the edge because you will be drilling 3" away from the edge into center of the leg.

With your "avoid line" and by the 3" inch mark, drill a hole and insert a bolt between 1 1/4" to 1 1/2"inches from the top and another one 1 1/3" to 2" inches from thebottom.

step 5: Install Center Support Beam

Installing the center support beam for the platform bed, begin by marking the very center of both sides (head/foot side) of this bed. Also mark for our 1/2" inch gap to findwhere the 2x4 support stud beam should go.

Then trace lines around where you want to install the 2x4 Stud support bracket and disassembly your platform bed so you can drill on screws better and hammer in somebuilt in notch on the support bracket.

Do the same for the opposite side, then measure the length from that stud support bracket to the other support bracket on the other side and cut a 2x4 stud of that length.That measurement should be within an inch or two of the length of your mattress size.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/

step 6: Glue/Nail on Support RailMy support rail is long and thin (scrap wood 1/2" thick) cut into two 4' feet strips and pre-drilled (with a small drill bit) in four places ready for screws. I apply glue to oneside of the support rail and screw onto the inside of the board with my 1/2" inch gap in mind. Pre-drill your rail and use 1 1/2" inches screws.Note: If you select a wood strip support system instead of plywood, make your support rail the entire length of the side boards. You can't afford gaps with a wood stripsupport system.

step 7: Install Castors, Cut Plywood, Tighten and Enjoy!It is fairly easy to install castors, just flip over the platform frame and pre-drill your four holes where the castor is centered then screw in small screws around 1" inch long.

You must already know we're almost done here! The last thing to do is get some support for the mattress and you. I am using plywood because they're still light and won'tbuckle too much as a wood strip support system might. Measure the sideways length of the inside right above on top of your new support rails and cut sheets of plywoodof that size. I made two sheets of plywood with their standard width but the third sheet I had to cut to fit.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/

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Comments22 comments Add Comment

 Spokehedz says:  Dec 8, 2007. 7:53 AM  REPLYUmm... A bed frame is $50 bucks from Big Lots. Plus, they will deliver.

 shannabelle72 says:  Apr 19, 2009. 8:18 AM  REPLYUmmm... not all of us have a Big Lots where we live.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/

 plzspoilme25 says:  Feb 26, 2009. 1:12 PM  REPLYyes ur wood is dangerous filled with chemicals and such....but i dont think i seen anyone complain on the loft beds????? like the idea still to hard for ME tobuild...and i'm betting a bit heavy to try to move?

 dredawg says:  Aug 26, 2008. 6:52 AM  REPLYThanks for the great instructable. So great I had to make one for myself, and I must say it turned out pretty awesome. I did a few things slightly different thanyou did it. First was to put 2- 2x4's crossways instead of 1 length ways. Oh I also used liquid nail adhesive instead of wood glue. Also I made mine 60"x80"(queen size). All said and done it cost me about $90-$100 CAD and roughly 10 hours to complete, including picking up the materials. ( a few to many bluntbreaks too i guess :D).

Thanks for the inspiration.

 tatagatha says:  Dec 6, 2007. 4:30 PM  REPLYI've made two almost identical beds. The first when I was in HS with very long legs. my bed ended up 4 feet in the air as some sort of half loft.

Looking back it was a little over built. So, most recently I made a more delicate version using white pine 1x6s for the sides. Once glued with the runningsupport rails(1x2) they turn quite strong. I made L shapped legs with 1x2 to give it very light feet. I'm happy with how it turned out. Then I sprung for the lyredslats from Ikea. Check it out.Check it out.

I can see the main advantage

 shooby says:  Jul 1, 2008. 3:23 PM  REPLYIs that the correct name for those slats?

 tatagatha says:  Jul 1, 2008. 9:49 PM  REPLYThe slats I used were the Sultan Lillaker from Ikea. I thought I had used the Sultan Liared slats.. and then I that turned into lyred in my head, which Ithen made up as an adjective. If I were to give it a definition, it would mean a gentle bend in laminated wood (think lyre like the harp).

 shooby says:  Jul 2, 2008. 12:38 AM  REPLYthanks for clearing that up, nice project.

 trz says:  Feb 28, 2008. 7:56 AM  REPLYYou make me proud, Teeps! If we could get 12 more people to do this, by university standards we could start up a fraternity. Thanks for your feedback onadditional materials. Looks like you had much better a workspace. Let me know how much you paid for your bed.

 teeps says:  Feb 27, 2008. 6:41 PM  REPLYHere are the results of my successful attempt!

Couple of suggestions:

To the author: add plywood to your supply list.To builders:1 try and find some clamps for securing the legs to the rails when you drill2 LABEL LABEL LABEL your combos of leg/rail. You will not get perfect drilling on every side so you want to put it together just as you drilled. There is anexample of this in my second photo (the sharpie "C").

Woot! New bed!

 gnomedriver says:  Dec 6, 2007. 9:24 PM  REPLYGreat project.

However, the treated timber is a bit of a worry.

This may be a repeat comment and Robbtoberfest and others have posted comments on this but ya gotta think of ya health first and foremost.

There are some chemicals in that stuff. Designed for outdoor and ground contact where untreated woods would soon rot and come under attack from insectand fungi.

At the moment there is a bit in the local news about carpenters and timber workers coming down ill with repertory illnesses.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/

Take care with it and wear a mask when cutting!!

 themostbob says:  Dec 7, 2007. 7:29 AM  REPLYIf it's old enough (<2003), the treated wood was treated with extremely toxic chromated copper arsenate, and sawdust would be quite dangerous to bearound and breath. Not sure I would want it under my bed, either, but ymmv.

I like the idea, though. I'd probably try to put some protection on the sides for the floor for when I move it through a doorway on its side.

 jimbarbera says:  Dec 6, 2007. 8:41 PM  REPLYI recommend perforating the plywood base by drilling several large (~1") holes. Space them 6" apart in a diagonal grid. This will allow the mattress to breatheand prevent moisture buildup.

 MD_Willington says:  Dec 5, 2007. 1:44 PM  REPLYAnother way to make the support rails in the sides is to use a table saw to notch out the top of the 2x6.. or setup a jig and use a router to remove the materialto form a notch, you can also use a router to "bull nose" the squared end cuts.

I had a custom futon made when I was 16, we made our own frame for the futon out of 2x6's and 1x4's...

 robbtoberfest says:  Dec 4, 2007. 5:18 PM  REPLYThis is nice, thanks for the idea. I have only one issue, the treated lumber 4x4s; aren't they a health risk?

 MD_Willington says:  Dec 5, 2007. 1:39 PM  REPLYGet a can of cheap sanding sealer and seal them, job done, no worries...!

 camp6ell says:  Dec 4, 2007. 8:32 PM  REPLYthey used to be impregnated with arsenic chloride, but haven't been for several years now... so it's probably ok if your wood is new... then again, maybethey'll decide in a few years the less nasty stuff in it now is just as bad as arsenic... if you're still concerned, and assuming you can't find any untreatedlumber, i would seal the treated 4x4s with several coats of paint or varnish or something before building the bed. they're pretty much hidden, so itwouldn't take away from the aesthetics really.

 camp6ell says:  Dec 4, 2007. 8:34 PM  REPLYi don't understand the comment in step 6: "You can't afford gaps with a wood strip support system."

 !Andrew_Modder! says:  Dec 3, 2007. 12:29 PM  REPLYthats pretty gangster!!.. LOL no, i really like it :-D! I love making big things (like bed, shelf, etc.)..

 trz says:  Dec 3, 2007. 9:14 PM  REPLYThanks for all of your interest! This Platform Bed DIY (Ikea LILLEHAMMER hack?) has been Featured on the Instructables.com front page! Please ratethis DIY!

 ahead says:  Dec 2, 2007. 7:13 PM  REPLYThis a nice project. I could use a new bed.

 GorillazMiko says:  Dec 2, 2007. 5:57 PM  REPLYthese beds are really nice, now i know how to make them!(favorited)